The Guardian Avenger
by Lesliezin
Summary: For years there has been one at the top of both SHIELDS and HYDRAs most wanted list, Codenamed Katseye due to the image of a cat's eye left whenever she leaves a trail of dead corpses in her wake. To the good guys she is a psychopath, to the bad guys they just want her out of the way. Her story though is a bit more complicated. Eventual future OCXBucky
1. The Beginning

**Hello everyone,**

 **As promised, I had talked about doing a Marvel fan fiction for years, ever since Captain America the Winter Soldier came out. For returning readers welcome back and I hope you enjoy this story like you have my others. For those that are new to my stories, I have an Author's Notes section at the bottom of each chapter to address any concerns for that chapter or to answer questions reviewers may have. Now for the usual statement: I own nothing except the OC characters, everything else belongs to Marvel.**

 **Anyway please enjoy.**

* * *

 **October 16** **th** **1989**

 **Somewhere in China at a hidden HYDRA Base**

 _'This is one of my earliest memories. It was the memory that started it all for me. After this day, I would remember everything and forget nothing. I think I was five or six years old, they never told us our birthdays. Then again they never told us anything other than we lived solely to be "test subjects".While other children enjoyed life, had names and birthdays, had family and friends' this was my life. My hell.'_

The soft buzz of the florescent lights hummed as one long light flickered attempting to stay lit, so the long narrow hall was illuminated. On both sides of the narrow hall were three cells on each side. Faintly there were the soft noises from the other children in their own cells. This sadly, for lack of a better word, was home. It had been home ever since they could walk and be left alone. After that, these four walls became their lives. Human contact became non-existent and they were only allowed out for a set amount of time to maintain some kind of healthy existence. Sadly, it was a very lonely life each of them led, the only comfort to be gained was from one another.

In the middle left cell, the little raven haired girl was trying to occupy her time by drawing. One of the select few things allowed was an artist pad, pencils, and crayons. Again, she peeked up at the cell across from her own to draw the little boy with dark hair. The doctors and guards called him 'Four', and since she, nor the other kids could come up with another name for him, that was what he was called. He too was drawing, but when he felt eyes on him he looked up at her and smiled. It got her to giggle before she shyly returned to her own drawing.

Normally it was quiet. The guards did not like noise, and if one was too noisy the guards came and dragged them off to the bad room. They would be locked in a pitch-black room for hours and hours, and for a small child it was scary. All six of the children had long since learned to be quiet, some too afraid to even whisper. Tonight, however, Three and the other five children jumped to their feet frightened as they heard the latch being drawn on the heavy door at the end of the hall. They had just eaten, so it wasn't food. Maybe it was bedtime and the guard would yell at them to go to bed.

Three looked to Four, then to another girl in the cell across from hers and to the right. This girl had beautiful blonde hair and big blue eyes. Her name was Six and she looked at Three scared. However, it was not a guard's voice, but the lead Doctor Vincent Vermonte. He was talking to someone else.

"...and here is where the test subjects are for project Mastermind."

The approaching footsteps meant the pair were travelling down the hall to look into the cells. Again, Three looked at Four, then Six. The frightened blonde mouthed the words: 'What do we do?' It was a good question. Should they play asleep? Three could only shrug as another voice spoke up.

"How is their progress? How many injections have they been given?"

"Uh, none yet. They are still a bit young to begin treatments, Secretary Director." Vincent replied nervously.

"A great deal of money and resources have been poured into this project, and you are telling me you have not started?" This secretary director sounded annoyed.

"If we inject them too soon it may kill them, and the project will fail." Vincent said trying to explain his logic.

"That is not my concern. What is my concern, is results. I expect results." Three froze as the strange man came into view. This man had red hair and wore a suit, he stopped to look at her making her worried. "This one?"

"That is subject Three, sir." Vincent replied as the red-haired man bent over to look at her more closely.

"Huh." The man scoffed before straightening, then turned to Vermonte. "Begin tonight."

"T-tonight sir?" Vincent asked shocked. "Without the other board members?"

"If you forget, Whitehall is already here, and the rest are already on their way. You will begin treatments tonight, or this program ends now." The red-haired man said sternly, then pointed at Three. "You will begin with her."

"But...yes sir." Vincent said not wanting to cross the man in front of him. "I will set up immediately."

With that, Vincent quickly left to prepare. The other man stayed a moment longer as he put his hands in his pockets, regarding Three for a moment before walking back to the heavy door. Once the heavy door shut, Thee released the breath she had not known she was holding and looked at Four and Six.

Whatever it was, they would start tonight and they would start with her.

* * *

Hours later, Three still sat on her bed scared of when they would come back for her. She kept asking herself "What had she done wrong?" Silent tears streaked down her face as she knew something terrible was about to happen to her, but the sheer helplessness of the situation meant that it was inescapable.

Eventually, the sound of the heavy door being opened came, and Three hastily wiped the tears away. Crying would do no good; she had learned that long ago. The guards did not view them as children, only as little more than animals, and the doctors only cared about their precious tests. Thus, no amount of begging or pleading would save her. The voices of the two guards were accompanied by laughter as they casually moved towards her cell.

"...anyway she invites me into her apartment and no joking her boyfriend is there."

"Crap man you have the shittiest luck!" The other one laughed as they came to her cell.

Pulling out a ring of keys, the second man starts unlocking her cell door. Three swallowed hard before standing and moving forward. It was always better to cooperate than get in more trouble. Opening the door, she let the guards take hold of her arm and the three moved down the hall towards the heavy door.

"So, what did you do?" One guard asks, continuing the conversation.

"Well this guy is more pissed at her than me. Apparently, she likes to screw around. So there I am trying to keep from laughing. I mean, I thought for certain this joker was gonna pick a fight..."

The conversation was not amusing or interesting to Three, and strangely she still remembered it. She shivered in the grey pyjama set they had all their test subjects wear.

Past the cells and through the heavy door, she knew the double doors led down to an enclosed playground, and the area surrounded by the building where the test subjects could exercise. However tonight she was led to the left down various halls that she wished would go on forever.

As they moved down another set of halls, Three was already terrified and when two other men wheeled out an young woman on a stretcher, she could not help the squeak. Before it could build into a proper scream, the guards hand tightened bruising her as he told her to keep quiet. Three could not remove her eyes from the dead woman. She looked to be of Asian descent. Judging by the bloodied sheet over most of her body she had been cut up pretty badly.

"What is this?" One of the guard's holding Three asked.

"Rein—no sorry, Whitehall's little experiment. Spent two weeks on her. Supposedly she had some sort of regeneration, slash eternal youth thing."

"You're bullshitting us." The other guard holding Three said, shaking his head.

"Am I? Wait until you see Whitehall." The guard chuckled.

All the while Three felt sick as she stared at the poor woman on the table. Her face and vacant eyes etched into her mind. Finally, the guard wheeled away the body and the guards holding her tugged on her arm. She stumbled forward shaken by what she had seen.

"You had best behave!" The guard on her right growled yanking her upright, "Or you might be the next one Whitehall cuts up."

Three wanted to cry as she was yanked along once more. Finally, she was pulled into a room that looked much like a theatre, only the stage was set up like a lab.

In the centre of the stage was a lab table with a headrest on one end and straps. Above it a medical light and with needles coming down from a metal arm. There were three doctors, including Vincent Vermonte, in lab coats preparing the lab. One was at the far back wall, looking at the computer screens and adjusting the equipment. Another was double checking that the required medical supplies were close at hand, including a defibrillator in case things went wrong.

Vermonte was checking his notes as the guards brought her up onto the stage. "Put the subject on the table face down and strap her down."

Three stood there frozen and terrified as she was picked up and put on the table. She squeezed her eyes shut hoping that maybe if she just went to sleep they would be done before she knew it. She felt them strap her down, and step away as the doctors finished preparations. Then she heard Vermonte clear his throat and tap the microphone to gain someone's attention. Daring a look, Three saw a large group of people, including the secretary director from before, watching in the theatre's seats.

"Good evening. As many of you know, Doctor Abraham Erskine created the serum that made Captain America. Sadly, his research for a super soldier was lost, but not everything died with the esteemed Doctor. Here is what is not known. Before fleeing Nazi Germany, Erskine created a sister serum. This serum, sadly was not perfected by Erskine, is quit lethal in its raw form, and was foolishly used in the concentration camps to eradicate many lives."

The doctor paused, and Three wished for him to continue talking to stave off the inevitable.

"Fortunately, my colleagues and I have found a way to effectively break down the serum into five injections. We believe over time the body can adapt to accept this serum, so that the subject does not die. However, make no mistake, this serum is not a super soldier serum like it's brother, but a super intelligence serum. Imagine, if you will, the military applications: a soldier could master combat techniques in a quarter of the time, and outsmart the toughest opponents. Perhaps in time, and with all five injections, even be able to read minds and predict an opponent's moves."

Three tried to keep from crying as she swallowed down a sob.

"We may not be able to recreate a super soldier, but if successful, we will not have to. Not with a soldier that can outsmart even the strongest opponents. Tonight, we finally have permission from Secretary Director Pierce to test the first injection on our subject. Tonight, we prove that the greatest soldier may not be the super soldier, but the super intelligent soldier."

Vaguely she heard the microphone being set aside, and the doctor at the computers typing in the commands. She shivered as she heard the machinery move above her, and felt a cold plate with a hole in the middle being pressed down on the back of her neck at the base. She knew it was to hold her in place. A moment later, she felt the needle against her skin. The faint noise of the machine sounded then the needle plunged into her neck. Three grit her teeth, but if she thought it would be a simple injection she was wrong. This large needle kept going pushing into her. It felt like they wanted to cause as much pain as possible.

Somehow, the worst was yet to come as the doctor at the computers spoke up. "Administering the first injection now."

It felt like liquid fire had been injected into her, as the serum seemed to go straight to her brain. It caused every pain sensor and nerve ending to scream. Three could no longer keep silent as the pain became too much. The pain filled scream of a little girl was heard outside the theatre, until finally it ended when she passed out from the pain.

* * *

When next Three woke, she was on her bed in her cell. The night before felt like a horrible nightmare until the poor girl tried to move, and felt pain shoot through her head and neck. It had all been real, and Three wanted to curl up and cry even more. The memory came back to her in clear focus as she remembered things she had not even noticed before. One of the other men was drinking a glass of whiskey, another checked his watch impatiently, and Pierce watched her, curious. There were other things too. She remembered passing out exactly forty-seven and a half seconds after the injection had been administered. What was worse was she remembered everything so clearly that she nearly screamed at having to relive it.

Sheer panic caused by the memory made her scramble into the corner against the wall on the bed, clutching the pillow to her. She buried her face into the pillow to muffle her crying, so the guards would not get mad. Yet someone must have heard for she heard footsteps. _'Quiet, quiet! Or they will lock you in the bad room. Don't let them hear!'_ She thought, but could not help it. The footsteps stopped in front of her cell and she bit her bottom lip to keep the sounds from escaping. She felt eyes on her, but did not dare move. _'Pretend to be asleep!'_ She wanted to, god knew she did, but her body would not hold still.

"Quite extraordinary that she survived, isn't it?"

She recognised that voice. Pierce. He was talking to someone, but the other person did not reply. For a few minutes she hoped they would move on and leave her be. Eventually, though, as the silence stretched, Three plucked up the courage to peek back and wished she had not. There stood Pierce in a suit with his hands in his pockets watching her, but beside him stood another. This man was scary, for he stood in black combat boots, black military pants, and a black chest armour. His left arm was metal and he wore a scary breath mask. His shaggy brown hair came down around his cold, dead, blue eyes, scaring her even more.

The scary metal armed man regarded her carefully as his vacant eyes locked on her scared green ones. It felt like he was assessing her as a threat, but seemed to determine that she was no threat.

"Uh, sir." Doctor Vincent Vermonte came into view. "I am pleased to report all six test subjects have survived the first injection."

"Ah, good. Well project Mastermind is off to a good start then." Pierce said, "It is time we got going. The soldier has a mission, after all." As Pierce talked to the doctor the scary man continued to watch her intensely. "I expect progress on my nest visit, Doctor Vermonte."

"Of course, sir." Vermonte said then nervously added. "Ho-however if we inject them too soon their bodies may not be able to handle the injections. Our estimates suggest an injection once every...three to four years."

"I see." Pierce sighed then looked back at Three, "Give me progress reports on how they react, and what they are able to do. I will decide when they will be given the second injection."

"Of course sir." Vermonte said. Relief spread at the thought of them leaving, but still the scary man watched her.

"Soldier!" Pierce said making her jump, and causing the scary man to finally break eye contact to look at Pierce. Pierce looked at the one called Soldier then at Three, and back again. "What is it?"

"Она пугает меня." The scary man said, his deep voice making Three shiver.

"Yes I imagine she would be. Why? Does that bother you?" Pierce asked as he looked at Three. Rather than answer, the scary man looked down as if ashamed before shaking his head. "Good because it shouldn't. She is a test subject nothing more. Now come along."

Pierce turned away and resumed walking as the 'Soldier' looked at her a moment, then followed Pierce down the hall with Vermonte in tow. Once the heavy door closed, Three started to cry once more into her pillow in relief that they had gone. She wanted to forget last night and everything since she awoke, but that was the thing. She could not forget and she never would.

* * *

 **May 17** **th** **1996**

 **HYDRA Base in China**

Seven years, seven months, one day and thirteen and a half hours had passed since that fateful day when Three was first injected. Sadly, with an Edenic memory nothing was ever forgotten, not for Three, nor the others. They retained everything, a fact that excited the doctors to no end. The only upside was they were no longer outright ignored, sadly, and nowadays Three wished they were. The mastermind serum, as they called it, not only made it so they did not forget, but also accelerated the learning process. Vermonte and his colleagues were eager to learn all they could about their test subject's new abilities. They tested boundaries and limits, only to discover a major problem.

Heightened emotional distress meant that Three and the others thought processes was greatly impeded. Thus, in high combat situations when stress was at its highest, they were disappointed. Vermonte feared that project Mastermind would be shut down then and there with this setback. Instead, Pierce green-lit the second injection four years later, which turned out to be equally as painful. Supposedly the doctors noticed an accelerated learning speed, and higher cognitive function; but that was all.

Strangely the project was allowed to continue regardless, and so the doctors poked, prodded, and ran their test. Mostly they wanted to map how quickly new skills were picked up, so a lot of the tests involved reading, trainings and learning. All Three could guess was Vermonte was eager to please Pierce because many of the skills they were taught involved combat, tactics, espionage, and other survival skills.

Most recently, three weeks ago, the third injection was given and it left all six of them in acute pain. Three was still amazed to have woken at all after the injection. She could still recall the agonizing pain as she thrashed on her bed. Eventually all of them pulled through, well, all but Five. Sadly, the blonde that hated her was still suffering from the injection, making them worried. With both second and third injections, they had injected the test subjects in number order, One to Six. What was so worrying was they, including Six, had overcome the pain and were again learning new skills to appease the doctors. However, Five was still suffering, which meant he was not recovering. The scary thought was eventually, the doctors and guards would get tired of waiting for him to recover.

Now approximately thirteen to fourteen years of age, Three sat reading a Russian dictionary. She sighed as she flipped the page and continued. The only noise was from Five as he groaned in pain, and regardless of what he thought of her, she worried for him. She tried to focus on the book to keep out of trouble. When not physically training or learning a more hands-on skill, the doctors would push books at them and tell them to read them. Sometimes it was a random book merely to test how well they retained the information. Today they would be testing Three to see how quickly she learned yet another language. She had learned French, Mandarin, Japanese, Latin, and Italian. It was silly to some, but Three would read the dictionary, retain the information, and be able to speak and write that language all in about two days at most.

What really bothered Three was she was favoured above the rest by Doctor Vermonte, who claimed she was responding best to the injections. It made some of the others resent her, well except for Four and Six. Both liked her and knew she really wished she was not so highly valued. One and Five both hated that fact, however, and had no problem calling her "The Doctor's Pet".

Two had always been quiet; he never really spoke much. From what Three could remember, the guards used to make fun of him calling him retarded. One time she heard one of Vermonte's colleagues talking about Two. 'His mother did not want him,' She had said, and mentioned that he been born with the umbilical cord wrapped around his throat starving him of oxygen. Either way it no longer mattered, after the first injection, it fixed Two. He was just as smart and capable as the others, but quiet and detached. Like all of them he remembered quite clearly how others had treated him.

Again, Three shifted on her bed reading and enjoying the momentary silence. Peeking over the book, she looked at Four who also read on his bed, but he was reading a French dictionary. The dark haired boy had shot up in seven years. Tall and lanky, Four also had this cute boyish smile that always made Three blush and go shy. She guessed he was at most sixteen. Then there was Six who was also taller and a lot more beautiful. Whereas Three felt little had changed. Sure she was taller and her features more defined with long black hair, but she felt she could never compete with Six.

The three test subjects were close despite the guards, doctors, and bars that kept them apart. Over the years, they had learned that they could talk to each other, they just had to do so quietly. Again, Three got caught staring at Four, and blushed as he gave a soft chuckle when she ducked behind her book.

Blinking a few times, Three started to return to her reading when his voice whispered her name. "Three."

Peeking up Four had quietly moved to the bars of his cell and had a mischievous smile on his face as he ushered her over. She knew what he was doing, and if they were caught they would get into trouble. Regardless, Three got up and moved to her own cell bars where she sat on her knees. Four slipped his hand between the bars and reached out for her, and Three giggled softly as she did the same. They had done this before, tested their boundaries despite the dangers. Their fingertips brushed each other's hands and they relished the contact. For them this was a rare novelty, it was the most contact either of them could have after all.

Three sighed softly as their fingertips brushed causing a tingling sensation that was pleasant, not harsh like the contact with the guards or doctors. Four smiled at her as he traced his index finger over her fingers. Again, like before, Three imagined what it would feel like to touch more: interlock their fingers, press their palms together, or even hold hands. Sadly, the bars would eventually dig into their arms and shoulders, so the pair eventually pulled their arms back. Mostly it was to avoid getting caught, but also because of the press of the cell bars. Three rubbed her shoulder where the bar had dug in and smiled at Four. His winning smile made her blush and, as usual, made it feel like she had butterflies flying around her stomach.

The sweet moment was harshly interrupted by a groan of pain from Five in the cell next to hers. The poor boy was not getting better, but worse. Six put down the Spanish dictionary she had been reading and came to her cell bars concerned as she watched Five. Sadly, Three could only hear him, but Six had to watch him as he was slowly deteriorating.

"Shhh.." Six whispered gently trying to sooth Five, "Shhh you do not want the guards and doctors to hear. Try to relax Five. Focus on your breathing, in and out. Nice steady breaths."

Three swallowed hard as she listened intently for Five to calm down, which he slowly was. She gave an encouraging smile at Six. The blonde had been given a bunch of medical books to read, and with her soft, gentle voice, Six made an excellent nurse. For a moment the group thought it over, but then Five gasped then cried out in pain. All Three could do was hear his cries and the sound of thrashing in the cell next to hers.

"Five look at me!" Six cried, "Look at me, just breathe, please!"

"What is going on?!" One called out as she came to the bars, Three looked across as Two came to try and see the situation, but there was not really anything for them to see. Just bars and concrete. The cries escalated as Five's pain grew.

"Five please, listen to Six. Listen to her voice, we do not want the guards to hurt you!" Three called out knowing the guards would come if they heard these screams, and Five would be hurt more. Sadly, the words were lost, as Five was in too much pain to acknowledge them. The screams got worse, then there was a thud.

"Five stop!" Six called out, but whatever Five was doing, he was not stopping. Between cries, Three heard another thud, then another.

"What is he doing?!" One asked, but Six crumpled to her knees crying.

The poor blonde put her face in her hands to avoid watching what Five was doing. A second later, the heavy latch door was flung open to reveal an annoyed guard coming to see what the noise was about. He moved down the hall past Three's cell and stopped short as Five gave another cry and Three heard a sickening crack with the thud this time. The sound of a body hitting the floor followed by an eerie silence. The guard stood there stunned and unable to take his eyes off Five. Numbly he fumbled for his radio and clicked the button.

"Jefferson here, Doctor Vermonte may wish to get down to the test subject's cell."

" _Vermonte is busy, what is it Jefferson?"_ The voice on the radio asked in an annoyed clipped tone.

"One of the test subjects...Five I think. He killed himself." Jefferson swallowed.

" _Killed himself? There is nothing dangerous in the cell for him to use."_

"He used the wall, sir. Went crazy." Jefferson said still disturbed by it all. There was a lengthy pause on the other end before an answer came.

" _Understood, Doctor Vermonte is on his way with a clean-up crew."_

A moment later Vermonte casually walked in and came to Five's cell.

"You found him like this?" Vermonte asked.

"No sir I came in just as he screamed and ran at the wall." Jefferson answered.

"I see. Report to security chief Eckhardt to give a full report." Vermonte said casually, and when the guard left he turned to the two men in white has-mat suits. "Clean this up, and send the body to Doctor Wing. She will want to find out what went wrong."

With that, the doctor strolled out annoyed and grumbling about having to report this setback to Pierce. Thus, the remaining Five test subjects watched as Five was put on a cart. The poor boy had indeed looked to have run into the wall, blood matted his blonde hair and his forehead and his face bore terrible gashes. It was still so hard to believe that Five would do this. While none of them liked anything about this life, none of them really were that desperate to end their lives. It was the mastermind serum, it had to be, and Three realized with a harsh reality—this was their inevitable fate.

* * *

The mood in the cells had turned to despair after Five died from the third injection. A sense that they would all one day die just as painful deaths, drove any thought of hope from the cold cells. Each one mourning the loss, and even though Five resented her as "The Doctor's Pet," Three still felt bad. She hated that he died so painfully, that there nothing she could do about it.

Finally, Six sniffled from her spot by the bars. She had not moved since they took Five away. "We are going to die down here. They are going to kill each of us off with that serum!"

"What did you expect? A cookie after the fifth injection?!" One asked bitterly, "We are nothing but lab rats. We do not even exist!"

The words were what the guards always told them, and sadly, with One being the more negative person, she bought it hook, line, and sinker. As usual, Two remained quiet against the bars of his cell, though he did cast a glare at One for her negative attitude. Only two more injections and they would all be dead. That would mean at most they had eight years. Three gasped as she straightened getting her friends attention.

"Maybe not. Only two more injections to go."

"So?! Two more injections and we are DEAD!" One pointed out.

"Who says? We survived the third injection, who is to say we cannot survive the fourth or fifth?" Three asked trying to reign in some kind of hope that there was light at the end of the tunnel.

"And what then, genius?!" One asked snidely.

"We find a way out of here of course." Three pointed out calm as ever. She heard One's snort of laughter at the idea. "Think about it One. We have two choices: we give up and die or we fight to survive. You want to crawl into a corner and die? Do it quietly!" For a moment the five teenagers were quiet as they considered Three's words, but it was Two that spoke up.

"What do you suggest?"

"I suggest we learn all we can and more. We display a desire to learn. We learn as many skills as we can, we fight through the fourth and fifth injections, and then we find a way to escape. Right now, we are becoming more intelligent than the guards and doctors combined." Three said, hoping to instil hope despite Five's tragic end. She looked at Four and Six gripping the bars tightly, hoping they would stand with her on this. Four smiled at her with that cute boyish smile, while Six wiped the tears away on her sleeve and tried to give a brave smile. Next she looked to Two, who was nodding at the suggested plan, however One she could not see. "One?"

"What do we do?" One finally asked after a lengthy silence.

"We learn as fast as we can. We ask to learn more, show a thirst for knowledge make the doctors 'complacent'." Three said softly, after a moment One gave a shaky yes, agreeing to the plan that would allow them to one day experience freedom.

Thus, the five test subjects read, trained, and learned any and all the skills set before them. They even went as far as to ask to learn more, pleasantly surprising the doctors who obliged them. The doctors were unaware of the risks they took in teaching them such potentially dangerous skills. Unfortunately, their 'progress' was what encouraged the fourth injection to be issued after only a year.

The fourth injection, like the previous ones, was gradually worse than the last. It took a full week for each of them to recover. However, they split the subjects injection dates up to ensure they potentially survived. One as always went first and after getting over the near fatal injection, two weeks later it was Two's turn. Another two weeks, then Three got to experience her very own horrid fourth injection. Near the end of her recovery, they took Four for his, and finally Six was last.

All five narrowly survived it, but the true question was could they ever survive the fifth? It was a question none of them really wanted to ask, because they all believed the answer was 'no.' Despite that their plan was mostly working, the doctors cared only to record their progress; so teaching the subjects combat, hacking, shooting a gun did not register as potentially hazardous to them.

Strangely, Doctor Vermonte was right, Three discovered that learning any skill took less time than the others. Worst of all, that favouritism she was shown bothered her. It was not a close bond between them, but she hated him like every other doctor and guard here. So she hated him for feigning pride he did not really feel. Instead she focused on learning all she could. Before it had been everyday skills that any normal person would carry, but in their blind desire they moved onto combat training and more advanced skills.

The guards sparred with them, not for a moment thinking one day the skills could be used against them. Next, masters were brought in to train them, and one was supposed the one to train the guards. However, Three surpassed his training in two short weeks. Another skill they learned was computer hacking. They were given books to read and shown how to hack into systems by professionals.

The group surpassed expectations by surpassing their teachers and showing a natural affinity for it. In fact, Three suspected some key skill points were withheld by the trainers, as though they realized teaching them everything was not in their best interest. It allowed her to pick up and adjust or alter what was taught to compensate for any potential flaws. She kept note of potential loop holes to avoid in their instructor's training. It allowed her to develop her own style of hacking, minus the instructor's loopholes, making her more talented than the hackers they employed.

Several other skills where they were taught the basics, Three adjusted to ensure she would use them to the best of her ability. Sadly, her ability to adapt and adjust skills drew unwanted attention to them by Pierce who was gradually growing impatient for 'better results'. It was only a matter of time before the fifth injection, and their time would be up.

* * *

 **Author's Notes:**

 **Well I hope you enjoyed this first chapter. First let me thank my Beta reader 'McHaleinski'. A fantastic writer that wrote one of my favourite stories: 'Broken'. I highly recommend it if, like me, you are a huge Bucky Barnes fan. Well I would recommend it anyway regardless.**

 **Also some other things to note: This story was not written over night it took two years before I felt I could ask McHaleinski to read it for errors. Needless to say, this is going to be a loooooooooooonnnnnng story. Just forewarning you 'cough' over six-hundred pages 'cough'.**

 **Another thing to note is ONLY the MCU "Marvel Cinematic Universe" is in this story. Meaning the Marvel movies, Agents of SHIELD, and the Netflix shows are acknowledged. Not the Fox movies, so no mutants, no X-Men, no Fantastic Four. I know some fan fictions include the Fox movies in the MCU, but not this story. I really do not like the movies Fox has kicked out except for Deadpool that is the only one I like. So if anyone is expecting Wolverine sorry but no.**

 **As for this chapter in particular, for those that watch Agents of SHIELD, I believe you will have noticed the blatant reference to Whitehall and the woman he spent two weeks on. It was a huge nod to the t.v show in that regard. Also for those wondering what the Winter Soldier said: "** **Она** **пугает меня" means 'She is scared of me'.**

 **Lastly, this story is going to be dark in some areas especially the beginning. It is Rated M for that reason, so I hope that anyone reading is prepared for that.**

 **Anyway, please review away. I would love to hear from you.**

 **Lesliezin**


	2. The Fifth Injection

**Hello everyone,**

 **Here is chapter 2**

* * *

 **January 15th1999**

 **Hydra Base in China**

Three's heart was pounding in her chest, threatening to explode from the exertion. At approximately sixteen years of age or younger, she wore a grey tank top and matching trousers. Her long black hair was tied back, mostly. In this moment, some strands were escaping as her green eyes glared out from her beautiful thin face. She had indeed grown into a lithe well-formed young woman. Though from her perspective, Six would always far outshine her in beauty. She was vaguely aware of the doctor nearby holding a chart and writing on it. The black watch on her wrist beeped indicating her current emotional state, which was calm considering she was facing off against a man twice her size. The man was a large ape, that also happened to be a guard. However, this was not the worst of it. The guard was older and heavy set, but most disturbing, he was a pervert that loved looking her, One, and Six over like a pieces of meat.

The temptation to spar with him was too great, especially if it meant she got to beat him senseless. On a large screen behind her she felt the eyes of Pierce and some other board members watching via video call from some place. Three however never let it distract her as she kept her stance and watched Berk, the guard, carefully. He rushed her and she narrowly dodged him. Bringing her leg out she kicked Berk's legs out from under him. The large ape stumbled trying to right himself only for Three to twist around and kick him square in the back. The man fell face first onto the ground, and Three was certain she heard his pride shatter. A trained guard being beat by a teenaged girl had to sting.

The man growled out a curse as Three resumed her stance as the man got to his feet and started swinging. His lumber-some blows easily missed as she dodged, and Berk got more frustrated swinging wildly and wearing himself down. Finally, she dodged another set of blows and came in hitting him in the stomach and a little lower to drive the message home. The man stumbled back clutching the areas she struck and gasping for air. Three peeked at Vermonte for permission, as the sparring match was meant to be until one opponent knocked out the other. Vermonte nodded and before Berk could react, she delivered a hard kick to the face, knocking him clean out.

"See sir? We have effectively overcome the problem with emotional distress playing a factor. As long as the subjects can remain calm and collected, they complete any mission with ruthless efficiency." Vermonte said proudly to Pierce on the screen. Three turned to Vermonte as she kept silent and took in the conversation. However, Pierce still looked skeptical as he seemed to take too long considering.

"I am not convinced, Doctor. While such a group would be a great boost, I am still concerned that emotional distress could play a factor in a possible mission failure."

"I agree with Secretary director Pierce. If one of these subjects were to get attached, their emotions may cloud judgement and impair the ability to carry out missions." A white-haired man with glasses added. "Besides, the point of project mastermind was to create people with unique mental abilities: telepathy, telekinesis. I have not seen that progress."

"Mr. Whitehall, I assure you after the fifth injection such abilities will undoubtedly be unlocked." Vermonte said, but the man hardly looked convinced.

"Well then I recommend the fifth injection be given before you contact me again. Right now, I have more pressing concerns." With that, Whitehall switched off his screen, several others following suit leaving only Pierce on the screen.

"Well, I think you know everyone's answer doctor. You have been avoiding the fifth injection. Care to share why?"

"Sir, the fifth injection is the most volatile. There is a ninety-eight percent chance it will kill the subjects. Whereas, I propose stopping here. We have five subjects left that learn skills in a quarter of the time, and can make our best trained guards look like amateurs. Thus far the project, while not reaching our goals, has been a success. Why risk all with the fifth injection?"

"Because in the words of Mr. Whitehall 'Discovery requires experimentation.' If we are to discover whether or not the subjects can gain abilities such as telepathy, then experimentation is required. You have your orders, I suggest you prepare them for the fifth injection." With that, Pierce switched his own screen off leaving only black screens for Vermonte to stare at. The doctor removed his glasses to rub the bridge of his nose in agitation.

"Take Three back to her cell." Vermonte said, as two guards came forward and Three went with them. By now she and the others had most of the facility mentally mapped out, as the guards took her back to her cell and the others.

Once put back in her cell, the group waited five minutes before talking. "So how did it go?" One asked, "We dodging the bullet?"

Three sighed as she came to the bars shaking her head, before answering. "No, they are determined to inject us. Worst of all the fifth injection...there is a higher risk of death."

"Greeeaaat." One said annoyed drawing out the word with sarcasm.

"It means we have to figure out how to escape before then." Six said as she chewed her lip, a task that was harder than originally thought for the group.

* * *

The pressure was on. Escape or die. The question was how? Three read more on how to disable security systems, believing the skills would be vital in their escape. She heard the soft breathing of her fellows asleep in the cells around her and took comfort in the fact that they were still there. Sighing she kept reading until she heard movement from the cell across from her own, then the soft whisper. "Three."

Three peeked over her book at Four to find him smiling and waving her closer to the bar. Getting up from her bed she came to the bars and knelt down by them. "Yes, what is it Four?"

"I uhh..." Four peeked around to make sure they were alone, and the others were asleep. "I kept a book, but it is one they gave me for a memory test." Memory tests was where one of them was given a book to read and would have to recall specific details. Like what was written on page 247, paragraph two, third sentence. So, it would not have been a skill book, but a fictional one. Four pulled a book out from under his mattress and held it up to show Three. In the dim light, she made out the strange cover of a pile of clothes and a little school girl's feet on it.

"The...Time Traveller's Wife?" Three asked reading the title. It sounded interesting to be sure, but would it help them now?

"Remember two days ago how Two said he wanted to see Middle Earth after reading the Hobbit?"

"Yes, of course I remember." Three said, while the book was fictional, much of the fiction books were written in real places. It made them wonder if Middle Earth was real. "Six said she wanted to visit Forks after reading Twilight to hopefully meet one of the vampires."

"Yes, so I was reading this, and I am not too concerned about visiting the places there, but.." Four blushed, then opened the book. "Let me read it to you." Three nodded as she listened to Four.

"I draw her to me. We kiss. It is a very...compatible kiss, a kiss born of long association, and I wonder just exactly what we were doing in this meadow of Claire's, but I push the thought away. Our lips part, and usually at this point I would be considering how to work my way past various fortresses of clothing." Four continues to read blushing even more at the words he repeated from the pages, and for some reason Three felt the heat rise in her own cheeks wondering why he was reading this intimate scene between these two characters. "Part of me is dying to go leaping and licking and diving in, but I'm exhausted and overwhelmed."

Four blushes more as he peeks at her then ducks his head. "That is what I want."

"Um what is?" Three asked confused, no particular place was mentioned at all. It was purely a scene between two characters.

"I umm want to experience...kissing." Four blushed, Three wondered why he was telling _her_ this. Why alone when the others are asleep? Then he added answering the question for her: "With you."

Three sucked in a breath and blushed even more at what Four wanted. He wanted to experience a kiss with _her_? Not Six? "M—me? You want to kiss me?"

Four nodded ducking his head in embarrassment. They had only ever read about kissing. The action in which two people's lips touched. "I-is it okay?"

The question from Four reddened her cheeks further, as she realized that Four meant more to her than just a friendship. She grew up in the cell across from his. They had touched their fingertips together through the bars. She had known him all her life, and they both cared deeply for one another. Experiencing something so intimate as a kiss with Four made the butterflies soar around her stomach. For so long she thought he cared for Six more. She was far more pretty; but he wanted her! A large smile spread across her face as she giggled out. "Yes, that is fine. I-I would love to experience kissing with you."

Both were smiling at one another, overjoyed that one day they would know what it was like to kiss each other. Four hid the book once more and wished her goodnight as he climbed back into bed, leaving, Three giddy as she went back to her bed. She tried to pick up her book and resume reading, but she was too excited. Instead her imagination ran away as she imagined feeling Four's lips on hers. She would long for the day they would escape this place, the day they would be able to do more than their fingertips brushing. The day they would kiss!

* * *

 **January 18th1999**

 **Hydra Base in China**

Three gasped as the harsh sounds jolted her awake; the heavy door being flung open and voices arguing. For a second, Three was trying to blink away the sleep that clung to her like cobwebs. The lights in the cell flickered harshly and seemed to be too bright for her adjusting eyes. Yet she shook off the sleep and sat up. Outside the cells, she saw Doctor Vermonte arguing with an older man with grey hair. She recognised the other man in his security gear as Security Chief Eckhardt. At first the words did not register in her confused sleepy head, but Doctor Vermonte was angry. His outraged shouts were directed at Eckhardt. "You cannot do this!"

"Correction, I am doing this!" Eckhardt replied with a smug grin, that sent a chill down Three's spine. "You had your chance doctor. Secretary Director Pierce has grown impatient with waiting." Eckhardt nodded to Berk who opened one of the cells, the cell to her left. _'NO!'_ Three thought horrified as One gave a cry and was yanked from her cell. "Tonight, we resume where the good doctor is too skittish to continue. Starting with her."

One panicked and with good reason, but she had been ill-prepared for this. Instead, Three could only watch her struggle as the guards dragged her away for the fifth injection. They had run out of time. Soon the guards filed out with Vermonte looking defeated as he trailed behind mumbling that this was not over. Three wanted to scream as silence followed and she looked at Two, Four, and Six. All three of them allowed the despair to sink back in, now that the fifth injection was going to be administered to each of them. Three felt sick as she realised Eckhardt was not a patient man, that most likely he would have them all injected in quick brutal succession.

Three had banked on having more time to work with, more time to prepare for their escape. However, would they really try to escape without One? Just abandon her? Three shook her head at the thought. _'No! We are not leaving her to die while we escape! This has been our shared nightmare, our shared life! I cannot just leave her or any of them to die!'_ Looking at her fellow prisoners, she saw the same look mirrored in each of their eyes. They all wondered the same thing, but all of them knew that they could not leave One. They would never forgive themselves if they did.

So what would they do? Wait for One to be brought back to them, then try to escape? Three shook her head. Even she knew the probability of escape was extremely low with an injured member.

The silence dragged on until finally Six spoke softly with a sliver of hope. "M-maybe it will not be so bad? Maybe One will be okay."

Three swallowed hard not wanting to discourage Six. _'High probability of death. 98 percent chance.'_ She reminded herself, even if One survived that, the chances of all of them surviving were astronomical. Instead she estimated with only a two percent survival rate only one of them _'might'_ survive, and that was the best-case scenario. It left them frozen and undecided on what to do, or what actions to take.

Hours later they still sat in silence waiting, knowing sooner or later an unconscious One would be unceremoniously dumped on her bed. What worried Three was it was taking longer than she ever remembered it taking.

Finally, the heavy door's bolt slid and the door creaked as it was opened. They heard the guards muttering and dragging someone. None of them moved knowing the guards might do something more to One if they knew the other subjects cared. For Three, she could only listen to the sounds, not see the actions. The shuffling of feet, the creak of the cell door, and the thud of a person being dropped on the bed. The guards continued muttering about the argument between Vermonte and Eckhardt like it was the highlight of their day.

After a moment, the slam of the cell door echoed through the room, followed by retreating steps, then the creaking and closing of the large heavy door. Once the door shut, Three was on her feet and to the bars. What worried her most was One was awake, not unconscious. _'This is bad, we are never conscious after an injection.'_ To confirm how bad it was, Three looked at a worried Two.

"One?" Two asked worried, but it was like she had not heard him. Instead Three strained to hear One, and held her breath.

"Data being extrapolated-no No! Has to be precise with a thirteen no fifteen percent range to—chapter five, paragraph eight, sentence three..." One continued to mutter nonsense non-stop, stopping one sentence only to start another.

"One?" Three asked slowly, but no response just more nonsense spouted. "One please, we need to know you are okay." But she was not okay and something told Three that One would never be okay again.

Over the next couple of days all three hoped beyond hope that One would recover, but it became even more hopeless as time went on. She just kept talking nonsense that led to more nonsense. Like her mind was incapable of coping with all that she knew. Sometimes it felt like Three could understand her chain of thought up until it suddenly switched without warning. Worst of all there was nothing they could do to help her, as slowly One descended into madness. Even though One was snarky and rude to Three, it hurt no less to see her this way.

Three barely noticed Vermonte's absence until Two returned from a training session and said that Vermonte had gone to plead with Pierce for more time, or another concession; according to the other doctors. Three could only scoff at the Doctor. What was he trying to do anyway? Clear his conscience? Before, Vermonte had never cared what was done to them. He had never even batted an eyelash at the first four injections given to them. So why now did he suddenly care?! She shook her head, thinking it did not matter. She hated them: Vermonte, Eckhardt, Pierce. They, and their friends, could rot for all she cared!

Sadly, with the doctor's absence, there was no buffering what Eckhardt would or could do to them. What was worse was One was only getting worse, her words more senseless, and at times she would have fits. She would start yelling equations or bits of something she read. Other times, she would just start screaming and crying out in pain. A number of times the guards and doctors came and had to give her something to knock her out. One of the guards crudely made the suggestion of putting a bullet in her head to shut her up. Three wanted to hope One would recover, but she knew her fellow test subject was suffering, and wondered if it would be kinder to simply end the girl's suffering.

The third day on January 20th, Three awoke after finally dozing off. She had been kept awake, not by One herself, but by worry for her. Now though, she heard Two calling out, a rarity considering he was the quiet one. Rubbing her eyes, she sat up and paid more attention to Two's words. "One! One please wake up!"

"Two?" Three asked sounding croaky from sleep as she came to the bars, "What...what is it?"

"One. She is on the floor. There is blood, but I can't get her to move!" Two said then looked across at One's cell that Three could not see.

Immediately Three woke up and started calling to her like Two was. It was not long at all then Four and Six were wide awake and worried at their own cell bars. However, no amount of calling to One made her stir. With all the commotion, the guards came to see what was wrong. When the guards looked in on One, Three heard one of them yell to the other one.

"Go get the doctors quick!" A moment later she heard the jangle of keys and One's cell being opened. "Jesus!" He gasped a moment later.

He must have moved her because Two stepped back from the bars with a horrified look on his face. He paled and looked like he might be sick after what he had seen. A moment later and the heavy door creaked allowing more guards and doctors. One was Doctor Scholz who demanded people move so he could get to One.

With so many guards and doctors, Three and the others went silent waiting to hear what was going on.

Finally, Scholz sighed and looked to one of the other doctors. "Time of death January 20th at approximately eleven o'clock. Cause suicide...she must have kept one the pencils and used it to gouge her eyes and more."

She heard the scribble as one of the doctors wrote down what Scholz said. "Be sure to take pictures of that equation she wrote. It may prove of significance."

Three did not really hear much after that as she sat on her bed numbed by it all. Had this fifth injection really driven One to kill herself with a pencil? Eventually she looked back towards the bars to see the guards putting One's body on the stretcher and came forward to see for herself. What she saw terrified her. One lay there her red hair fanned out beneath her, and she wore the usual grey outfit. However, where her brown eyes would have been were deep holes and blood that covered most of her face and seeped into her hair. The image made Three almost throw up, and then they wheeled her away.

Like with Five, there was a heavy cloud of despair that hung in the air. Two was even more quiet than before as he curled up on his bed. Three could not blame him after seeing One like that, and she had no words to offer to make things better. Instead, Three went back to her bed and curled up on it to cry and mourn the loss. She figured the others needed time to themselves too, to accept the loss.

She was not even sure when or how, but she had cried herself to sleep that night, and wished she would never again wake to this nightmare. Sadly, it was never meant to be.

* * *

It could not have been that long; it was still night time. Maybe three or so hours before dawn? At most six hours since One had died. The last time, when Five died, the doctors did not perform injections or tests because they were still examining the body. It had taken days before they were noticed again, and so perhaps foolishly, Three thought they would be left alone for a few days. Instead, she could not understand why she heard the latch and creak of the heavy door. Why was she hearing the approaching steps? At first her sleepy mind told her she was dreaming and to just go back to sleep. For a moment, she obeyed and allowed her body to relax and be lulled back towards sleep. Then the moment shattered as there was a scared scream.

It felt like a jolt of electricity hit her as she bolted upright in the bed. Looking to the bars she saw the guards, and stood up. They were dragging a struggling Two from his cell! Never before had they done injections in such quick, brutal succession before. It made Three cringe as a Doctor Kraus came in, arguing with Eckhardt. "We need more time to examine One before-"

"Then I suggest you examine her after giving Two the injection!"

"It does not work that way. Doctor Vermonte is the head scientist here!"

"Doctor Kraus, do you know how long I have wasted my time and talent while you doctors prattle on and drag your feet?!" Eckhardt asked.

"So that is it. You just want this project over and done with so you can move on to other things." Kraus spat.

"Yeah I do. I am tired of babysitting your little lab rats, and you." Eckhardt said intimidating the doctor into the bars of One's cell. "Now go prepare to inject this runt."

"No!" Three said without thinking causing Eckhardt to come to her cell.

"You got something to say?!" Eckhardt asked, trying his best to intimidate her, but he only made her hate him more. "Well come on then let's hear it!" Three was trying to think of a means of keeping Two from the injection table when Eckhardt scoffed. "Just like I thought. And they claim you would be a good soldier..."

Eckhardt turned away to leave when Three blurted out. "Take me for the injection instead."

This stopped Eckhardt who came back to the bars to regard Three. "You want to go next? Why?"

Three peeked at Two who was still being held by guards, and Eckhardt chucked. "Oh I get it, you want to be the hero." Eckhardt turned to Kraus, "Is this why Vermonte favours her?"

Doctor Kraus didn't reply verbally as Eckhardt looked back at Three. "Let me fill you in, little girl. You are no hero. You are no one. You do not exist, and because of that you DO NOT TELL ME WHAT TO DO!"

His yell echoed around the cells bouncing off the concrete, then he smiled at her. "Don't you worry, it will be your turn soon enough."

Three could only watch as Two was dragged off for the fifth and final injection. As the guards and doctors filed out, Three crumpled to her knees by the bars. For a moment the group was silent as the sounds receded.

"What the hell Three?!" Three looked up at an angry Four. Gone was the shyness and boyish smile. For the first time, it felt like Three was seeing Four as a man. She could only look at him blankly wondering what she had done to earn his anger. "What were you thinking?! What if they had taken you instead?!"

"Then Two would have been left alone..." Three answered dumbly as Four looked on the verge of tears as he hit the bars causing a resounding ringing noise that made Three jump.

"You would be gone! They would take you and when they would bring you back you would be gone!" Four said as he started to cry and his voice shook. "Do you have any idea what that would have done to me?!" The look on Four's face was heart-breaking as she sucked in a painful breath of air.

"Four I am sorry, I-" Three started to say as Four looked away, "Four sooner or later they will inject me too."

"I do not want them to inject you at all!" He growled. "I want us to escape! I want to know what it is like to kiss you, hold you, and...more." Four said, blushing but still angry at her for asking to go next.

Four paced his cell like a caged tiger, while Three looked at Six for answers. The pretty blonde could only offer a sad smile to Three. However, it was also a knowing smile, like she had known how deep Four's feelings ran for a long time. Suddenly it was Three that was embarrassed. How could she have not known? It was so obvious and yet in her vast intelligence it was overlooked.

"Four?" She asked softly, she watched as he stopped pacing and looked up with the most exposed expression. An expression that held nothing back as his wide eyes told her everything he was afraid to say: 'I love you.'

* * *

 **Author's Notes:**

 **First off I am glad that so many have taken an interest in this story, but please I do love reviews. I take them in all forms questions, suggestions, concerns...don't be afraid to leave a comment.**

 **RosieRed: I am glad to hear from you. Unfortunately I already have Three's parentage worked out which does not have a British accent. I am working on posting a small profile on her description which includes this. She is actually of Asian-American decent. Sorry.**

 **In regards to the second chapter, again as in the previous chapter, you get specific cameos from Agents of SHIELD characters. Namely Daniel Whitehall. However, this is not the immediate bad guy Three faces especially with the fifth injection looming over her head.**

 **The other big thing to note is the book Four has that is called 'The Time Traveller's Wife' is a lovely book written by Audrey Niffenegger. I highly recommend it. I am also mentioning this because I do not want to upset anyone at Fanfiction or otherwise. In fact the scene with Four, where he reads a small piece from the book, was inspired by The Time Traveller's Wife. So give credit where it is due I always say, and a big thank you to Audrey Niffenegger for inspiring that scene.**

 **I know I sound like I am making a big deal over referencing a book, but I just want to make sure it is all above board and everybody knows where it came from.**

 **Aside from that, I hope you all enjoyed this latest chapter and hope to hear from you in the reviews.**

 **Lesliezin**


	3. From Lab Rat to Executioner

**Hello everybody,**

 **Well here is chapter 3. Since this is such a long story I decided to go with making the chapters longer than I had previously done. So be prepared for a very lengthy chapter. I also must warn everyone this chapter is very dark, so please be aware of that. After all this story is Rated- M for a very big reason. So you have been warned. Enjoy.**

* * *

 **January 25** **th** **1999**

 **Hydra Base in China**

Three could not sleep, nor eat, not since they brought Two back to his cell and she knew how Four felt. Like with One, Two was babbling nothing but confusing words that was gradually getting worse with time. Time, a luxury Three felt she was running out of as she stared at the far wall. These four walls had been her life since she could remember, and she was going to die here across from the boy that loved her. A boy she had known all her life but never could touch, or kiss. Now though it felt like her heart was being cut out at the thought of never touching him or kissing him. She shivered on the bed, as she tried to imagine what would happen when she too would be injected with the fifth injection. How she would be driven mad and Four would have to watch her slowly die.

It brought a shocking revelation to her, knowing that her time left was limited, but also a calmness knowing that she would not suffer much longer. Perhaps in death, she would see One and Five again. The thought made her wrinkle her nose, neither One nor Five really liked her referring to her as "The Doctor's Pet". Still, the idea of knowing peace and seeing them again helped. Currently, the cells were quiet, save for the endless gibberish Two spouted. Each test subject hoped he would recover or wake up and be fine, but it seemed like wishful thinking. Sighing, Three lifted her head from the pillow and peeked at Four. The dark haired boy was still unable to look at her, after thinking she was rejecting him, nothing could further from the truth. At first, she had merely been shocked by how much he felt for her, but now she was trying to spare him additional pain. It would hurt him worse if she said she loved him too, and just complicate things.

 _'You are being stupid! We are all going to die anyway!'_ Three thought coldly, as she slowly got up. Four right then sat on the bed re-reading "The Time Traveller's Wife", or perhaps he was hiding from her rather then face her. Biting her bottom lip, Three felt another stab of pain at the idea that she was hurting Four. Slowly, she got up and came to the bars, watching Four as he read. Looking at Six she found the blonde fast asleep, so the pair were relatively alone. "Four?"

Four stopped reading and lowered the book, as he looked at her. "You don't need to say anything Three."

"Don't I? As soon as Two dies they will come for me next. There is plenty to say before then and not enough time!" Three said, letting herself panic just a little. The book flew across Four's cell hitting the wall as Four lost his temper.

"You didn't say anything earlier!" Four growled.

"Because you surprised me! It is not everyday a boy tells me they love me!" Three replied, "In case you didn't notice we live in cells!" Both went quiet for a few minutes, trying to come to terms with everything that was happening. "Why did you wait? Why didn't you say something sooner?"

Four scoffed, as he ran his hand through his dark hair. "I thought I had more time."

"And now?" Three asked, wanting to cry. Four was about to reply when Two began screaming in pain and writhing on the floor. The poor boy, clutched at his head obviously wanting the pain to stop. Six got up asking what was going on, but since Four and Six were on the same side next to Two's cell it was up to Three.

"Two?!What is going on?"

"The fifth injection it is affecting Two." Three said, her throat constricting as she watch Two and felt more tears sting her eyes. She closed her eyes, gripping the bars of her cell and hoping his pain ended soon. However, she was dreading when they would next come for her. The screams grew drawing the attention of the doctors and guards, as they tried to given him something to knock him out. Three wanted to scream at them to simply end his suffering. However, the doctor in his cell gasped just before he was going to inject Two.

"My God!" Three opened her eyes and wished she had not. Two was bleeding from the eyes, nose, ears, and mouth. The doctor reached down to check his pulse, then put the needle away. Two was dead, and she was next!

* * *

Hours had ticked by, as Three sat on her bed. Her eyes red and raw from the tears that she had no more strength to shed. They had taken Two's body away leaving only Four and Six with her, yet she felt hallow and alone regardless. She wanted to say the words to Four but was scared that it would hurt him even more. Four sat on his bed, often looking across to her, both wished they were a lot closer and could touch. She imagined what it would be like to be held by him, to press against him and smell his scent. To feel safe and secure as he held her tight, God knew how badly she wanted that in the final hours of her life.

The latch sounded followed by the creak of the heavy door, and Three rose stiffly to her feet knowing the guards were coming to fetch her. She looked to Four and wanted to cry at what they could never have or share. However, crying would not change what was going to happen as the two guards came into view. One of them pulled the keys to open her cell, while she looked to Four trying to convey all the thing she should have said before but never had the chance to. "Hold!"

Another guard came in and was moving towards them. "Eckhardt sent me, he says this one gets to go last. He says 'the hero gets to watch the others die first.'" The cruel grin from this third guard, made her heart drop into her stomach in horror, then he pointed at Four. "He goes next."

 _'No! No this cannot be happening!'_ Three thought as the guard with the keys started to unlock Four's cell. "Promise me you will not forget me."

The words from Four came out so calm as he looked at Three. It was a deeply embedded fear being forgotten, so it made sense that Four would ask not to be forgotten. It felt like she was choking and could not breath, she had been prepared to go and be injected not him.

"No please! I am suppose to go next!" Three begged, as the cell door was opened and they pulled Four from the cell, ignoring her.

"Promise me Three!" Four demanded, as they were going to drag him off. "Promise me you won't forget me!"

"I promise." Three said, as she gripped the bars of her cell. This was not right, she was suppose to be next, not Four! She ignored the guards cold, cruel, remarks as they pulled Four along, and tried to keep him in view knowing it would be the last time she would see him sane. Once the heavy door closed, Three crumpled to the floor openly crying, Six squished herself into the corner of her cell to try to be there for Three. However, there was no comfort to be had as the two remaining test subjects sat in silence. The soft cries echoing off the walls as Three wished for the end to just hurry up and get there.

* * *

It was strange how time went when you were in agony, and not paying attention. Sometimes time was cruel and dragged on forever. Other times it sped up as if it got tired of waiting around. In this moment time had slowed down to a crawl as Three cried against the bars. Then when a cold numbness took root to alleviate the pain, time suddenly sped back up again hoping to open the recently closed wound. Or at least that was what it felt like as she heard the heavy door open and the guards dragged in Four. She sat motionless as she waited, holding her breath, and hoping he was going to be okay. His eyes were open as they tossed him into his cell and closed him in, then left. She could only watch him hoping. Six watched her anxiously, since she could not see Four herself. Three strained her ears hoping to hear something of a reassurance. Then the faintest whisper was heard from Four. "Molecular structure at optimum levels—chapter five paragraph three sentence four."

"Four?" Three tried but her voice broke, "Four please tell me you are okay, please!"

Instead more nonsense came out making both girls cry as the boy they knew was gone. However, Three had to reach him, she had to try and get him back, so she reached through the bars. "Four please, reach through the bars. Like we used to please!"

Her hand was outstretched to him, but Four did not leave the spot where he was dumped on the floor. "Please, please Four..." Three said breaking down as she kept her hand outstretched, then bowed her head. "I love you."

The answer was more nonsense, as she realized she was too late, and he was now beyond her reach.

* * *

 **January 28** **th** **1999**

 **Hydra Base in China**

Days it had been, with Three having to watch as the boy she knew, the boy she grew up with slowly fall into madness. He did not move much, or react to much, just laid there saying senseless things and at times clutching his head in pain. Seeing him like this was painful, but the worst was being unable to even hold him. She had asked the doctors and guards, begged them to let her hold him for just a little bit. But the pleading of a test subject mattered little, they were nothing but cruel bastards. This left her sitting and watching and being helpless as Four was slowly being destroyed by their precious serum. She knew Eckhardt took a sick sadistic pleasure in her suffering, the 'hero' having to watch the others die! As per usual, the doctors tried to follow her normal routine by shoving a book at her, but this time she refused to play their little games. Instead of reading, Three tore out the pages and tossed them about her cell not caring what they did. Sadly, they did nothing but write down her response.

The emotional responses were just as important to the doctor's, and many of them seemed subdued like they hated the direction the program had taken under Eckhardt. However, none of them tried to stop this, none of them tried to help. No just scribble notes of what the test subjects are doing. Finally, it was Doctor Ross an older lady that came in to speak to Three and Six, like Vermonte she tried to adapt the concerned attitude that fell short. She heaved a heavy sigh, as she looked at Four, then at Three watching Four. "I know this is difficult-"

"Bullshit!" Three snapped harshly, "You know nothing!"

The cold words seemed to shock Ross as she sucked in a surprised breath, but Three never bothered to look up. Instead, the woman sighed and clasped her hands together. In truth it was the first real time Three had started acting out and resisting them. Before she had accepted things as they were and tried to comply in the hopes that the nightmare would end. "And what are you hoping to accomplish by acting like this, Three?"

Three glared up at the woman before answering bluntly. "I am hoping that I piss off someone well enough that you either give me the fifth injection or a bullet to the head! Either way, I want to be free of all of you!"

Ross looked shocked at the cold words Three had said. However, Three returned her gaze to Four as he continued to spout nonsense. "Would it help to know that Doctor Vermonte is meeting with Pierce to regain control of the program? That neither you nor Six may have to face the fifth injection?"

"No, too little too late." Three answered coldly, as she watched Four and Ross followed her gaze, then sighed. A moment later Ross turned and left the cells, Three peeked at Six who gave a weak supportive smile. With most of their fellows dead the desire for escape died, so an end started to look pretty good. Three could not even bring herself to consider escape now, not with Four dying. She had wanted so badly to experience freedom and a kiss with him, but now freedom tasted like ash in her mouth. Any talk of escape had not been brought up since they took One, so instead both girls accepted a painful truth—they were all going to die down here.

* * *

Four died, it was not a violent death as Three had feared he clutched his head and looked like he wanted to scream but could not get his voice to work. A moment of thrashing then nothing, a second later a puddle of blood formed under his ear. His blue eyes suddenly vacant as he stared at her as though begging her for help. Three could not take her eyes off of him, as she started crying, she had thought she had cried all she could. Sadly, watching him die reopened the wound, Six also started crying knowing that Four was gone and it only them left. Three never needed to say a word, which was good because Three was not sure she could say it. She did not want to say 'Four is dead' because that would make it final, and it could not be final.

Finally, she squeezed her eyes shut wishing that when she opened them he would give that shy boyish smile and reach through the bars to brush her fingertips. However, when she opened them he had not moved, there was no shy boyish smile; just Four dead. What came next was a numbness that settled in to try and reseal the wound, but crying made her tired and with both she curled up against the bars. Vaguely aware, that the guard came and checked on them, and was bringing their food, but when he saw Four he radioed in that Four was dead.

Soon a clean-up crew came in and took Four away, then they mopped up the blood. Three remained where she was on the floor when a shadow came to stand over her on the other side of the bars. "Still think you are a hero?"

Three could hear the amusement in Eckhardt's voice, but didn't bother to look up at him, knowing if she said anything he would retaliate. He would not kill her because that would take away his entertainment, no he would make her suffer. He got off on making others suffer. Instead, she remained still and quiet as the man chuckled and walked off. Eventually, it was just her and Six left alone in the cells.

For a time the silence continued, until finally Three looked at Six. The blonde felt eyes on her and looked back with a sad expression. Like with Four, Three had grown up with Six and they were good friends. Three would have ventured that they were best friends. The two of them always seemed to understand one another without saying a word. As much as Three claimed Six to be more beautiful, Six gave a similar assessment for her. Both watched each other not needing to say a word. The teary-eyed forgiving look told Three that Six did not blame her for what happened, that she understood why Three stood up to Eckhardt. It was a forgiveness, Three did not think she deserved from her friend.

"I am sorry..." Three managed, her voice dry from crying and disuse.

"You did nothing wrong." Six said softly.

"It feels like I did everything wrong. I think the others if they were alive would agree." Three said.

"You tried to keep us safe, it is not your fault." Six said, referring back to her defending Two.

"Are you scared?" Three asked, knowing that soon they would take Six next.

"I am more afraid for you. I know once I am injected I will not be me anymore. I know you will be alone, and I do not want to abandon you too." Six said, her voice shaking.

"But it will kill you." Three pointed out.

"Yes, but then I like to think I will be free. That they won't be able to get me anymore." Six said, "It is the one good thing to come from the next injection, but it means you will be left alone. I feel guilty that I won't die alone but you will."

Three looked over at Six wishing she could hug the sweet girl. " Don't worry about that. Eventually we both will be free."

Both girls fell silent waiting for the guards to return, but they did not come. They kept waiting and waiting with no sign of them yet. Three considered the possibility that Vermonte was being given control of the program again, but did not allow that possible hope to sink in. Here hope was a dangerous thing. Hope could kill.

* * *

 **January 30** **th** **1999**

 **Hydra Base in China**

Knowing that your only remaining friend is going to be dragged off at any moment for the fifth and final fatal injection caused a grim acceptance in the girls. Both of them had accepted their fate, and in the final days Six even joked about not having to put up with the leering guards or the horrible food anymore. Instead, she focused on the possible hope of an afterlife. One of the books each of them had read was the Bible, but for Three she failed to see how God could allow such monsters into the world. So for her Heaven sounded more of a fantasy than Middle Earth and Hogwarts. Still the idea that maybe, in whatever came next, maybe they would be reunited and it would be better than this nightmare.

Strangely no one came for Six, and it was both a relief and worrisome. A relief because it meant she was not alone yet, worrisome because she worried over what Eckhardt was planning. As the evening grew late, Three laid down to go to sleep wishing Six a goodnight just as the blonde did the same. It took her some time to finally relax enough to sleep, her last thoughts lingering on Four as she remembered that evening so long ago, when he asked to kiss her. She even started to dream about it, the feeling of his lips on hers: soft and gentle. The butterflies danced in her stomach, as she imagined him pulling her close, not ready to release her lips. For a moment, she felt sheer bliss at the pleasant dream of Four.

Then the dream shattered into a thousand pieces as a scream pierced the air, Six's scream. Three jolted upright, rapidly blinking away sleep as she looked to the bars. More screams, had Three on her feet as she came to the bars to find Berk and three other guards in Six's cell. Berk had her on the floor and was tearing off her grey suit.

"No! Let me go!" Six's scream snapped Three out of her shocked state as she grabbed the bars.

"Let her go! Someone help!"

Another of the guards chuckled at her darkly, as if he was not afraid of being caught. Realization hit hard as Three understood, no one was going to stop them! Six managed to kick Berk away briefly, but the other two guards pinned her down. Berk came back pissed off and backhanded Six for fighting him. The hard strike knocked the fight out of Six as she laid there stunned.

Three struggled against the bars helplessly, but she had no super strength so her attempts proved useless. She looked back as Berk forced Six's bare legs apart despite her screams and pushing against him. Running to the back of her cell, Three ran full force into the bars. A sharp pain jarred through her shoulder, but it got the closest guards attention briefly. Three looked up in time to see Berk force himself inside Six causing another scream and hot tears to run down Six's face. She reached out towards Three helplessly, as Berk began raping her. "THREE!"

That did it, Three rammed herself against the bars repeatedly fighting through the pain that soon screamed in her shoulder. She could still hear Six's screams and was not stopping. Now the closest guard was radioing someone. Who? Three did not know nor care. Still Berk continued to thrust into Six causing her to scream and cry more, ignoring what went on beyond the cell. Between throwing herself at the bars, Three saw every gruesome action done to Six and it only spurred her to fight to get out and help her. After the guard outside had radioed another group soon entered led by one of the doctors. Three had hoped vainly, that they would stop Berk and the other two guards, but they did not. Instead she saw Berk give a final jerking thrust into Six before pulling out of her and standing.

Closing his pants he grinned at the other guard. "Have fun."

The second guard took Berk's place even as Six begged him not to, but none of them cared. Instead, she screamed as the second guard undid his pants. A moment later, he pushed his clothing aside and pushed into Six. Thus the second guard started raping her too. All the while Three continued to ram the door. The backup group opened her cell and grabbed her instead of rushing to help Six. That was when she saw the needle that contained a sedative that the doctor held. Three struggled trying to get loose, as she heard Six continued to scream and cry.

"Let me go! Stop them please!"

The doctor jabbed the needle into her arm, and a moment later the contents were emptied into her shoulder. It only took seconds to feel all strength and energy sapped from her. The edges of her vision grew fuzzy as she helplessly looked to Six and tried to call out to her friend. Her friend was crying as she feebly pushed against the guard that continued like it was nothing. The fuzzy edges grew wider almost consuming her vision as Three tried to reach for Six. That was when Six looked back at her friend and reached out a hand to Three. Then her vision became bleared and she felt blackness take her. The last thing she heard was Six crying out Three's name, the name carried with it her pleas for help.

* * *

A dreamless sleep, that was what it was as Three woke groggily on her bed. She winced as she moved on the bed as her shoulder ached. She looked down wondering what was wrong as she raised her hand slowly to test her pained shoulder. Nothing was broke, but why did her shoulder hurt? Her other hand came up to pull away the shirt from her shoulder and saw the nasty bruises from the bars. It took her befuddled mind a moment to grasp why she had bruises. Sadly, not being able to forget also meant the memory returned quicker. She gasped, as she remembered. Six screaming and crying as the guards repeatedly raped her. Stumbling to her feet, Three rushed to the bars of her cell and had to grip them for support. The sedative still had robbed her of her strength as she stood unsteadily there.

The guards were gone having had their fun, and she heard the soft shaken breathing of Six. Strangely, Six was not in bed, that was when Three caught movement under the bed. Kneeling down, she realized with a sickening feeling that Six was under the bed. Three felt bile rise in her throat as she spotted a dried red mark on the floor of Six's cell. They had purposely left Six like this, all because she could not keep quiet. Eckhardt was not content to simply inject them, no he wanted to break them. Gripping the bars, Three leaned against them and began crying all over again as she blamed herself for what they had done to Six.

There were so many things she wanted to say to Six: 'I am sorry,' 'I never meant for this to happen,' 'I wish it had been me instead.' Nothing seemed adequate to state how terrible she felt, nothing she said would take away what the guards did. Nothing ever would, what was worse was Six did not even seem to know she was there. The poor girl laid there shaken by the nightmarish experiences and seemed to be far away. It was like they had already given her the fifth injection. Only she was not spouting the nonsense like the others had. The only conclusion was she was traumatised by the assault.

Finally, the silence got to Three as she swallowed the lump in her throat. "S-Six?" No response came and Three could not help it as the words tumbled out. "Six I am so sorry. I never meant for this to happen."

No movement or response, but it looked like Six was now covering her ears as she shook like a leaf. Three bit down on her bottom lip as tears flowed freely down her cheeks. Eventually, it became too much and Three turned away so her back was to the bars. She brought her knees to her chest and let her head rest on her knees as despair beat her down, and she now completely gave up.

To pour salt on the wound the guards returned a short time later to take Six to have the fifth injection. Luckily, it was a female guard this time, so Six only had to be tugged along. When Three looked up at Six she saw a vacant look in her eyes that broke Three's heart. By now, she guessed the fifth injection would be a mercy for Six. When the heavy door shut, Three was getting to her feet to go to bed. Suddenly, a hand reached through the bars grabbing her hair and yanking her head back against the bars. That was when she smelt the foul breath against her cheek.

"What is the matter Three? Feeling left out?" Berk asked.

Three's stomach turned and she tried to pull away as he reach his other hand through the bars, and around to grab her right breast painfully. "No need for that, Hun. You are next. Eckhardt says in two days he is going to break your body just like he broke your spirit. A pity really I loved breaking Six in, but Eckhardt wants that honour for himself. Tell me do think you ever stood a chance against him? Do think after he has fucked you senseless that you will still be a hero?"

All the while Three grit her teeth to keep the scream in her throat from escaping, as her head was wrenched painfully back and she felt Berk's breath on her neck. "We will be seeing you soon, Three. A lot of us want to fuck you!"

With that, Three felt Berk run his tongue up her neck and she tried to turn away from it. Then he released her and left the cells whistling, as Three felt sick and she tried to wipe off the drool on her neck. She went to the bed and sobbed into the pillow until she passed out from crying, exhaustion, and a broken spirit. Sometime while she slept Six was returned to her cell, but she knew it would do no good to see how Six was. Instead, she pretended to be asleep as she buried her face into the pillow and remained in a fitful asleep.

* * *

 **January 31** **st** **1999**

 **Hydra Base in China**

Sleep seemed to be the only comfort, Three did not want to get up and see Six slipping away like the others. She did not want to suffer more, but most of all she did not want to be alone. She knew at some point she would wake and Six would be gone. Yet a person could only sleep so much, and she now just laid in the bed wishing she could close her eyes and blank out what was to come. They would rape her before injecting her with the fifth injection. The thought of Eckhardt, Berk and the other guards touching her made her want to throw up. She shivered on the bed as she considered pushing her face into the pillow hopefully suffocating herself. Instead, she heard a soft voice whispering her name, and she wanted to ignore it. However, this soft voice grew persistent and she swore she was losing her mind already. Maybe they had already injected her and she was suffering from the madness of it.

"Three." The voice began to sound familiar. "Three." No it was not possible! "Three."

Four! It was Four's voice, but he was dead! She must be insane, but perhaps she would enjoy this madness. Lifting her head from the pillow, Three followed the soft voice to it's source. Her head turned back towards the bars and she soon came face to face with Four. Slowly she rose onto her hands, her upper body off the bed as she sat sideways, never taking her eyes off of Four.

"Four?" Three asked, her voice shaking as she watched Four in his grey pyjama set. She remained unmoving even though every fibre in her being said go to him, hug him, and for god's sake kiss him. She could not move though, fear of him disappearing grounded her to the bed. Then she noticed something else that kept her from him, the disappointed and hurt look on his handsome face.

"You promised me, Three. You promised you would not forget me." Four said, his voice sounded hurt.

"I haven't, I won't!" Three said firmly, but was confused. Did he actually think she would forget him? Any of them?

"Yes you will, you will forget me when they inject you too." Four said still disappointed, then turned and walked out the open cell door leaving her. She still could not move to go to him, so she called out desperately.

"No Four don't go!"

Three gasped, as she sat up from the dream shaken by it. She looked to her cell door hoping to see Four, but sadly it only in her dreams that she would find Four. She sniffled, a little hurt by the dream and Four's disappointment. Then the last words rang in her head. "You will forget me when they inject you too."

Her eyes widened, as she realized that Four would be disappointed in her giving up, and if she gave up she would break her promise to him. The idea of hurting Four in such a way reminded her that she was a fighter. Glaring at the bars that had held her all her life and kept her from Four and the others. She felt alive again her spirit was far from broken, battered and bruised yes; but never broken.

* * *

 **February 1** **st** **, 1999**

 **HYDRA Base in China**

There were four of them that moved into the cell where the test subjects were kept, Berk included. He was grinning at his good fortune, Eckhardt was not with them. Apparently, Vermonte had created huge waves for the security chief, because Eckhardt was on the phone with Pierce and sounded pissed off. He told Berk to take the boys and have fun. Eckhardt did not want to leave the Doctor's favourite lab rat untouched. It meant he would break her instead of Eckhardt, which suited him just fine. He was still pissed off that Three had bested him when they had sparred. The thought of violating her gave him a hard-on. As before with Six, Berk claimed dibs on being first. His fellows grudging accepting that they would have to wait their turns. The group silently moved to Three's cell where Berk was grinning at the bed where someone lay. Entering the cell, Berk yanked back the cover to find—pillows? Where was Three?

It was in this moment of confusion, that Three dropped down from the ceiling. With the cell being so small she was able to hold herself between the two walls. No sooner did her feet hit the ground she kicked out tripping up one guard who banged his head against the bars causing a sickening cracking noise. She rose as his friend reached out to stop his friend's fall only for her to grab his arm and twist it in the wrong direction until she heard the snap of bone as she twisted it at an odd angle. The man screamed, this made the other two snap out of their shock. Berk rushed forward as Three turned and her knee met his groin. The wind rushed out of Berk as he doubled over clutching himself. However she was not done as her foot met his nose. Another sickening crack sounded as blood gushed from Berk's broken nose. Three had never let go of the second man's arm as she twisted away from the fourth man around the man she held.

In the move, she found the man she held had a boot knife and she stooped to pull it out. The blade gleamed as the fourth man pushed the second man out of the way onto the bed where he gripped his broken arm. Then fourth man did not expect the girl to stab him three and four times in the gut before slashing his throat. Berk realized, now the danger and panicked as he ran towards the cell exit, only for Three to kick the side of his kneecap, dislocating it. The large man cried out as he fell then tried to crawl away as he slipped on his fellow guard's blood. He even heard the third guard with a broken arm begging.

"No, no please! I—Ah!"

The next sound was a gurgled gasp as Three slit his throat. Berk was still crawling towards the heavy door trying to get away when he realized she was behind him. She was stalking him! It was the only explanation, then Berk screamed in agony. He had to look back as he realized with horror that the knife she had had stabbed between him legs, effectively castrating him. Then the blade was removed and she brought her knee down onto his back pinning him down, her free hand yanked his head back by his hair.

"That was for Six!" Three replied coldly, as Berk stared into her cold ruthless green eyes. She put the blade to his throat making the man start to cry. "Tell me. Am I a hero?"

Berk nodded hoping to live. "Yes Three, you are. You are-"

"Wrong!" Three said coldly, "A hero is good and saves lives. A hero would not kill. I am not a hero, I am a killer." Before Berk could reply, she drew the blade harshly across his throat and watched him as he gagged and died.

Three would have done more to the bastard that hurt Six, she would have made him scream and beg more as Six had. However, time was short, someone had to have heard the screams so she left Berk in a pool of his own blood. However, as she rose a horrified gasp made her look up at to find a doctor, the same doctor that gave her the sedative! Shocked he looked down at Berk, then at her. The man turned to run for the heavy doors, when Three grabbed the blade end of the dagger she held and threw it. As trained the blade flew with accuracy. The doctor took one last step, coughed up blood then fell to the ground dead, the blade handle sticking out of the back of his head.

Three did not spare a second glance, as she retrieved the keys from Berk and moved to Six's cell. She may not be a hero, but she would not abandon Six now.

"Six." Three called, as she looked for the right key to unlock Six's cell. Opening the cell she rushed to Six who laid curled up on the floor and touched the girl's arm. "Six c'mon we have to go now."

However, the blonde did not move, and Three looked back down at her friend. Her friend's blue eyes were vacant and motionless. "No no no no no! Six, please no! Please don't leave me alone. Not now, not when we are so close please..."

Three gently lifted her friend up cradling her, but sadly Six was already dead.

"I am sorry, I am so sorry, Six." Three said softly hugging Six tightly. This wasn't right, she was not suppose to be all alone. Yet that is just what Three was—alone. Three reached up and gently closed Six's eyes, so that it looked like Six was sleeping instead of dead. For a moment, she watched her friend wishing she had done more and saved her. Three wanted to stay and have more time, but the guards and doctors would not give her that luxury. She knew that, and if she was to have a chance speed was required. So Three lowered Six back down to the floor and released her. It was hard to say goodbye as Three got unsteadily to her feet and backed out of Six's cell. She said a soft goodbye before turning away.

Moving forward, Three knelt down to grab a knife from one of the dead guards, that was when she saw it. In Four's cell under his mattress, she saw the pages of the book he had kept. Compulsion made her go to Four's cell. The cell door was left open after Four's death, so Three was able to walk right in. She lifted the mattress to retrieve the hidden book. Sure enough it was "The Time Traveller's Wife". Three smiled fondly down at the book, before tucking it into the waistband of her trousers, and leaving. Slowly, she moved down the hall towards the heavy door, wishing she had more time to say goodbye to each of her fellow test subjects. However, time was not on her side, she went to the dead doctor and paused. She remembered the doctors had pass-cards that allowed them through doors, and gave them access to computers. She would need those to escape, so she knelt down and fishing through his lab coat pockets until she found the ever important smooth pass-card.

Rising to her feet, Three peeked back at the cells that had been her horrible home. Sighing she returned her gaze to the door, and took a deep breath before moving through the heavy door. Thus far, she had been lucky no guards or doctors swarmed the halls yet. That would not last long at all, she knew that much. She also knew the layout of the base with a picture perfect memory and a lifetime here. While escape was something Three wanted, she doubted it possible, not with Eckhardt and the others here. With that in mind, Three turned right heading for the offices on the left before reaching the 'playground'.

Moving quickly and quietly as possible, Three peeked in the windows of the offices. They mostly looked empty due to the late hour. In fact, she estimated half the personnel being asleep. At first this sneaking around worked perfectly until the alarm sounded.

" _ **This is not a drill, repeat, this is not a drill. Test Subject Three has escaped. Guards report to the armoury then to your stations. Scientists report to the labs and begin containment procedures. All remaining personnel return to your quarters and await further notice."**_ A voice announced over speaker. _'So much for stealthy!'_ Three thought annoyed, as she looked around. She had to know that they would not make it easy for her. However, that hardly mattered to her. She only needed a computer with network access, which the offices had. Moving quickly for the office door, she used the doctor's pass-card and went inside.

Remembering that during practice drill one time, Three had been in the playground. She knew five of the guards would move outside to ensure no one got in or out of the facility. She had approximately two minutes before the guards passed by the offices. Moving to the one of the cubicles she set to work. Being trained and adept at hacking, Three easily fell back into it as her fingers raced across the keys. Perhaps that was what impressed Vermonte so much, her ability to take a skill and improve upon it. Three shook her head at the thought, as she quickly cracked the password and accessed the network. Pulling up the blueprints of the base, and the cameras she was surprised. For all that she was shown of the base and remembered; it was a rather small base. Estimating a total of forty-two personnel resided here, counting Vermonte, Eckhardt, six scientists, ten engineers, and twenty-four guards. Sadly, Vermonte was not there, or she would have gladly killed him too.

Three looked at the rest of the facility blueprint and sighed, being a test subject meant that she was only taken either to the playground or left down the hall, then right, and then left again. That hall contained labs on both sides. If one was to follow it past the labs the hall curved right and on the left was the lab theatre where they received the injections. However, it was what was not seen that surprised Three, if one went left from the cells towards the labs but simply turned right and kept going it led to the personnel's personal quarters. The hall would turn left and at the end was the control room for the entire base. If you went left away from the personal quarters the hall turned right and on the right were the armoury, recreation room, and mess hall. The only other thing was the room down from the offices she was in before reaching the labs and such. It did not really say what this room was, a storeroom perhaps?

Checking the camera's surveillance she sucked in a breathe, definitely not a storeroom. That room was the morgue and incineration room! Three tore her eyes away, disgusted to know where each of her fellows including Four had ended up. Rage filled her as she glared at the monitors, time to make them regret everything! Typing away she disabled the control room from accessing the cameras in the facility to avoid being found if she had not been already. Now only she could access the cameras. So far the guards that had been sleeping before the alarms sounded. Now they were arming themselves. The remaining scientists were inside the labs locking them down as was procedure, and the engineers were all either in their personal quarters or heading there.

Soon Three heard footsteps in the hall and ducked down behind the desk. Peeking out she spotted Eckhardt leading seven guards down the hall towards the playground. "You two search the offices, the rest secure the outside perimeter. No one in, no one out, got it?! Move I want subject Three found now!"

She watched as Eckhardt headed for the playground with the five guards in tow, as two men entered the offices. Bringing the keyboard down she knew the longer she waited the more guards would come. Accessing the door controls she locked the doors for the facility so that no one could leave the armoury, labs, control room, or personal quarters. It pretty much contained anyone not in the hallways. It also locked the playground and office doors, so that Eckhardt could not come back, but it meant that the two men were now locked in the room with her. To ensure that no one overrode her commands she locked out the control room's network access. That was all she could do for the moment, she needed to take care of the two guards first.

Setting the keyboard aside, she peeked out as the two men searched the closest cubicles to the door first. One was slowly making his way towards her, while the other searched the cubicles further away. As the closer one looked in the cubicle two down from hers, Three slipped from the cubicle and got into the one next to the one she had been using. Now she was three cubicles away and it was a matter of waiting for him to look in the cubicle she had been in to find the computer on.

Sure enough the computer served as an adequate distraction. Distracted by the screen the man paused, Three silently stepped around the divider. Covering his mouth before he knew anyone was behind him, she slit his throat, and lowered him to the ground as quietly as she possibly could. Thankfully his comrade had not noticed, at least not yet. Peeking out again she saw the second guard had his back to her checking the cubicles still. Gripping the blade, Three stepped out of the cubicle and moved as quietly as she could towards the unsuspecting guard. She made it over half way when she realized he was just finishing checking the last cubicle. He would turn back and see her, realizing this she ran towards him covering the space in seconds. He turned just in time to see her, shock registering in his eyes. He raised his weapon, an AK-47, but she gripped the stock, so that he could not point it at her. The blade flashed as it struck him in the jugular, then was ripped out followed by spurts of blood. Instead, the man tried to stop the blood flow as he crumpled to his knees before falling down dead.

Three stepped back not giving either man a second thought as she kept calm and returned to the computer she had hacked. Now it was time every last one of those bastards pay for everything they did. Taking full control of the systems, she smiled coldly, when she saw the air filtration systems ran on a separate circuit. Obviously if an contaminant were released into the air in the labs, they did not want to risk it spreading to the entire base. Three would start with them and the four guards stationed as protection detail. Three made the system remove the oxygen from the now locked labs. Since the scientists loved their experiments, they and the stationed guards could find out how long they lasted without air.

Within moments, the scientists and guards were panicking and trying to override the controls and get out of the labs. The guards even tried shooting out the glass, but unfortunately for them it was bulletproof. She watched them as they eventually crumpled to the ground dying from asphyxiation. _'I would have preferred to strap every last one of those bastards down and give them all five of their precious injections at once. Their deaths were too quick, but hopefully it will give the others some peace.'_ Three thought as she considered what to do to the others, most were locked in the armoury, control room, and personal quarters. They would pose no problem. "Hmm.." Three mused as she looked at the outside surveillance cameras. Five guards stood outside fully armed, if she was to leave they could not be allowed to live.

Checking the systems she was surprised to find that the reason the facility had ten engineers was because the defence systems outside were automated defence guns! Large guns on top of the sentry towers around the base, guns she now could take control of. Currently they were set for outsiders and non-personnel that tried to enter or leave the base. Focused on the defence guns, Three soon got control of the targeting controls. Changing the defence parameters the defence guns now only targeted personnel not test subjects. In moments, the guns opened fire on the guards outside killing them where they stood.

That meant fifteen guards were dead as were all of the scientists. Six guards were still locked in the armory unable to leave, and another four were locked in the control room. The rest of the personnel were locked in their quarters. This left just Eckhardt to deal with on her way out, a fact she relished. Three considered what she would do, before the deaths of her fellows she might have showed compassion. Before it had merely been about the test subjects gaining their freedom, enjoying life, and knowing happiness. This place, these people had robbed them of that. They had robbed her of Four and Six, the two most important people in her life. So if they thought she would show compassion or anything approaching mercy; they were dead wrong.

The doors were locked, none of the surviving personnel were going to be allowed to simply walk out of here; and be allowed to continue to destroy other people's lives. Instead, she initiated the self destruct sequence for the facility. She ensured no one could override it, and that she had fifteen minutes to escape. Lastly she deactivated the defence guns and unlocked the office door, playground door, and lastly the exit door.

Stepping away from the computer, Three picked up the blade from the desk as she left the office. The only thing between her and freedom was: Eckhardt. Turning left as she left the office she came to the playground where Eckhardt stood waiting for her. He stood holding a machete in the centre of the yard. To the far right corner sat exercise equipment. To the far left corner was the combat circle where she had once sparred with Berk and other trainers. Wearing his security officers black tactical gear, the older man with black hair and flecks of grey, glared at Three.

"You little bitch!" Eckhardt spat, "Think you can just walk right on out of here?! Turning the defences on my men! Taking the oxygen from the labs and killing the scientists! I am going to relish your every scream, make you beg for death!"

Three was not even phased by him, her supposed 'emotional distress' that worried Pierce and others was non-existent. Instead, she calmly stopped just out of the machete's reach and tilted her head to the side. "You still think you are a hero, you are nothing but a lab rat!"

"No, not a hero. I am your executioner." Three said as calm as ever. Eckhardt immediately attacked. Lashing out – he was slashing at her with the machete, which she easily dodged. Immediately, she brought the knife out and slashed at him. The two slashed at one another and dodged their opponent's blades. With their free hands they punched or tried to restrain one another enough to gain an advantage. All the while the security chief tried to goad her, which at first she ignored. She knew heightened, emotional, distress was the danger, Three tried to keep calm even when fighting. At one point all he managed to do was cause her a busted lip.

Finally, she got one good slash in across his upper arm, almost making him drop the machete, he only growled as he slashed at her and she jumped back. Then a spark flashed in his eyes, a knowing look as he gave a cruel grin. "Never content just to accept your fate, no you had to encourage them! Had to give them hope! 'Learn as much as you can so that we can escape', those were your words to them."

Three sucked in a breath, as she realized how stupid she had been. Of course they would watch and listen in on them! _'Don't! Do not let him get to you, he wants you to lose your calm!'_ Regardless the next set of words nearly knocked the wind out of her. "Four never did get that kiss from you, did he?"

Three narrowly dodged him, but his words were enough to anger her. Even as a warning sounded for her to remain calm she went on the attack. The two traded more blows, but Three's hits barely phased the large security chief. The man punched her square in her bruised shoulder causing a cry of pain as she fell to her hands and knees. "Still bruised huh? I guess that is what happens when you ram into the bars trying to get to your friend huh?"

With that, Eckhardt kicked her in the stomach, which knocked her fully to the ground, winded. "Six guards, kind of suits her – since her name was Six. Six of my men went and had a ride one right after another. Every time she screamed for you. 'Three!' Sounded like a damn broken record, but each of my men came out with a big grin on their faces. Berk he had about two or three goes, he was greedy like that. Even then though she kept screaming for you hoping you would come and save her."

Three gritted her teeth, fighting through the pain coursing her body, and trying to find the calm. How could she be calm when she was so enraged? Then she remembered Berk and those coming to rape her. Yes there had been rage, but she also had felt a cold resolved calm. That was it! That was how one beat the emotional distress problem. You do not try to bury the emotions, but you do focus them! Eckhardt was still gloating, and she peeked at him. The second she would try to move, she knew he would kick her down again. Smiling, she pretended to rise some and gripped her knife. The second his foot came at her she twisted away and stabbed the blade into his foot causing him to scream in surprised pain.

Rolling to her feet, she felt the cold, hard, resolve take control. The man swung the machete at her, which she ducked and came in under his arm. Grabbing his weapon hand she stabbed his forearm leaving the blade in and severing the artery that allowed him to hold the machete. Her hand grabbed the machete from his hand and she twisted around as if in a dance. Moving in a circle, swinging out, and gaining momentum, she came full circle with the machete in hand. Eckhardt had no time and was too stunned, his arm still outstretched from when he had held the machete mere seconds ago. Thus Three brought the machete down with all her strength and anger on his wrist.

The machete was a very good sharp weapon, and a second later Eckhardt was screaming to high heaven at the loss of his hand. Now the security chief was on his knees clutching the stub of his wrist.

"For all your gloating you are now screaming like a bitch!" Three said coldly.

The words got Eckhardt's attention as he glared up at Three tears of pain escaping.

"Go ahead bitch!" Eckhardt spat, as spit dribbled from his lips, "It ain't over. Ya think the ones in charge are just going to let you walk away?! HYDRA will come for you!"

"HYDRA?" Three asked surprised, was that this group? No one had ever told them who they were or why they were even doing this. So at long last she now knew who was responsible for their suffering.

Eckhardt laughed weakly. "I forgot you were never told who you were fucking with. They will come for you, you will never know peace! They will find out what you did here and-"

"Will they now?" Three asked, interrupting him as she gave a smirk.

"Wha—what do you mean?" Eckhardt asked confused.

"Fifteen of your guards are already dead, including all the scientists. Your engineers, and guards all locked away in different areas of the building. They now have..." Three paused to calculate, "Six minutes forty-seven seconds before the facility self-destructs."

The horror in Eckhardt's eyes made her smile a cruel smile, "I told you I am your executioner."

With that, she swung around with her full weight behind it as the machete beheaded the security chief. His body slumped to the ground and she dropped the machete not wanting to keep the foul weapon. Instead, she retrieved her knife and took Eckhardt's car keys. Walking fast she headed for the exit, and walked right out the main gate. Outside for the first time, Three ignored the new sensations in favour of survival. She moved past the dead guards that had been sent outside and headed for the cars. By pure estimation, Three guessed that Eckhardt's vehicle was the heavy duty off road truck and she was right.

Getting in Three looked around carefully until she found the ignition and started the truck up. Now it was only a matter of learning to drive. She had done enough reading about characters driving to know the general information. D equalled drive, so she put it into drive and the vehicle rolled forward. She tried the pedals one was stopping the truck the other was making it go. Easily learned, she pulled out the book she had taken from Four's cell to get more comfortable, put on her seat belt, and pulled away from the building. The steering wheel let the truck go in the direction she wanted, so driving was a relative easy task to learn.

Two minutes twenty seconds before the self-destruct happened, so Three steered for the gate. The chain-link fence was across the exit, so Three slammed down on the gas throwing the truck forward as it rammed through the fence. She followed the dirt path for a road leading away from the facility. Going as quickly as she could she put a good amount of distance between her and the facility before the resulting explosion came.

When the explosion did finally come it shook the ground even at that distance Three was in the truck making her almost lose control of the vehicle. Instead, she stopped and put the truck in park, so she could look at the explosion. Right then on the dirt road it had curved around just right so Three could look through the passenger window and see it.

The entire facility had been engulfed in flames and destroyed killing everyone that had been inside and destroying everything. At least that was what Three hoped, if Eckhardt was right then the group that had allowed her and the others to suffer were called HYDRA; and they would come for her. At least with the destruction of the facility it might give her time to put in some distance, and with luck maybe she would be forgotten by them. She took a shaky breathe as she watched the flames a bit more, then decided to get that distance.

Putting the truck back in to drive, Three continued to drive on the dirt for the better part of an hour until she got onto asphalt. Strangely, the road was a quiet one as well, which helped her to get used to the smoother road and the faded lines that were there as guidance for drivers.

It was then water splattered on the windshield, first one drop then two, then too many to count. She had read about this.

"Rain." Three said shocked, as she applied the breaks, and put the truck into park. Getting out slowly, she extended her hand to feel the drops of cold crisp water her fingers and gasped. Coming out further she giggled, as the rain came down wetting her hair, clothes and skin. She smiled at the new experience as she realized she was free. She looked down, not far from her was a puddle forming and so she went and jumped into it causing the water there to splash. More giggles followed as she span around in the rain.

As she span around she was reminded by the distant glow just above the tree lines of the facility, and was reminded of those that did not make it. She looked down at her forearm where the '3' tattoo marked her arm, all the others were dead. None of them would ever experience freedom, or rain, it made Three start to cry as she thought about each of them. Before she realized, she was on her hands and knees caught between crying for her friends and laughing that she had somehow survived. She could not decide if she would have been better off dying with them or not. All she knew was she really missed them, and was now cold. The rain water was soaking her completely, so she got back into the warm, dry, truck.

In trying to dry off, she looked for a cloth, then noticed the book she had taken. Four's book, which reminded her how much she missed him. Picking it up, she looked at the old well-read copy of "The Time Traveller's Wife". Mostly she just looked over the novel Four had touched, then she opened the cover. She gasped softly at the written list inside, Four had made a list of things to experience under the excerpt describing the author.

 _ **Things to Experience with Three**_

 _ **Holding Hands**_

 _ **Hugging**_

 _ **Dancing**_

 _ **Kissing**_

The list went onto the next page making Three gasp at all the things Four wanted to experience and do with her. One on the list was 'Love' and had a check next to it. In fact, it was the only one to have a check mark next to it. It was the painful fact that there were so many unchecked things Four had wanted to do, but the one thing he somehow got to experience with her made her start crying all over again. Unable to keep looking, she set the book aside and allowed herself to cry for what could never be. In truth, they were all things she had wanted to experience with Four too, even the more intimate things on the list. Eventually, the tears dried up and a numb feeling took over which allowed her to continue on at least for the moment.

Resuming driving, after thirty minutes she hit a slightly busier road with the occasional car, and took careful note of where the cars were, what lane she should be in, and also discovered the turn indicators. Mostly the skill was learned with little knowledge or effort. However, now she needed dry clothes. The rain had stopped after five minutes on the busier road. Luckily, she found herself in a type of residential area.

It looked quiet and peaceful here, so Three left the parked vehicle and went out on foot. As Three peeked between some bushes at the quiet street with quiet houses. She needed a house that was empty; hopefully the owners were away on vacation or something. Her eyes took in the set of houses on the right, two had security systems in place in case of burglary. All three seemed to have their owners already at home. Looking to her left she noted that one lacked a security system, but again the owner was home. Sighing she looked at the next house and grinned, this one had a security system but the owner was obviously gone. _"Perfect!"_ She thought as she moved skirting the edge of the woods before moving to the back of the house unnoticed. Already she was running the calculations in her head as she peaked in the back window. She had approximately thirty seconds to break the glass above the door handle, let herself in, grab the sharp kitchen knife in the knife block on the counter, and head for the security panel. All of which would take thirteen and half seconds. Next she break the panel off the wall and rewire it so that the alarm did not alert the cops.

Taking one last look she made sure there would be no other obstacles like a dog before acting out what she had plotted with perfect accuracy. As thought, it did take thirteen and a half seconds to reach the panel, and a further fourteen seconds to pry the panel off and rewire the system so that the cops did not come. ' _At least these skills are good for something.'_ She sighed then headed upstairs and looked for a change of clothes. Luckily, whoever lived here had someone her age and size. She picked out a pair of skinny black jeans, with a black tank top, purple button up shirt. Next she picked out a pair of purple and white tennis shoes, a black and purple baseball cap, and a black leather jacket. Changing into the clothes she stuffed the old pyjamas into a laptop bag with a laptop. Next she looked around for anything of value to sell knowing she would need money. Going into the main bedroom she soon found a combination lock box under the bed and quickly discovered the code to it.

Apparently, the owners did not feel safe putting all their money in a bank as she opened the box and took the large envelop of money out. Stuffing it into the laptop bag she knew it was time to go before the owners got home. Slipping down stairs, she saw the flash of headlights pulling into the driveway and rushed out the back door closing it silently and leaving before the owners came in to find that someone had broke in.

Hopping the fence, she took off into the night again and got back to the truck where she took a moment to take her knife and the book she had taken and put them into the laptop bag. She continued driving until she reached the outskirts of a city. From there, she put the truck in drive and let it drive off a hill into a lake. So far, she had been in the real world all but five hours and twenty-seven minutes and was off to a good start.

* * *

 **Author's Notes:**

 **Well first of all I want to thank Arcane Charmcaster for being my Beta reader. Fantastic job!**

 **Also as I have warned this chapter was long and DARK. Obviously dealing with HYDRA was not going to be a pleasant affair for the OC. I am sorry it took a bit longer to get this chapter posted, I do have the intention of posting once per week or twice depending on how life goes.**

 **Aside from that I am eager to hear your thoughts on the chapter. Reviews are awesome.**

 **Lesliezin**


	4. A New Home

**Hello everyone,**

 **Here is Chapter 4, enjoy.**

* * *

 **February 5** **th** **1999**

 **Somewhere in China**

In the days following her escape, Three travelled as far as she could away from the facility she had once known as home. She knew distance was key to her survival. However, going near public areas proved to be too much, and she often had panic attacks when she saw crowds of people. The jostling, shouting and bustling – she did not know how to cope. Never before had she seen so many people, only her fellow test subjects, doctors, and guards. So instead, she avoided people as much as possible as she travelled. Shortly after breaking into the house, she threw her pyjamas in a river as an added precaution and continued on. Since then she had taken refuge in abandoned buildings and then would continue travelling. More then a few times, she hitched rides from the occasional nice person until she reached Nanjing China and finally gained enough courage to venture closer to the more heavily populated areas.

The further she ventured though, the harder it was to breathe. She looked around and jumped at the slightest noise. There were lots of noises, too many in fact. Bikes, Cars, people, and so much more. Not to mention how constricted she felt, it was as if she was suffocating. How did people cope with so much of everything?! _'Too much! This is too much!'_ Three thought, trying to breathe as she gripped the side of a building.

"Hey girl, you lost?" A man asked, as he touched her shoulder making her jump. That was the other thing she was not used to: touching. Contact with another person was something she never felt much of. Most of her contact was needles, tests, and prodding. There was only a select few times... _Reaching through the bars Three would stretch as far as she could go and so would the boy across from her—Four. At most it was the faint brush of fingertips followed by a shared giggle at the sensation._ "Hey, are you lost?"

The question snapped Three out of the memory that made her want to cry, as she stared up at the older man speaking Mandarin and trying to see if she was okay. Why did he care? No one cared, she did not exist right?

"I am fine." Three answered back in Mandarin. After a moment she started to step away from the man and his concerned expression. She quickly left before the man could continue to say anything else. Moving quickly away from the populated area, Three began to breath easier once more and could relax a little.

However, being away from the larger populace did not help her situation in finding shelter for the night. She had been awake for the past three days having found no place secure enough to sleep in. As the sun descended giving way to night, Three entered another urban area and hopped a fence into someone's backyard. It was no longer a case of choice, but if she wanted to collapse some place, she decided it was best to pick the location. Rather then collapse on the street, she chose a more secluded place to sleep. In the backyard sat a garden with a large cherry blossom tree at the back right corner. Next to the tree and to the left of it was an ancestral shrine. The shrine itself was surrounded by a small pond. At the back of the house there was a porch with a table and chairs. In the left corner sat some rose bushes. It was a lovely yard, and being exhausted, Three yawned and took refuge under the cherry blossom tree hoping the owners would not see her.

Sitting down she leaned against the tree, removed her shoes, and was rubbing her sore feet as she took in her surroundings. It would have to do for the night, after all, she could not wonder the streets all night. Putting her shoes back on, she tried to get comfortable, as she let the exhaustion take her.

* * *

Three awoke with a jolt crying and disorientated. She had dreamt of Four, but this time it was the memory of him asking to share a kiss with her. She would have cried over the dream more, but something was wrong, this was not the place she fell asleep at! Looking around, she realized she was no longer under the cherry blossom tree in someone's backyard. Terrified at the darkness, she wondered if HYDRA had recaptured her? Then she heard it the soft sound of rain hitting the window, and she looked to her right where a window was by her bed. Outside it was dark, but she could make out lights from the neighbourhood, and the moon peaking through the dark clouds. They never allowed her to have a window. With what little light there was she looked down at herself and the bed she was in.

She was in her travel clothes, but her shoes were off. The bed covers were also thick and warm. Three ran her hands over the comforter surprised that it was purple in colour with a woman on it. For a moment Three merely examined the strange woman that wore this beautiful outfit. She looked so...angelic. Yes that was the word. The dress she wore was not really a dress, for the skirt was sheer but still seemed to glitter as did the rest of her outfit.

Looking beyond the outfit she noticed the woman seemed to be in a dance pose on ice? The woman was wearing a type of boot with long blades and—Someone suddenly turned on a light in the room making Three jump and look at the doorway. There stood a young girl about her age with long black hair tied back. She was wearing a pyjama set that was light blue and had more ice dancers on it. Over it was a light blue robe that was open. The last thing, Three noticed was the girl was holding a tray.

"Father she is awake." The girl called out and a moment later, Three could hear another approaching from down the hall.

Realising she was going to be outnumbered, Three scooted into the corner on the bed just as an middle aged man appeared behind his daughter. This man's black hair was greying and was tied back. He had an very calm and reserved expression as he looked at her. Obviously, she had disturbed their sleep for he too was in his sleep clothes.

This time the girl spoke to her. "What were you doing under our Cherry Blossom tree?"

Three blinked confused as she tried to consider her answer. "Sleeping."

"Sleeping." The girl stated flatly, as though she expected some greater answer. "Why not sleep at home? Or a motel?"

"I cannot go home..." Three answered carefully, "I have no home."

For a moment the girl looked stunned by her answer, while her father stood their calmly watching Three. Then the girl set down the tray on the desk and came closer flopping down in a chair by the bed.

"No home?" Three nodded. "What about your family?"

The question made Three feel like she had been kicked in the stomach. Family. She never had family not really. The closest family had been her fellow test subjects but they were all dead.

"Gone, they are all gone." Three answered saddened. The girl looked back at her father concerned by the answers she was receiving, then looked back at Three.

"What is your name?"

"Three."

"Three is not a name. It is a number." The girl answered, then seemed to be thinking a moment. "We are not calling you Three. Hmm, what about Sakura?"

"Sakura?" Three asked as she tested the name and how it sounded.

"Yes, it means Cherry Blossom in Japanese. Which is fitting considering where we found you." Again she looked back at her father who gave the briefest of nods, then looked back at Three. She had to admit having an actual name was a lot better than a number. Nodding, Three decided she liked the new name.

* * *

 **February 6** **th** **, 1999**

 **Nanjing China**

The soft sunlight shone in from the window, waking Three up as she blinked and wondered at her current situation. An father and daughter had taken her in when she fell asleep in their back yard. Did people normally do that? Just take in strangers they barely knew? What Three lacked in actual experience she made up for in reading books, and many of those books were the blueprints for teaching her about the outside world. Taking strangers in might have been acceptable back in the 1940s when people could trust each other more, but these days? No that rare trust was lost with time. Instead, Three was dumbfounded by the kind father and daughter that had let her sleep in this room.

After the daughter had 'named' her, she had let Three sleep and they had gone to bed themselves. Sakura, the name sounded nice and Three found she liked the name. Sighing, she looked around the room more extensively. The daughter really liked 'Ice dancers', and cats. There were posters of ice skaters and stuffed toy animals, mostly cats. Across from her was a closet and dresser with some pictures on it. One of the pictures was of the father and daughter, another was an older picture of a older version of the daughter, no doubt the mother. To her left, sat an vanity desk that held make-up, perfumes, and some ice skater figurines.

Faintly, Three heard noises further in the house and got up. Leaving the room, she entered a hall where at the left end sat another room, probably the father's. Directly across from the room, and to the left was a bathroom. Down and to the right a short distance was another room, it looked like a spare room. Why was she not put in that room instead? When she peeked in the question was answered, it was a office. Beyond that was a flight of stairs leading down, and she could hear voices. Going down stairs, Three noted a closet at the bottom of the stairs on the right. To the left was a spacious living room.

The clatter and voices had her turn left from the living room to face the kitchen which was separated by a counter with stools at it. "...cannot stay."

"Father, you heard her last night."

"She is not a stray cat you can take in off the streets, Amaya."

"But she is alone, and was sleeping in our garden, Father. I do not think she has anywhere else to go."

"We do not know anything about her." The father said firmly.

"We know that her family is gone, and she has no home. We also know that they named her Three? What kind of parents name their daughter a number?" The daughter, Amaya asked.

"I only agreed to let her rest here for the night, but she cannot stay."

"So you would-" Three had been slowly coming forward when the floor boards creaked and the conversation stopped. Now Three blushed shyly at the father and daughter that watched her.

"So awake at last." Amaya said recovering first, so Three only nodded.

"Sorry to interrupt." Three said shyly, feeling bad for being there.

"Oh Nonsense, come have breakfast with us." Amaya stood from the stool she had been seated at.

"I should be going-" Three started to say, but by then Amaya had come to her side and took her arm.

"No you should be eating breakfast. Right father?" Amaya asked, looking pointedly at her father, who after a moment sighed. With the father caving, Three was gently pushed into a stool and a plate of food was put in front of her. The three of them ate in relative quiet with the father and daughter continuing their argument with pointed looks instead of words. It was more of a mental conversation than anything and Three knew it was about her. Three ate, but could not really enjoy the food because she felt about as welcome as a bad rash. Instead, the food was like a stone in her stomach, she ate at a similar speed to the other two to not be rude. However, they seemed to eat at a snail's pace, until finally Amaya broke the gaze with her father and smiled at Three.

"So Sakura, where are you from?"

Three sucked in a breathe wondering if she should tell them the truth, then said softly. "Another part of China..."

"That is...pretty vague." Amaya pointed out.

"I do not want to go back." Three said, worried that if she said too much she might end up being given to this HYDRA group.

"Why? Did something happen?" Amaya asked, and Three nodded. For a moment they were silent and Three knew that they wanted more answers.

"I had to leave, they—they killed my family and would have killed me too." Three said, as she nervously made the admission.

"They who?" Amaya pressed, but Three shook her head.

"It is best you do not know." Three said softly, then looked at both of them as both looked at each other and seemed to resume a mental conversation. By then she felt like she was overstaying her welcome. She ate a bit more, then rose.

"Thank you for letting me stay, and for breakfast." Three said, giving a slight bow to her hosts before heading for the front door where she slipped on her jacket, put on her shoes and picked up her bag. She paused for a moment, before digging into her bag and leaving some money on the counter to pay for her stay as a thank you. Then she quietly left. Once outside, she breathed a sigh of relief and moved down the street. She had considered the encounter just that an encounter that would not repeat itself.

Heading towards the city again, Three decided she would try to overcome her panic attacks. Which was how she ended up by a building that would lead into the highly populated area, and already had to grip the building for support. Seeing the vast amount of people made her head swim and her breathing became hard. _'Easy now, they are just people same as any. They are just—a lot of people! How do they manage it? Don't they feel like they are being suffocated?!'_ Three tried to calm her shaky breath when a hand came down on her shoulder making her jump and whirl around. Back now pressed to the wall, she was surprised to see Amaya's father there. What was he doing there? Didn't he want her gone?

The father seemed to watch her as he said softly. "It is alright, no one is going to get you. Now what is wrong?"

"Pe—people there are too many. I can't breathe..." Three answered, peeking back around at the busy street.

The father also looked at the busy street than at her, but Three was still trying to overcome the sheer panic so that she could move down the busy street. Finally, the father sighed and Three peeked back at him. "Come along."

"I will, I just need to calm down first. Then I will go." Three said.

"No, not that way." he replied, making Three look at him confused, "Home."

"Home?" Three asked, still drawing a complete blank.

"Yes, home. Come on." The father gently put an arm around her shoulder guiding her away from the populated street and back towards his home.

"I do not understand, I thought you wanted me to leave." Three said.

"My daughter can be persuasive." He admitted, with a shrug and a smile at having lost the argument with Amaya.

"I do not even know you though." Three said still nervous.

"My name is Takai Os... Wong. Takai Wong."

* * *

After that Three or Sakura as Takai and Amaya named her was welcomed into their home. At first, Sakura was wary of this new life and while Amaya was nice and friendly. Sakura was unsure how to react around Takai who was quiet and kept to himself. It was not until later that day that Takai was more friendly and welcoming. For all the questions asked Takai calmly urged Amaya from prying too much as it made Sakura uncomfortable. In fact the man proved to be highly observant noting that Sakura was afraid of large crowds of people and was really jumpy when too much physical contact was given. Amaya, on the other hand, was determined to get Sakura to open up, and show her more of the world.

Of course they did not live alone, Sakura found they had a Siamese cat named Sake. Unfortunately, Sake was named thus because the cat proved to be a fierce beast that only calmed down with a nip of sake in a dish. Otherwise, it hissed and threaten to scratch anyone close enough. Mostly, she kept clear of the mean cat, and got used to this strange new living condition.

However, on one occasion shortly after being asked to stay, Takai got his camera to take a photo of them, the temperamental feline jumped up and curled into Sakura's lap without any sake to calm her down. It was quite shocking to find Sake was very welcoming of Sakura, perhaps the cat sensed something in her. Either way, she sat on the sofa cat on her lap, Amaya sat on her right, and Takai on her left. The group smiled at the camera as the timer ran out and it snapped the picture.

Amaya wanted to take her clothes shopping and help her get comfortable, but unfortunately, the girl also had classes to attend to. It was on one such day, Sakura found herself wondering the house and spotted a photo of an older man standing next to Takai. She picked it up to better look at the image. There saw nothing particularly strange about the photo, except the older man was gripping a type of walking stick and had a sour expression on his face.

"That is my father."

Sakura turned to find Takai had come in from the back yard. "He and I are not close anymore."

"He does not look happy in the photo." Sakura observed, causing Takai to laugh.

"He never was, just a grumpy old man. He came to Japan and met my mother. I honestly do not know how I was born when he was always cynical and cold hearted." Takai said, bitterness leaking into his voice.

"He must have loved her." Sakura said, trying to sound hopeful.

"I suppose he must have, but that love did not extend to anyone else. He was always complaining that attachments get you killed, hypocrite!" Takai said, shaking his head. For a moment, Sakura regarded the frowning old man in the photo then frowned herself.

"Why does he have a stick?" Takai chuckled, at the question.

"That is because my father is blind," Takai said, "Ironically nowadays he calls himself Stick."

"Doesn't he have a name?"

"He gave it up along with everything else." Takai said, as he took the picture from Sakura and looked at it before putting it back on the counter. With that any further conversation died out about Takai's father as he went to the kitchen to get a drink. So Sakura discreetly dropped the subject in favour of another.

"May I ask you something else?"

"You may." Takai replied, as he poured himself a glass of water, and took a drink.

"Why is your last name Chinese when your given names are clearly-"

"Japanese?" Takai finished, and when she nodded he sighed and leaned on the counter. "Wong is not really our last name. It was Osaka." Takai said taking a drink, then continued, "Like you we left Japan because of—others. We fled here and have tried to start anew, like you."

The new information tended to explain a lot of why they took her in, as she stared surprised at the counter. "If you would keep this between us and not tell anyone, I would appreciate that."

"Of course, I do not know anyone to tell anyway." Sakura replied, Takai smiled then straightened.

"Amaya will be home soon, would you like to help me with dinner?" Sakura nodded, and joined him in the kitchen learning how he cooked and helping him however she could. It was quite something to have these normal days.

* * *

 **February 19** **th** **, 1999**

 **Nanjing China**

This was not a good idea, Sakura thought for the seventh time as she sat in the back seat of the car. Takai had pulled up in front of a shopping centre with Amaya and Sakura in the back seat. Sakura's heart was pounding in her chest as she noted the people. A lot of people, too many people! How did they fit them all in that shopping centre?! They had been trying to take her shopping since she had come to stay with them, but still she had trouble with crowds. Out of nervousness, Sakura had been staying inside the house rather than risk going near town centres, shops, or public areas.

"Sakura?" Amaya asked, softly gaining her attention, "Shhh it is okay. You do not need to worry. Father and I are here with you."

"There's too many people, too much...it makes it hard to breathe or think." Sakura said, sounding out of breath and shaky.

"Just breathe deeply, slowly. In..." Amaya said, gently as she breathed in with Sakura, "And out." They both exhaled. "Good now between breaths count down with me from ten to one. In again." Both breathed in, "Ten, and out again." They exhaled. As they repeated the deep breathing both slowly counted down from ten to one. "Better?"

Sakura nodded. "Good, now I know this will be very hard for you, but you have to get over this fear. You cannot hide away from the populace."

For a few minutes, they sat as Sakura peeked at the shopping centre and chewed her bottom lip. As much as she hated to admit it, Amaya was right.

"Ready?" Takai finally asked.

"I guess.." Sakura answered, getting out of the car Amaya came around and took hold of her hand.

"I am here." She said, softly as they moved towards the shopping centre. As they neared the large glass double doors a family came out making Sakura want to back up. However, Takai stood behind her and caught her shoulders preventing her from backing up too far.

"Relax, nothing bad is going to happen to you." He reassured her, Amaya smiled back at her and gently tugged her forward into the large department store. They headed left for the women's section where Amaya took her through the racks of clothing.

"You two have fun, I will be back in thirty minutes." Takai stated and headed off.

"Now, what clothes do you like?" Amaya asked, as she looked at Sakura, who looked down at her own clothes. "Okay so you like jeans, and these types of shirts..." Amaya looked through the aisles locating four different pairs of jeans and six different types of button up shirts that one could roll the sleeves up on. "Here, we can take these to the changing room and you can try them on, hmm?"

Again, Amaya took the lead and led her further into the store to the changing rooms. There she tried on the clothes. Midway through changing, Amaya brought her some bras and night clothes to try on. In the end Sakura choose two pairs of jeans and four pairs of shirts, three bras, a pack of panties, socks, a pair of pyjama shorts and tank top. After that, they picked out a pair of shoes, and the trio moved around trying to adjust Sakura to the larger population.

Sadly, as much as they tried to get Sakura over her panic of people, the young teen did not want to let go of Amaya's hand. Towards the end of their shopping, the two girls ended up at a perfume shop, trying out different scents on the scent cards. "Any particular scent you like?"

"This one." Sakura held up a pretty curvy bottle that held a pink tint at the top. Reading the label on the lid, Amaya giggled.

"Blushing Cherry Blossom. It suits you." Buying a bottle of the perfume they returned to Takai who had refused to go near such a girly shop. Instead, he had sat at some benches waiting for them to return when he mentioned getting some food from the food court further inside. Together they got burgers and fries and sat at one of the tables.

"So Sakura? How are you doing now?" Takai asked, watching the girl he had taken in carefully, and noting that she was still nervous and jumpy around other people.

"Umm okay I guess... I still do not like being around this many people or crowds." She answered truthfully, and jumped when someone laughed behind her. The loud noises seemed to bother Sakura just as much as the people did, Takai noted. Any time someone made a loud or raucous noise the girl got more nervous.

"Amaya ask for bag to take our food home in. I think Sakura has had enough time with people and needs time.." Amaya simply nodded and went back to the burger stand to ask for some bags, "Don't worry there is no rush to overcome your fears overnight. Baby steps."

Sakura smiled at Takai, "Thank you. You know you did not have to take me shopping, and help me."

"Believe me if I hadn't I would have never heard the end of it from Amaya." Takai said.

"So where did you go while we were clothes shopping?" Sakura asked curious.

"Oh you will see, but let's get home first." Takai said, as Amaya returned with some bags for their food. Gathering together their food and shopping bags they headed for home, and Sakura breathed a sigh of relief once they had left the shopping centre.

* * *

 **March 15** **th** **1999**

 **Nanjing China**

More and more Sakura was made to feel welcomed into Takai and Amaya's life. During their shopping trip Takai had also purchased a bed for her. As time went on, she even began to relax as what happened in the facility seemed like a distant nightmare. Sometimes she could even believe it was just a nightmare, but the serum given meant a picture perfect memory that she never forgot. She remembered her fellow test subjects and even dreamt about them. What was worse was the memory of what Berk and the other guards did to Six, it would haunt her she knew. Often she was awakened from those nightmares by Amaya or Takai because they would hear her scream.

It was slow going to open up for Sakura, but also equally so for Takai and Amaya. There was a reason they fled Japan, and the answers were not at all forthcoming. Regardless, they tried to live normal lives and for some reason Takai and Amaya wanted Sakura to stay. Getting into a routine Sakura was eventually brave enough to meet Amaya after school and enjoy their time together in the park or at another preferred place Amaya liked—the indoor ice rink.

The ice skating rink was Amaya's preferred place to spend her time, but since Sakura hated crowds they usually went on days when it was quiet. In the hours between three o'clock and five many were still at work. These days not many wanted to ice skate in March anyway, well except for Amaya apparently.

Having grown up idolizing Dorothy Hamill and many other great ice skaters, Amaya took to the ice and seemed to love it there. Sakura had been shown videos of the ice skaters and their performances and was intrigued. Mostly though, Sakura watched Amaya skate around. There was too much chance more people could get on the ice, and while she was getting over her fear of crowds; that did not mean she wanted to ice skate with large crowds. As usual Amaya got out her skates from her backpack and rented a pair for Sakura hoping to get the anti-social girl to join her. Once the skates were on Amaya was out and enjoying herself with Sakura content to watch the scene from the sidelines.

Mostly it was fun, but Amaya was never content to just 'skate around' she kept trying to do the special moves the figure skates did. Her latest attempt was a double Axel jump. One of the most complex jumps, Amaya was determined to do it and usually ended up falling on her bottom. One would think falling on the cold hard ice a few times would be enough for Amaya to give up, but she was determined.

"You know one of these times you are going to land wrong and break something." Sakura finally said, hoping Amaya would stop there.

"Well if you are so worried get out here. No one else is here right now, no crowds or anything." Amaya huffed. Sakura sighed and looked around for others to be coming in, but thus far no one, so she started putting on the ice skates. Even though she had never been on the ice before she had watched Amaya and the old videos of figure skaters enough to know what to do. Coming out onto the ice she faced a surprised Amaya.

"Wow! Most people are skittish on the ice when they first start, are you sure you have never been ice skating before?"

"Nope, just watched you and those videos you have on other figure skaters." Sakura pointed out, "I am a quick learner."

"Obviously, I wish I was that quick." Amaya said then sighed, "Okay let's try this again." Skating away from Sakura, Amaya attempted the hard jump only to fall again. "Damn it!"

Now being closer Sakura spotted the mistake. "I think I know what is wrong." As she spoke she helped Amaya up. "You freeze mid-way through the jump."

"On the ice two minutes and suddenly your an expert." Amaya laughed, "If you are so good I would love to see you try it." Sakura sighed, as she recalled the jump perfectly and seemed to know just what to do. So she skated away from Amaya focused and did a double Axel jump perfectly without falling on her butt. "Wow! I was kidding, but my god you do learn fast! How did you do that?!"

"I saw those figure skaters do it." Sakura answered, it was like any other skill to Sakura. She either had to read from books or watch how to do it then she simply could.

"So did I but that does not mean I can actually did it first go!" Amaya said still amazed.

"Well you can too, just don't freeze up." Easier said than done as Sakura skated back towards Amaya, "What do you think about when you are trying to do the jump?"

For a moment Amaya thought then said. "I think about falling and how much it will hurt when I hit the ice."

"There in lies the problem then, do not think about falling or the ice. Just think about doing it, and you will." Sakura said earning a laugh from Amaya.

"You sound like Yoda: 'Do, or do not. There is no try.'"

"Who?" Sakura asked confused.

"We need to watch Star Wars when we get home." Amaya said giggling, then decided to try again and do as Sakura suggested. This time she did not think about falling or the hard ice. This time she succeeded and landed albeit shakily on her feet. "I did it!"

"See? I told you." Sakura said, as Amaya joyfully came up to hug Sakura. After that, the pair skated around and both seemed to enjoy being on the ice. Eventually, they realized the time and knew Takai would be worried. Returning the rental ice skates after putting on their shoes they were leaving the rink.

"We will have to buy you your own ice skates, so that you won't have to wear those rentals." Amaya said, her own ice skates neatly tucked into her backpack again.

"My own?"

"Yes, you will be skating with me in the future right?" Amaya asked, watching Sakura who smiled at her.

"Oh yeah." After that day both loved ice skating and practising moves only the professionals dare try. When they got home Takai was upset, but once Amaya told him she actually got Sakura on the ice he softened up. What surprised him most was learning that Sakura learned things like crazy fast.

"Well that explains how she mastered cooking my special recipe for stir-fry, when she only watched me cook it once." Takai said trying to look annoyed, but seemed too amused to actually be mad.

* * *

 **March 19** **th** **, 1999**

 **Nanjing China**

Today was just another day as Amaya came out of school a backpack slung over her shoulder. Greeting Sakura the two decided to have an ice cream in the park and enjoy the nice sunny day instead of ice skating. They took a seat on one of the benches, to enjoy the ice cream and watched as others passed them by. "You seem to have gotten over your panic attacks." Amaya noted.

"I still do not like crowds, but I am getting used to people, I guess." Sakura admitted.

"You were not used to people were you?"

"No I met few before..." Sakura sighed, she avoided talking about before just as they avoided talking about life before moving to China.

"You know father and I have so many questions about your life before."

"So do I, at times I find it hard to believe you would invite a total stranger into your home and lives." Sakura pointed out.

"Both seem to be difficult subjects, if I told you about our lives back in Japan. Would you tell me where you came from?" Amaya asked, and Sakura swallowed hard wondering if she should. She had lived with this father and daughter and became close to both of them.

"Yes." Sakura answered, partially hoping Amaya would not tell her of her past, if only so that she would not have to speak of the HYDRA base. However Amaya drew in a deep shaky breath.

"You have no doubt heard of my grandfather, Stick he calls himself." Amaya shook her head, "Father does not like to speak of him for obvious reasons. I do not remember much, but I do remember he tried to convince my father to give up on 'attachments'. Namely my mother and I, they argued. Then later men came for us, and my mother was killed, father blamed Stick. Said he had brought the war to us. At the time I was too young to understand, later my father explained. He was suppose to join grandfather in some secret ancient war, but then my father met my mother, he wanted no part in this war." Amaya paused, as she looked straight ahead and did not seem to see the park around them, "After my mother died, my father took me and we left Japan without a word. We came to China because there was no ties here and hopefully we would not be followed."

The two girls sat quietly as Sakura took in the information, then after a pregnant silence she had to ask. "Why did you both take me in?"

For a moment, it looked like Amaya might not answer, then sighed. "Since mother died there has been this...void. Father and I both felt this giant hole in the room where my mother once would have been. Before you came we both kind of tip-toed around each other. I guess we both needed you, you helped close that gap and made us whole again. I guess that sounds kind of weird, but I really have no other way to explain it."

There was a pause, and Amaya peeked at Sakura. "I am not trying to replace my mother with you or anything silly. It is just you complete us when we both thought we were beyond repair."

Sakura blushed at the sentiment then looked ahead not sure how to reply to such praise. For another long moment they were silent until Amaya nudged her reminding her of the fact that she was suppose to reveal her history too. So Sakura pulled up her sleeve to show the 3 tattoo on her forearm. "No doubt you have already seen this."

Amaya nodded soberly. "I have been wanting to ask you about it for a long time."

"Well I was one of six test subjects..." Sakura began and explained all about her life at the facility where she grew up, and what happened to those dear to her. She left out some gory details like Six being raped, or how she slaughtered everyone at the facility. Instead, Amaya stared at her shocked, leading Sakura to believe that she did not believe her. "I know it must sound unbelievable, but I swear I am telling the truth."

A hand rested on her arm reassuring Sakura. "It is okay, I believe you."

"Really?" Sakura asked in disbelief, and Amaya nodded.

"You sometimes scream things in the waking world when sleeping and in the thralls of a nightmare. Nightmares are memories we wish we could forget." Amaya said softly. With that there was less secrets between them. When they got home Takai was also told where Sakura came from. Life for the three of them got easier, and for a time it felt like a normal life was all that awaited them.

* * *

 **March 29** **th** **1999**

 **Nanjing China**

Sakura stood waiting outside the school for Amaya to come out. It had become common practice, and an highlight to her day. Together the two would hang out at the indoor Ice Rink, or go to the park, and on some occasions go shopping when Amaya could encourage her. It kind of felt strange at times considering she was about the same age as Amaya or maybe a little older. Takai had talked of getting her enrolled in classes, but after helping Amaya with school work she knew it would be boring for her. Sadly super intelligence sucked the fun out of school, why go when you read the text books and retain it all?

Amidst the throng of teenagers, Sakura spotted Amaya walking hurriedly away from from the entrance to the school. Normal Amaya would spot her, smile and do this excited run up to greet her, but today Amaya rushed up and looked—upset? Amaya caught Sakura's arm and turned her once she reached her. "Let's go."

"Amaya? What is wrong?" Sakura asked, now worried as the two walked fast paced away from the school.

"It's nothing..." Amaya said, her voice shaking as tears threatened to escape. If it was nothing then she would not be so upset, Sakura rationalized as they did not slow down in their quick walk. Something was definitely wrong as Amaya took them through the park which was also a short cut to get home. Had HYDRA found her? The thought made her stiffen and fear for Amaya and Takai. However, as they got to the more quiet part of the park, a voice behind them called out.

"Get back here Amaya!" The shout, made Sakura look back and spot a boy a little older then her and two others flanking him.

"I told you I am not interested, Shen! Leave us alone!" Amaya called back.

"You think you can just reject me and walk away!" Shen called, as both girls kept walking fast paced. Sakura now simply wanted to get them home and keep Amaya safe, this part of the park was quiet and they were alone. She heard three sets of shoes running up behind them, but before she could react Amaya was yanked away from her. Whirling around Shen now held a struggling Amaya and his two friends tried to look intimidating.

"Go home little girl! This is between her and I."

"You can either let her go or end up not breathing in a ditch!" Sakura threatened.

Shen laughed, as he gestured for his friends to take care of her as he dragged Amaya further away. The first boy towered over Sakura and was stocky, he tried to punch her but she dodged him. After that, her leg came up and kicked him in the groin hard, making him drop to his knees in pain. His friend was next as he also swung uselessly at Sakura. This one was about her height and size, so catching his arm proved easy. Twisting his arm back she heard the distinct pop as she dislocated his shoulder making him cry out. Kicking him hard in the stomach, he dropped to the ground throwing up his lunch on the concrete then received a kick to the face that knocked him clean out.

The taller boy was getting to his feet, when Sakura kicked the side of his knee cap. Forced back to his knees, Sakura caught his wrist as he tried to punch her and twisted to sprain his wrist. Finally, she brought her elbow to his face breaking his noise and knocking him out.

Two men down she heard Amaya scream and ran for her friend who had been dragged off into the brush off the park path. As she reached her friend she saw Shen over her, and was taken back to another moment in time Berk forcing Six's legs apart raping her. There was no thinking, as Sakura ran forward and tackled Shen off of Amaya. Rolling in the grass, Sakura managed to get on top of him and punch him. Punch after punch, she delivered turning his face into a bloody mess. Faintly she heard a scream and thought it was Six, or could it have been Amaya.

Hands reached for her trying to stop her, then she heard it. "Sakura stop! Please! SAKURA!"

That was Amaya! Blinking her vision cleared as she took in a battered Shen who lay unconscious beneath her. Amaya was gripping her upper arm, shaken; but otherwise unharmed. Calming down, Sakura was in a type of shock as Amaya grabbed her backpack and pulled Sakura to her feet. Pulled along Sakura let Amaya lead her away from Shen, but they stopped short when they reached the other two that groaned in pain and had woken up. Both boys now looked at them terrified and Sakura regained enough sense to step forward.

"Had I wanted to I would have killed you both. Now there are two options, I can be nice: relocate the dislocation to your shoulder. If I do that we pretend none of this happened, you can claim you fell or got into a fight with bigger boys for the other injuries. Or you wait and go to hospital, but if you mention me. I make you both disappear meaning the current injuries will be the least of your problems. So what is it going to be?"

Both boys were too prideful to admit to being beaten up by a girl, and judging by the pain the smaller boy was in he wanted his shoulder popped back into place. "I agree."

"Agreed, we promise we won't breathe a word about you." The taller one said. As agreed Sakura relocated the shorter one's shoulder, and both boys took off too afraid to wait around. During that time, Amaya made an anonymous call from a pay phone for an ambulance for Shen. Together both girls left the park shaken. Heading home, they told Takai what happened, he created alibi's and contacted what he called 'old friends' to cover up what happened. Whoever these old friends were they ensured neither of Shen's friends talked, and made it look like Shen mouthed off to some gang punks.

* * *

For nearly a week, there was an awkwardness between Amaya and Sakura, making the former test subject wonder if she should leave. The two just did not know how to talk to one another and move past the incident in the park that had almost exposed them. Sakura became withdrawn wondering what she had done to hurt Amaya. She had protected her, hadn't she? Amaya was at school pretending no one had attacked her, and Sakura sighed softly. She did not meet up with Amaya after school any more for fear of upsetting the girl. Instead Sakura tried to read, but ended up replaying the scene over and over again trying to figure out what she did that upset Amaya.

"You should go." Takai's voice made her look up at the doorway where he stood arms crossed leaning against the doorway.

"I understand." Sakura said softly, and got off her bed to pack her belongings.

"What? No! Not that, I mean you should go and be waiting to meet her after school." Takai said, when he saw what Sakura had been about to start doing.

"But—she doesn't want to see me." Sakura said hurt, and Takai came forward hugging her.

"She was just scared, she has never seen you like that. That does not mean she doesn't want to see you. Go to the school wait for her and talk." Takai said, as he pulled away and smiled at Sakura. She started to shake her head as Takai added gently. "Please."

Sighing, Sakura nodded and left to meet Amaya, but felt nothing needed to be said. Yet she found herself outside the school waiting. As usual, Amaya came out and when Sakura saw her spot her; she ducked her head. Amaya came up to her and again there was that awkwardness as people walked by oblivious to the situation.

"You came to meet me, I wasn't sure father would get you to." The words surprised Sakura a little, but instead she merely nodded. Dipping her hands into her pockets Sakura tried to find more interest in the pavement. "I would like to take you some place else. An important place. Will you be okay on the bus?"

Sakura thought a moment then nodded, as she followed Amaya, mostly both were quiet. It was only after a couple of bus rides that they got off and Amaya finally spoke. "You seem awfully quiet."

"Because you are mad at me, and I did not want to upset you further." Sakura said, again it was followed by a lengthy silence as the pair walked.

"You almost killed Shen." Amaya pointed out, the boy that had not wanted to leave Amaya alone now lay in a hospital bed in a coma.

"He was going to hurt you." Sakura said.

"And that was reason to almost kill him?" Amaya asked.

"Believe me if he had accomplished his goal death would have been preferable."

"You cannot know that, Sakura."

"No I do. That is the sad part. I also know I would chose death first." Sakura admitted, they had stopped walking as Amaya looked at Sakura fully searching her features. "I—I did not tell you everything. I left out the gruesome parts because I did not want to upset you. The worse part is I see it everyday, the memory never fades, and that day in the park just threw me back to that moment."

Sakura looked down ashamed as Amaya waited. "They raped her before they injected her. All I could was watch and no matter what I did I could not stop them. I know that you may think it is no excuse for what I did to Shen, and you can stay mad; but in all honesty had you not stopped me I would have killed him."

For a moment, they were quiet again until Amaya touched her arm. "That is why I am mad at you because of what you almost did. You are a good person, a hero."

Already Sakura was shaking her head, "No it was made rather clear to me I am no hero."

"Yes you are, you saved me. Now come along I have some place important to show you." Again, they resumed walking as Amaya led Sakura along. Eventually, they made it to their destination and Sakura frowned at the building in front of her. The building and statue in front was certainly odd, and seemed to stand out to Sakura.

The pair continued towards it as Amaya said. "Did you know that World War II supposedly began in September of 1939 with Poland being invaded by Germany?"

"I have not really read much history." Sakura admitted.

"It is what the world chooses to believe, but in truth the world choose to bury it's head in the sand and pretend nothing bad was happening. The Emperor of Japan wanted to dominate all of Asia, and in truth a war was already waging long before Germany developed a spine. The Japanese military invaded here in 1937 causing the most disgusting massacres ever known. You know what disgusts me most, is people today. A lot of them only remember the atrocities Hitler committed. Ask an American sometime about the Massacre of Nanjing, they probably won't even know what you are talking about."

Both continued walking towards the strange building and the grotesque statue of a woman holding a child in what could only be agony. Why was Amaya bringing them here? "No all you hear about is Captain America and the Howling Commandos. Blah blah blah! Me? I choose not to bury my head in the sand. You know the atom bomb being dropped on Japan later on in that same war? You ask me, we deserved it. My people lost all honour the day they came here and slaughtered innocent people. Karma has a way of coming back to bite you in the ass, and it bit hard."

Now Sakura looked at the building more closely it was a Memorial hall dedicated to those massacred during Japan's invasion of Nanjing. Led along, Sakura took careful stock of the disturbing statues that were meant to show how horrible the massacre had been. Led into the exhibit Sakura felt ill reading the numerous stories of those raped and murdered by the Japanese invaders. Then she peeked at Amaya, why on earth was a Japanese woman leading her through this exhibit?

"Since we moved here I come quit a bit. I like to think I am apologizing for what my people did, even though it happened long before I was ever born. Although saying sorry will never be enough."

The words struck her, as Amaya hastily wiped her eyes and continued in further, so Sakura followed shivering at some of the pictures, recordings, and items that attested to the truth of the massacre. Eventually, Amaya led her to another part of the exhibit which was a coffin shaped room and displayed the skeletal remains of bodies found from the massacre. Finally Sakura had to ask. "Why are we here, Amaya?"

Amaya knelt by one display of bones as if trying to discern who they might have been. However, after a moment she came to stand in front of Sakura. "I brought you here because I want to prove a point. You are a hero, and I do not want you to lose sight of that. There are too few heroes in the world, and too many monsters. Monsters like the ones that held you, monsters like the ones that took my mother, and monsters like the ones that took all these lives."

"How am I a hero?" Sakura asked, not able to believe what she was hearing, "And why did you stop me? I should have ensured Shen could never hurt you or anyone again."

"Because heroes are good. They do not kill, and as much as I hate Shen I do not want you to lose yourself by killing him." Sakura wanted to roll her eyes at Amaya, why was she so convinced that she was a hero all of a sudden? "You are better than that, I know you are."

"He could come back to hurt you." Sakura pointed out.

"True, but I also know you won't let him," Amaya said, smiling at Sakura then turned to look at the exhibit. Some other tourists passed by then Amaya added. "Do you know the greatest act a hero can do?"

"Save a life?" Sakura guessed, but Amaya shook her head.

"The greatest act a hero can do is to forgive an enemy," Amaya answered, making Sakura want to shake her head. "I already forgive Shen for what he tried to do, one day you will too. Hopefully those that died here have found peace, and perhaps forgiven their enemies."

"So what your saying is everyone should just forgive and forget?" Sakura asked.

"No! Never forget that would be burying your head in the sand and pretending it never happened. I say forgive because holding onto the anger and pain would consume you." Amaya said, then gestured at the bones, "They deserve peace not to be driven made by anger for all eternity. One day you will understand."

In a way Sakura already understood, Amaya did not want her to kill anyone. To the young woman it was her way of protecting Sakura. Especially since Amaya did not want her to 'lose herself'. It made Sakura swallow a painful lump in her throat, she had already killed everyone at the facility. Feeling a tug on her arm, Sakura looked at Amaya, the girl had a gentle smile on her face. "Come, time we headed home. I have depressed us both, and we are long overdue for an ice-cream."

* * *

 **Author's Notes:**

 **First of all thank you for the lovely reviews. I am glad you guys like the story thus far.**

 **Also some things to note in this chapter. When I was very first researching for a location in the story I had a very specific requirement for the location, and ended up choosing Nanjing China. However to prepare to write for the story I did research on the area. Thus I read about a horrible event that happened at the beginning of World War two. Which is why at the end of the chapter Three and Amaya visit the Nanjing Massacre Memorial. I included this out of respect feeling that this event in history needs to be more widely acknowledge, and not disregarded. Secondly I felt like it should be mentioned since I choose Nanjing China.**

 **According to what I read though many Japanese to this day refuse to believe this incident took place. Which is why I gave Amaya this unique perspective on it. The original reason for choosing Nanjing has not yet happened so I will explain later why I picked this location so to avoid spoiling anything.**

 **The other issue to note is if any of you watch the Marvel Netflix shows. They are apart of the MCU so they are acknowledged. Anyone care to guess the Marvel character mentioned in this chapter?**

 **Anyway I hope you enjoy this chapter, and look forward to your reviews.**

 **Lesliezin**


	5. The Bridge

**Hello everyone,**

 **Here is Chapter 5, enjoy.**

* * *

 **April 3** **rd** **, 1999**

 **Nanjing China**

It was early afternoon in the Wong household, Amaya was still at school, and as usual Takai was practising out in the backyard with a katana. Since learning the Osaka family's Japanese history, it came as no surprise that Takai was a trained warrior. Nor did it surprise Takai that by merely observing his practice Sakura learned his art. He never trained Amaya because he did not want her fighting or involved with his father's war. Hence her needing to be saved by Sakura. Sakura, however, was in just as much danger as he, both were hiding from dangerous people; so he had no problem letting Sakura learn all she could.

What he missed most though was having a sparring partner, so that morning he decided Sakura needed to do more than merely observe. Actual training, would benefit both of them to defend against their enemies. So when Takai came inside, he smiled at Sakura. He went to the weapons rack putting away the katana, and picked up two practise sticks.

"Come on, enough observing. I want to see how much you learned."

Handing her one of the practise sticks, the pair went out back, bowed, and entered a fighting stance. Takai attacked first swinging on her, and forcing her to block his blows. When he stopped attacking she went on the offensive forcing him back. Both tried to get the upper hand and worked up a sweat until, Sakura tripped Takai up. Gaining the upper hand she had the stick pointed at him indicating she won the fight.

"Wow Amaya was not kidding about you learning fast." Takai groaned as Sakura extended a hand to help him up.

"Learning fast? You let her win. You've grown soft Takai." Both looked up at an older man with sunglasses. Sakura recognised him as Takai's father, Stick. Helping Takai up, Sakura noticed Takai glared at his father.

"What are _you_ doing here?" Takai asked.

"You called in a favour with that incident at the park. You really think I wouldn't notice you asking for help?" Stick asked, "Let me guess this one is the one that put that boy in hospital."

"This is Sakura." Takai corrected.

"Sakura huh? Named the stray did you?" Stick asked, and suddenly Sakura could see why Stick was not liked at all. He was rude and insulting in under five minutes of meeting him.

"Sakura, please take the practise sticks inside for me?" Takai asked gently, as he handed her the stick and she did as asked, but still could hear the conversation even inside the house.

"What do you want?" Takai asked, wanting his father gone. In answer, Stick pulled out a large yellow envelope and held it up.

"Your second favour. When you contacted us, and I heard what happened I had to see for myself. You have pulled some stupid stunts Takai, but this-"

"Figures. You would not approve. You would never approve of a damn thing unless it was to join you in your damn war!" Takai said, "You know what! Keep it!" Takai went to head back inside when Stick caught his arm.

"Takai," Stick handed him the envelope, "I did not say I wouldn't do it, but the stray. She is dangerous. That boy is still in a coma, and looks like he will be there a while. You need to be careful." Stepping away, Stick was going to leave via the side gate he had obviously entered through. "I hope you know what you are doing."

Once Stick was gone, Takai came back inside and dropped the envelope on the counter top in the kitchen. "How much did you hear?"

"All of it, he called me a 'stray'." Sakura said hurt by the word.

"Don't worry about it my father has always had about as much charm as a poisonous snake." Takai said, getting himself a drink.

"He was the old friend you contacted after the park?"

"No, some associates of his. I contacted them asking them to clean up the situation. I did not think he would get involved." Takai said.

"He mentioned a second favour, what was that?" Sakura asked. Looking at the clock Takai sighed.

"I will tell you and Amaya later, right now, she should be getting out of school." Nodding, Sakura got up and went to get ready to go meet Amaya after school, leaving Takai in the kitchen to think. During the entire walk to the school and the wait; Sakura wondered what was going on with Takai. It felt like it took forever for Amaya to come out of school, and Sakura was eager to return home and find out what this second favour was. It was on the way home that Amaya asked her what the hurry was.

"Stick came by earlier, talked to Takai. Some associates of theirs were the ones to cover up the park incident."

"I figured that was who father called to help with the incident at the park, but why is grandfather involved?" Amaya asked as they walked along their usual path through the park.

"I don't know, Stick mentioned a second favour and they argued. Takai said he would tell us when we got home." Sakura said and the pair picked up the pace cutting through the park and heading home. On getting home both took off their shoes and Amaya left her backpack by the front door. Takai was still in the kitchen staring at the envelope Stick had left, and now Sakura worried about it's contents.

"Father?" Amaya asked gaining Takai's attention. He picked up the envelope and asked the girls to sit on the couch, which only made Sakura worry even more. The sober expression on Takai's face looked like someone had just told him his puppy died. Maybe it was information on her from before? Maybe this was where she would be asked to leave?

"Sakura told you?" He asked Amaya.

"She told me you asked grandfather for two favours, the first being the clean up in the park." Amaya said now also worried. "You said never to ask anything of him. Why would you ask him for not one but two favours, father?!"

"The first favour needed to be done, otherwise police would have come to arrest Sakura." Takai said trying to get his daughter to understand.

"And the second favour? What is so important that you would risk being forced into grandfather's war?!" Amaya asked, that was when Takai looked to Sakura and held out the envelope to her.

"Open it." Sakura swallowed hard as she accepted the envelope and started to open it. She expected nothing good to come from the envelope, but with it now open she turned it on it's side and let the contents spill out onto the coffee table. Birth certificates, passports, identification cards? Sakura frowned then pick up a passport and opened it. It was a Japanese passport with her picture inside: Sakura Osaka was printed by it. Amaya also picked up the Chinese passport with a similar picture: Sakura Wong was printed on it. Next Sakura picked up a pair of birth certificates each holding the names that the passports did. Both claiming she had been born and was Takai's daughter.

"You want me to be your daughter?" Sakura asked thoroughly shocked as she looked up at Takai.

"And Amaya's sister, yes." Takai said. What happened next happened too fast, one moment Sakura was sitting on the couch, the next she had rushed into Takai hugging him tightly. She heard him chuckle as he wrapped his arms around her. "Is that a yes?"

"I would love to be your daughter, and Amaya's sister." Sakura said not releasing Takai. A moment later Amaya joined them in a group hug, both girls overjoyed with the idea of Sakura being made a member of the family.

* * *

 **May 12** **th** **, 1999**

 **Nanjing China**

The two practise sticks connected again with a sharp whack as Takai and Sakura practised together in the back yard. It had become a routine and common practise, the day would start by Sakura escorting Amaya to school, come home practise, have lunch, help around the house, then meet Amaya at school and either enjoy time in the park or go ice skating. Then return home help cook dinner, and enjoy said dinner. It was wonderful, peaceful and most of all a quiet life. The Chaste that Takai mentioned his father led, did not bother them again about returning to fight in their war. Nor did HYDRA ever appear in their lives to drag Sakura off.

Thus it was a day like any other as the pair practised, the only change to the routine was Amaya was staying after school to prepare for a test. Today instead, Sakura would meet Amaya a couple hours later then the usual time before it got dark. Sadly it meant going straight home instead of ice skating, but on the upside Takai wanted to resume practice after lunch. Since being 'adopted' Sakura now called Takai father and Amaya sister, which seemed as natural as breathing to the former test subject. She had yet to be enrolled in school because there was apprehension that maybe HYDRA would notice her then. After all she would not be anything but a straight 'A' student, she was just too damn smart for her own good. Takai never pressed her on the issue either, both understood the need for discretion and going to school might have painted a target on her. So instead she kept out of the school scene only going to escort Amaya there and back.

"Getting tired father?" Sakura asked teasing him, and gaining a laugh from Takai.

"You wish." Takai lunged forcing her back as the pair continued their sparing together. This went on with neither one giving in as both fought defensive, then offensive until worn out. It was as they turned towards the house that they saw Amaya standing on the back porch.

"Amaya what are you doing home? I thought you were staying after to study." Takai said, then noticed how shaken Amaya looked.

"Shen is dead."

"How is that possible, he was in stable condition?!" Sakura asked worried that her attacks had led to the boy's death. The last thing she wanted was to be viewed as a murderer by her own sister.

"I did not say anything, but one of his friends mentioned he woke up yesterday." Amaya said, "I did not want to worry you, sister. Then this morning it was announced he died and we had a moment of silence for him." So she had inadvertently killed him, Sakura looked down ashamed and wondering how this had happened.

"It will be okay, Amaya." Takai said coming up and hugging his daughter, but Amaya was already shaking her head.

"No there is more. I do not think he died from lingering injuries, I think someone killed him. Men were at the school showing Sakura's picture around asking after her." Sakura froze in place at the thought and the wooden practice stick slipped from her fingers clattering on the ground. _"_ _It ain't over. Ya think the ones in charge are just going to let you walk away?! HYDRA will come for you!"_ Eckhardt's words rang in her ears. After three blissful months they, HYDRA; had found her!

She was still in shock that they would still be looking for her, then felt hands gripping her upper arms. The grip was firm, but gentle and reassuring even if she did not feel reassured. Blinking a few times, Sakura looked up at Takai. "They will not have you! They will never have you! Understand?! You are _my daughter_ now, and no one is taking you away!"

The words brought tears to Sakura's eyes as Takai pulled her into a tight protective hug. Sakura hugged him back tightly as she realized her time with them was over. Instinct told her she needed to leave to ensure their safety, if she stayed they would be killed because of her. What was worse was she did not think they fully grasped how much danger they were in because of her. This was not the Hand that Stick fought, this was something a lot worse.

Being released he told them both to go upstairs and prepare while he made phone calls to set some things up. No doubt they intended to run, but all Sakura could think was she would put them both in unneeded danger. As both went inside, Sakura said she needed a quick shower leaving Amaya to pack her own belongings. In the shower she knew she had to think fast as she got cleaned up from her sweaty practise. Coming out she dried off and dressed, then came into the room where Amaya was to find her sister packing.

"I need to go," Sakura said weakly, "Before they come."

Amaya stopped packing leaving her backpack on the bed. "No! You are family now, you belong with us."

"If I leave, then you and father will be okay. They won't have a reason to hurt you-"

"NO! These monsters have done enough to you, they will not tear us apart! We will leave, but only together." Amaya said pulling Sakura into a hug. Again Sakura relished the hug as though it was her last. The creak of floorboards made both look to the doorway where Takai stood.

"I called your grandfather. Tonight he is sending some friends to help us leave discretely." Takai said still holding the phone in his hands. "I am going to go pack."

With that he moved down the hall, and Amaya finished packing as well. A moment later Amaya picked up her bag. "I will be downstairs to make dinner, okay?"

"Alright." Sakura said, then her sister disappeared downstairs. Turning Sakura snatched up one of her backpacks to start packing some of her belongings. As before she packed the book that Four had once had, and the framed photo of herself, Takai, Amaya, and Sake. Both very important items that she would never simply leave. She also took the documents Takai had given her as they all but stated she belonged to them even if only for a brief time. Finally she looked to the old laptop bag that she had once been found with. Most of the money she had taken from that house she broke into was gone, but there was enough there yet.

One of the items she had used her money on was a switch blade when they had gone shopping and Amaya was not paying attention. It was meant to be as a precaution, but now it was vital. She also considered taking the laptop, but decided she needed clothes more. She only took one change of cloth, then zipped her backpack closed. She saw Takai pass by her door as he headed downstairs, then she sighed as she went to the desk and began to write a letter.

It was not how she wanted to leave, but it was how she had to leave. If they fled with her, they would be fleeing more than some ancient war. What hurt worse was this was a terrible way to say goodbye, it felt like she was telling them she did not care by just up and leaving. When nothing could be further from the truth, she loved them with all her heart! She did not want to leave nor say goodbye to them ever. But if she loved them she would leave for them to protect them. Shakily she took a pen and began to write.

 _ **To my family,**_

 _ **I did not want to do this. I did not want to say goodbye in a note, the very thought makes me sick. I love you both so much, and it is because of that that I must go. If I stay I put you both in danger. I know you would do anything to keep me, but if you run with me you will be running for the rest of your lives. You run enough already, I do not want to be the reason you have to run even more. Please understand, I do not want either of you hurt because of me.**_

 _ **If nothing else just know that I love you both and am sorry.**_

 _ **Love,**_

 _ **Sakura**_

Folding the note in half she wrote 'Sorry' on the front then left it on the desk. Getting some hiking boots from the closet she slipped them on, then put on her jacket. "Miaow"

A dash of fur and there was the usually fierce and independent Sake sitting on her bed watching her. Obviously the feline sensed something was off and came to investigate. Sakura had discovered that Sake seemed to like her, and only allowed Sakura to pet her. Anyone else wanting to pet Sake needed some rice wine to calm the cat down with first. More than that, the cat now seemed to belong more to Sakura than anyone else. Often the feline was found on her bed, and she was even woken by the cat curling up beside her. The cat even seemed to follow Sakura around the house and if she was sitting it curled up in her lap. For a fierce cat Sake was certainly attached to Sakura, and the feeling was mutual. Kneeling by the bed she ran her hand over Sake's fur, she would miss this cat too. "You be a good kitty for them okay?"

The response was purring as the cat enjoyed the attention and rolling onto her back for Sakura. "I love you too Sake."

Rising to her feet she left the cat on her bed, and put on her old purple baseball cap. For a moment she listened to the sounds of Amaya in the kitchen and Takai downstairs, then picked up her backpack. Opening the window she climbed out and closed it quietly behind her. Carefully and quietly she climbed down and dropped down into the backyard at the side of the house. Looking back up at the window she had left from, Sakura wanted to stay but tore her eyes from the house. It was now or never.

Rather than go out onto the open street, Sakura decided to cut through backyards by hopping fences until she got to the end of the block. She pulled her baseball cap down low to help hide her face from view. Heading for the bus stop she normally used she decided to get out of the residential area as quickly as possible. Hopefully with enough distance they would not go after Takai and Amaya, and Sakura hoped to get away before HYDRA moved in. By this time now usually Sakura and Amaya would get home after ice skating or enjoying the park; instead she was leaving them.

The bus ride took her towards the markets and park where she normally got off and headed for the school to meet Amaya. This time though it was her trying to leave. Rather then focusing on the past Sakura considered what she needed to do next. Going to any of the major travel locations was out, those areas would most likely be watched. Maybe another local bus heading another direction? Or hitch hike?

As it turned to evening Sakura was reminded of why she hated crowds. Many were enjoying an evening in the markets and getting a bite to eat at the food stands. _'Crowds I hate them, but perhaps I can get lost in them.'_ Sakura thought as she looked around. A couple walked by laughing and holding hands, a group of friends took each other's pictures, a guy at a market stall was dishing out noodles to a couple of guys. These were scenes amongst many in the throng of people.

So why did something feel wrong?

* * *

 **May 12** **th** **, 1999**

 **Nanjing China**

The feeling of being watched made an icy chill run down Sakura's spine. As discreetly as she possibly could she peeked around pretending to take in the sight of the market stalls like any other dumb tourist. That was when she spotted the person following and watching her, she needed to get away but not let on that she knew she was being followed. Then another idea came to mind, as she noticed an alley not far ahead, and decided to cut down it knowing the man would follow her.

No sooner did she enter the alley way, Sakura ducked behind the trash cans and waited. A moment later someone entered the alley. It was the man, and he had pulled a gun with a silencer on it. _'Oh good they want to keep this quiet too.'_ Sakura thought as she grabbed the guy just as he was about to check behind her trash can. She shoved him against the wall, his gun was never raised but a shot went off when she surprised him hitting the ground harmlessly. A swift knee to the groin, made him loosen his grip to where she got a hold of the gun.

Covering his mouth she hesitated a mere second remembering that her sister did not want her to be a killer, she merely shot the man in the leg and kept him from screaming. Roughly she shoved his head against the wall knocking him out when it hit the hard brick wall. Stepping back the man now lay unconscious in the alley, and Sakura put a flattened cardboard box over him. Tucking the gun into her jacket, Sakura left the alley and moved quickly hoping to avoid any more HYDRA agents.

Heading for the park, Sakura thought it would be safer for everyone to head there. However the park was just as busy as the markets, as a type of celebration was going on that evening. _'Of course! Any other day this damn park would be quiet! Just not today!'_ Sakura groaned as she tried to mingle into the crowd and disappear. While amidst the crowd her mind took in everything: the smells, sights, and sounds; Sakura focused on slipping through the park and it's event unnoticed and plot an exit strategy. _'By now they will know their agent was spotted.'_ Finally she looked towards the one place she might actually get to and escape, The Nanjing bridge.

Sadly time and luck had run out, those sent were no longer going with discretion. She spotted two HYDRA agents as they moved to catch her, and instinct sent her running. Pushing through the crowds quickly, Sakura reached one of the food stalls, where a man was cooking food in a skillet. She did not really pay attention to the food, but with an agent right behind her she grabbed the skillet handle and whirled around throwing the hot content in the man's face. His pained scream drew attention as people looked on shocked. Next she took the pan to his face knocking him out.

The second HYDRA agent was still pushing through the crowd, when Sakura dropped the pan and ran. When she peeked back the man stopped to check on his unconscious and burnt friend as he radioed in. Either way Sakura was not waiting around for his backup to arrive and kept running. Getting further away, Sakura slowed down and tried once more to blend into the crowd which was not easy when her heart was hammering away. She was nearing the edge of the park and the Nanjing Bridge when she realized she had not blended in as well as she thought. This time more agents came trying to surround her, which was when she pulled the gun and shot the two agents in front of her in the legs before running at them. She kicked one in the face and used the butt of the gun to stun the other.

Immediately she took off running with three others giving chase. Her one saving grace was it was still a crowded park, but one of the more reckless agents tried to shoot her and missed. He hit some poor woman in the shoulder. The scream of pain made Sakura turn around, angry, and as she did the closest agent's face met her fist that sent him to the ground hard, rendering him unconscious. The second agent rushed her and tackled her onto a table, but she was well trained as she fought through the pain to shoot him in the shoulder, then used both feet to kick him off before hopping off the table.

A second shot rang out, but again missed her, this third agent needed to learn how to shoot. However seeing the poor woman bleed out on the ground really pissed Sakura off as she turned aimed and shot the third agent in the head for his own stupidity. For a moment she swallowed hard knowing Amaya would not approve. By now the crowd had scattered – the third agent's gun did not have a silencer on it.

Turning she ran for the park exit not wanting to wait for more to show up. Heading up the road she headed for the footpath on the bridge, thinking if she could just make it across she would escape. Even here on the bridge people walked the path, rode their bikes, or drove their cars. She had not made it far onto the bridge when she realized eyes watched her yet again. Slowly she stopped and turned wondering how many were they sending this time? The fact that there was three did not bother her as much as the one in the middle.

The scary man in a mask! She remembered him from after the first injection, he spoke Russian and had a metal arm. He had stood next to Pierce, and from what little she could see he had not aged at all. To her if there was a Boogie man, this was it. The two agents said something to him, but made no move to come after her. Still she did not want another idiot shooting a bystander, so she removed the silencer from her gun. Using the last shot she fired into the air, the loud bang sending people running in a mad attempt to escape the bridge. Using the panic on the bridge, Sakura turned and ran as fast as she could hoping to escape.

She did not need to look back, she knew the scary masked man was following her. However she had been running quite a bit throughout the evening, she was tired. Half way across the bridge she stopped trying to catch her breath as her lungs burned. Footsteps behind her made her turn to face the masked man, who looked like he had not chased her at all. Her eyes widened as she saw her pursuer, shaggy dark brown hair over cold emotionless blue eyes. The rest of his face was obscured by the breathing mask he wore, but the other distinguishing feature was his black armour and more importantly his metal arm. She was backing away on the bridge with tears stinging her eyes. It all felt suddenly hopeless as she saw his cold unfeeling eyes on her. Slowly she backed away from him, her hand on the railing.

"Please! Don't do this, I can't go back there! Please just let me go!" She begged hoping that he would have some kind of heart. Instead he kept walking towards her, and Sakura resigned herself to her fate. If she was to die it would not be in some HYDRA facility! Kneeling down she pulled out her switch blade and when he was close enough swallowed hard and said. "I will not die like a lab rat, you heartless bastard!"

In that moment she attacked, but fatigue made her body sluggish. The two fought for a moment, but it was obvious he was not trying to hurt her. He must have been ordered to bring her in alive, that knowledge sent a chill down her spine. Somehow the knife was turned as she moved forward to try and keep hold of it. Mostly it was shock followed by the spasm of pain to her surprise the blade was now embedded in her side. The masked man tilted his head to the side surprised by her actions as she stumbled back against the railing.

Taking advantage of his surprise, Sakura gave her hardest kick to his stomach making him take a few steps back. It was enough, and Sakura did not spare a second thought to what she did next as she leapt over the railing and off the bridge. Her last thoughts as she fell towards the water below were: 'I am not going to survive this, but at least I died on my terms.'

* * *

 **May 13** **th** **, 1999**

 _No pain, nothing. She was warm and comfortable. Where was she? Why did it feel like she was not alone? Opening her eyes she was dazed by the bright sunny light then blinked again. She was in a meadow, a place she had envisioned when reading the book Four loved. She ran her hands over the soft blanket that lay under her. Then took in the area around her with a soft smile on her face. Why was she here though? There was a soft chuckle and the touch of fingertips on her arm that made her turn to face—Four? The boyish smile was there as he looked at her, but he was dead. Did that mean she was dead too? The images of Four as he suffered and died made her take in a pained breath._

" _Shhh none of that Three." Four said gently, "Do not think about before, focus on the moment." So she did as she looked up at him trying to memorize his handsome face as he ran his fingers over her face."I never told you how beautiful you are."_

" _There was much you did not tell me. You did not tell me about the list of things you wanted us to experience together. More than just a kiss."_

" _I know, and I am sorry. I was afraid you would say no to me." Four said frowning._

" _But I won't, nor would I ever. I am saying yes to all of it. Anything you want." Four smiled down at her as his fingers brushed over her cheek. Three went to draw closer to him and finally kiss him, but Four pulled away._

" _We can't, not yet."_

" _Why not?"_

" _It isn't time yet."_

" _Then we will make time. Please Four." Three almost begged, and as much as Four looked like he wanted to he eventually gave a sharp shake of his head._

" _I am sorry, but we can't. You have a promise to keep, to make sure we are not forgotten. In order for you to keep that promise you have to wake up now." For some reason the prospect of waking terrified her._

" _N—no! Please Four. I don't want to wake up without you! Please let me stay!" Three pleaded, as tears slipped down her cheeks and Four gently brushed them away._

" _I wish you could, but it is not time yet. Now please be brave for me and wake up." As much as she tried to stay, her vision blurred and Four seemed to disappear. She fought to return to him, but instead was pulled in the opposite direction._

If this was hell, than the devil was doing an excellent job of tearing her apart physically and emotionally. Pain did not begin to describe what she felt, agony was more or less the correct word. Everything hurt, her throat felt like shrapnel had been run through it, her chest burned, it was hard to breath, and she was ice cold and wet! Despite it all, she realized a group of strange men stood over her and one mentioned calling an ambulance. _'No! If I end up in hospital HYDRA will come!'_

"No!" She gasped, out causing even more pain in her throat, "Kill everyone, they will kill us all."

One man in particular caught the other's arm stopping him, then looked back at her. This man seemed more compassionate than the others who looked at one another warily. He was middle aged with long shaggy black hair and a beard. This one leaned in. "Are you a criminal? Who is after you?"

"Monsters,..ev—evil men. If you are going to send me to hospital...kill me now so they don't get me." Three begged, then the pain was too much and she slid back into unconsciousness.

* * *

 **May 14** **th** **, 1999**

There was no way to tell how long she had been unconscious, but she was afraid to open her eyes. What if her warning had been ignored? What if she were in hospital now, or worse what if HYDRA got to her and she was in some hidden facility? She wanted to cry at those possibilities, as she slowly opened her eyes. She was in a room, but not a hospital room. The room held some medical equipment, but the paint on the far walls was chipping, and there was a leather sofa that had seen better days in the corner. In another large leather chair sat a man reading the paper who had not noticed her awake yet.

"Where am I?" She asked, after swallowing a few times. The man looked up surprised and she recognized him from before.

"You are in a 'private' doctor's office. You did say you were being hunted." The man said, and for a moment she took in more of his appearance. He was dirty, and smelt of fish. A fisherman perhaps? He actually looked like a poor vagabond.

"You listened to me." Three said surprised.

"Listening is the key to surviving." He pointed out, "Besides I knew that look in your eyes. The look of absolute fear."

"I was not expecting to survive." Three admitted.

"Normally nobody survives a leap from Nanjing bridge. My only guess is your purpose is not yet done." He answered.

"Who are you?" Three asked.

"The other fishermen call me Cutter. You?"

"Sa—Three." She answered feeling like she had betrayed Takai and Amaya, Three felt unworthy of the name they had given her.

"Three? Huh, well suddenly my name sounds so much better." Cutter laughed slightly, "Just try to relax and rest. You may have survived your jump, but you look like shit."

* * *

 **May 15** **th** **, 1999**

Three slipped in and out of consciousness only vaguely aware of what went on around her. Narrowly surviving her leap from Nanjing Bridge did not begin to describe her luck. The laws of physics were quit clear, and leaping from that bridge was suppose to be a death sentence. In her moments of wakefulness she could only theorize that the serum perhaps was more, or as Cutter stated her purpose was not yet fulfilled. Still she did not survive unscathed she had a broken right leg, a broken left arm, three broken ribs, her knife wound injury, lacerations, cuts, and an army of bruises. All things considered she counted herself lucky not to have suffered spinal damage or more permanent damage.

Injuries aside she still had concerns, she did not know this man called Cutter. Nor what his intentions were. She had heard horror stories of those taking organs and selling them on the black market, but logic told her, if they wanted her organs they would have already taken them. The other scary prospect was maybe they intended to sell her. It was all pretty unclear why they would help her.

Strangely, on the second day, Three awoke groggy and confused. She was also given a change of scenery. Instead of a dingy attempt at a 'doctor's office', Three was in an even dingier apartment. Instead of a bed, she was now on an old ratty couch that was surprisingly comfortable. Next to her was a old worn coffee table that had a thick book under one leg to keep it even. On top was old magazines and papers, and her book. The Time Traveller's Wife had obviously suffered water damage, and had been laid out to dry. Next to it sat the picture of Takai, Amaya, Sake and herself without the frame. The picture survived mostly, but the frame must have been destroyed. Cutter had not mentioned her backpack before so seeing the items gave her some amount of relief in that confusing time. Across from the table were old ratty leather chairs, positioned around the coffee table. Past the chairs was the kitchen separated by a counter where Cutter was moving about.

The fisherman looked disturbed and worried, he knew she was awake; but chose not to acknowledge it for some reason. Instead he focused on his task, with his back still to her he finally spoke after a long silence. "Good to see you have calmed down. After your outburst Doc wanted you moved from his place of work. Called it bad for business."

"Outburst?" Three asked still groggy, and now trying to remember what she did. Sadly a perfect memory meant that it all came back sharply to her.

* * *

 **17 Hours earlier...**

" _My friends fished your backpack out of the river." Cutter said as he held up the soggy bag, "We had to use the remaining money in it to pay for your treatments."_

" _That is okay," Three heard herself say, "I am surprised you are helping me."_

" _I was always told that there is a purpose to all things, and if one interferes with a person's purpose they will be condemned. You are blessed and have a very important purpose, one I would be afraid to cross. So I dare not interfere with that purpose." Cutter explained._

" _You think I am blessed?"_

" _Any other explanation for how you survived a leap off the Nanjing Bridge?" Cutter asked._

" _How do you know I leapt from that bridge?"_

" _Many go to the bridge to commit suicide, their bodies often are fished out downriver which was where my fellows and I found you. So it is not a hard guess to figure out where you came from."_

" _Fair point." Three conceded, "Why didn't you just leave me then?"_

" _Ah that is the thing, sometimes not doing something could be considered interference. Had I left you and you died I would be condemned for not helping. Kind of a damned if you damned if you don't scenario I have been placed in. As it stands, I have already done enough to condemn myself a thousand times over. This is my penance."_

" _I am not blessed, it feels like I am cursed. I was not lying when I said others hunted me."_

" _Precisely why we are in a private doctor's office and not a hospital." Cutter pointed out, then noted how tired Three looked. "Now rest we will speak more later."_

 _Three tried to relax as Cutter went back to reading the newspaper. For a moment she closed her eyes as he continued his reading, but then she had another question to ask him. She opened her eyes and looked to him in the chair as he held up the paper. However the question caught in her throat as she saw the front page article. The large image showed a picture of an all too familiar house with a police tape cordoning off the crime scene. Next to it were two other images one of Takai, the other below of Amaya. In big bold letters the heading read:_ _ **Father and Daughter killed in Home Invasion.**_

" _No," Three whimpered as disbelief was replaced by the harsh painful truth, "No no no no NO!" What happened next was unclear, she wanted up despite the shooting agony that bounced around her body. Cutter apparently got up because the paper was discarded and he was at her side trying to keep her in the bed. Amidst her cries and shouts he had called the doctor, whom came in wondering what the problem was. "Let me up! I have to go back!"_

 _She remembered screaming and crying, and in her hysteria she started screaming for her lost family. "TAKAI! AMAYA!"_

" _Hold her!" The doctor shouted, as he rushed to the cabinet and pulled out a syringe and small vial of liquid. However, at the time, Three did not care, all she could think of was Takai and Amaya. Her struggles continued until the doctor injected her with a sedative, then nothing._

Remembering was just as painful, Three started crying all over again as she lay on the couch. Nothing she did had saved them only led to them dying anyway. Through out her crying, Cutter stood in his kitchen watching her unsure of what to do for his guest. She now knew why she was hysterical and had to be sedated. She wanted to scream and cry, she wanted to go back and prove the article false. She wanted to see the ones she loved like a father and sister again, there was so much she wanted to do but couldn't. For one she was still badly injured, and for two logic told her she already knew the truth even if she didn't want to admit it.

The truth was Takai and Amaya were dead, HYDRA had killed them.

* * *

 **Author's Notes:**

 **First off thank you all for the lovely reviews. The reviewer CheeseHead was correct Stick is the character I was referring to giving a solid nod to the Netflix show Daredevil.**

 **Now as for this chapter, sorry it is shorter and had taken a bit to get it posted. In the previous chapter I mentioned a specific reason for choosing Nanjing China. Now that I have posted this chapter I can further explain my reason for choosing this location. When I first started writing this story I had the scene of Three escaping by jumping from a bridge and HYDRA assuming her dead. It would be the only way she could move freely without HYDRA hunting her down every step of the way.**

 **So from the very beginning I envisioned a bridge scene. Since her origins were to start in China I looked at bridges there. Eventually I came across a well known bridge in Nanjing. I was very specific on the type of bridge needed for this scene wanting one that people could walk across, ride their bikes, or drive their cars on. It also had to be high enough that HYDRA would believe her dead if she leapt from it. I know this reasoning for choosing the location might not seem like much, but this is a key scene for this character.**

 **After choosing this bridge that was when I looked further into the area wanting to get as much detail as I could on the area. When I started typing Nanjing into google it added the word massacre which shocked me. I naturally read up on it and the area. Thus the scene of the museum in the previous chapter. Acknowledging the terrible history of what happened in Nanjing back in World War two. So in short I choose the area because of the bridge for this key scene. However in the end I decided that there was no place better for her story to begin.**

 **Aside from that I do hope you enjoyed this chapter and the brief scene of the Winter Soldier. She is probably the only one to escape him.** **Anyway please feel free to leave a review. If it helps I just celebrated my birthday on the 13th, and accept reviews as birthday presents.**

 **Lesliezin**


	6. The Long Road to Revenge

**Hello everyone,**

 **Here is chapter 6, enjoy.**

* * *

 **July 16** **th** **, 1999**

 **Shanghai China**

The last couple of months passed by with Three barely noticing them, since learning that her family were dead. The desire to keep going had once again fled her, and she hardly cared where she ended up next. In the time since her family's death, Three learned that Cutter was a criminal turned fisherman, in his youth he was part of the Chinese Triads. However, on asking him what he did or why he left she found it was not something he shared easily. Three guessed he must have been high up because his friends were also criminals.

There were three of them that Three met. The first was the Doctor that helped patch her up, he told her to just call him Doc. The second was a heavy set guy that wore glasses and was really good at forgery: he was simply called Chen, and the third was a woman that was a burglar named Shado. Why any of them would help her was beyond her. It seemed senseless to help someone that was being hunted, who's hunters would kill anyone she met. Even Cutter's friends did not fully understand the logic, and Three expected to find some ulterior motive for helping her.

Mostly she was ignored since Cutter was not used to taking care of anyone but himself. The only other to pay her much attention was Doc who checked her injuries and helped her with physiotherapy. Aside from that the four of them played cards every evening, drank some beers, then his friends went home. It was on one such evening that they were around the table playing and drinking beer. Three laid on the couch letting her perfect memory take her back to her times with Takai and Amaya, it was her only joy at remembering everything. The taste of ice cream, the feel of ice beneath the blades of her ice skates, the feeling of practice sticks connecting, Takai's special stir-fry. It all reminded of a beautiful time that she would never get back.

"Three!" The voice of Cutter broke in making her look to the table and four eyes watching her.

"Sorry, what?"

"Would you like to join us? We could deal you in." Cutter repeated.

"I have no money." Three pointed out, often their card games involved gambling.

"That's cool, Cutter is often broke anyway." Chen added with a laugh.

"Speaking of broke, how are you going to reimburse me for the medical stuff used Cutter?" Doc asked, referring to the medical treatments for Three. "That stuff is hard to get."

"I know," Cutter sighed.

"He is expecting his good looks to win him some favours." Shado added, looking at her cards and acting completely immune to Cutter's winning smile.

"Well it has worked so well in the past." Cutter pointed out.

"Good looks only get you so far, you know that." Shado replied more serious. Hearing them tease Cutter about his financial status made Three pay more attention. At that time she cared little for what happened to herself, but they were risking a lot to keep her.

"Do you have a bank account and a laptop?" Three asked, disrupting the conversation the group was having.

"Excuse me?" Cutter asked confused.

"A bank account and a laptop, do you have those?"

"I have an bank account with fifteen yin in it, but no laptop." Cutter answered confused, and Three sighed.

"Uh I have a laptop." Chen added.

"Could I use it?" Chen looked at Cutter then back at her.

"Sure I guess." Chen said, getting up from the table and going to the door where his bag was. He pulled out a black laptop that looked like it had seen better days, but would work. Sitting up on the couch, Three got as comfortable as she could given her situation.

"I will need your bank details..." Three added, as Chen gave her the laptop and plugged it in for her. For a moment, Cutter looked uncertain but went and got her his bank card and account number as the computer started up. When Cutter came back, Three was already typing away as she began hacking into one of the local banks mainframe. He set the information next to her and stepped back to look at his companions confused.

"What is she doing?" Chen whispered to them as Three went to work.

"I don't know." Cutter replied, then peaked back at his guest. It had been the first time she was making any real responses, though she still seemed so detached from everyone. There was a cold calculating attitude about her. For a bit the group stood not far off wondering what the injured girl was doing on the laptop, just when Chen was about to suggest they get back to their game the typing stopped. The group looked to Three who was now turning the laptop to face them.

It was showing Cutter's account information and the account balance was no longer fifteen yin, but five thousand yin. The amount was definitely more than enough to cover expenses for her, but not enough to draw unwanted attention to his account.

"Holy shit! You see that? Cutter is richer then us now!" Chen said pointing at the screen.

"Three? What did you do?" Cutter asked shocked.

"I hacked into the banks mainframe and siphoned money from chief executive accounts, not enough to be noticed right away. I also ensured it cannot be back traced to you. It should cover expenses and be an added thank you for helping me." Three answered, "I am sorry it is not more, but I did not want to draw unwanted attention to your account."

Cutter slowly came to sit on the coffee table by Three still shocked by what she was able to do. "Why did you do this?"

"You and your friends mentioned you being broke and I owed you for saving me." Three pointed out.

"You still do not sound happy about surviving." Doc added.

"That is because I am not, but the least I can do is thank you. Once I am recovered I will have to leave before they find me again anyway."

"They? The ones that killed your family?" Cutter said, peeking down at the photo he had found in her backpack. It had suffered water damage along the edges, but the frame protected most of the image. "Running will not help."

"Running is all I can do." Three said, looking down at her hands, "They will never stop."

"Then you turn around and fight back." Shado said, "You pick yourself up, dust yourself off, and make them regret crossing you." It made sense, Three realized as she considered Shado's words. "May I continue to use your laptop, Chen?"

"Sure, feel free to add some money to my account too."

"Actually I need to do research, discrete research." Three said, Chen sighed but nodded as the four went back to their game and Three decided on what she needed to do. She needed to recover, and know her enemy.

Typing into the search engine the word: HYDRA

* * *

 **July 17** **th** **, 1999**

 **Shanghai China**

The group got into a real intense card game that lasted all night, as Three sighed at her discrete searching. Mostly, it was based on a monster from Greek Mythology, but another part was of history. World War II to be precise, an organization within the Nazi party led by one called the Red Skull, who was later killed by Captain America. It was not enough to go on for knowing the enemy precisely, but Three did have names: Pierce, Whitehall, and others. If she wanted answers she needed resources. She could not risk hacking blindly into systems in search of Pierce on a second hand laptop that could be traced, not now anyway.

It all boiled down to a choice sit on the couch and let the bastards win, or set a goal and work towards revenge. Keep running or stop, turn, and fight. It would be months yet before she was completely recovered, broken bones did not mend overnight. However, there was lots she could still do in that time, so she closed the laptop with an audible click that everyone seemed to hear. Looking up at the four of them she gave a sad smile, this is where it would begin.

"I will fight, but first I need your help and I promise to make it worth your while." The four looked at one another before looking back at her.

"What do you need?" Cutter asked.

"I need to learn your skills, and if you teach me. I will teach you my hacking skills and more." Three promised.

"You are kidding right? You are going to teach us how you gave Cutter a lot of money?!" Chen asked shocked by it all.

"Yes." Three answered simply.

"And you want us to teach you our skills?" Shado asked sceptically.

"Yes." Three answered again.

"Then what?" Doc asked.

"Then I help you create a network, a gang whatever you want. One that will ensure you never need to worry about money again."

"And this network? They will help you take down the ones that hunt you?" Cutter asked.

"Not directly." Three said firmly, "I do not want to risk anyone else's life but my own. I will help you build yourselves up into a force to be reckoned with unlimited power, influence, and resources. In return I ask for your help learning your skills, and on the discrete occasion helping me in my fight against the ones that hunt me. What do you say?"

"I say sign me up!" Chen laughed loving the idea. Each of them eventually agreed with Cutter being last to speak.

"I would like to know who hunts you and why?"

"I can't tell you, it is safer this way. The less you know the safer you are, but they are evil people." Three said then picked up her picture of Takai, Amaya, herself, and Sake. She held it up to show the group the picture. "People that had no problem taking my family away from me."

For a moment, Cutter looked uncertain as he considered this carefully, then nodded. "Alright I am in, but one day you will have to tell me who they are."

* * *

In the months to follow Three's recovery Chen taught her all he knew about forging documents, passports, Driver's license, and Identities. She even found ways to improve on the skill and perfect her forgeries. In return, Chen bettered his own skill and was shown how to be a hacker. There was a distinct learning speed difference, Three learned forgery in mere weeks, while Chen took months to learn the ins and outs of hacking systems. Next was Doc who taught her more about first aid and how to handle more serious injuries. Again Three found ways to improve on the skills and helped Doc become a better Doctor, as well as a hacker.

Shado's skill would have to wait. While Shado was a burglar her greatest skill was the gymnastics used when she burgled a house or store. Sadly, Three still had casts and it would take time before they would come off. Instead, Three merely taught Shado her own skills in hacking. Lastly, it was Cutter who was wary of showing Three his own skills, so Three merely taught him her own skills.

The sharing of skills, helped to pass the time as the group became skilled hackers, and Three encouraged them to learn each others skills for what she had planned.

* * *

 **March 27** **th** **, 2000**

 **Shanghai China**

Almost ten months since her leap from Nanjing Bridge, Three was glad to have made a full recovery without HYDRA coming for her. She still received regular check ups by Doc to make sure she was at one hundred percent. As a precaution, Shado had got her a brown wig, as well as a purple one to help hide Three's appearance in public in case HYDRA was still looking for her. The purple wig Shado said was something of a 'new style'. Apparently teens everywhere dyed their hair outlandish colours, and since Three took a liking to purple; well Shado decided a purple wig suited her.

Once the casts were off Shado also trained Three in her acrobatics and gymnastics, and was even able to improve on the skills some more. It was also during those months, that she and her new allies hacked more accounts and transferred money to their accounts. Not anything outlandish like millions, no it was relatively small amounts of funds merely to buy new equipment and better establish themselves. After all there was only so much one could do on a second hand laptop. With higher quality equipment the group could do and accomplish so much more.

Chen being the forger came up with the wonderful idea to create a shell company to cover their activities. This company would allow them to shuffle more money without being caught, and allow them to purchase an building in Shanghai. It had once been an old four story apartment building which would now be made the base of their operations. In the building they had bought the group renovated it. Cleaning out the building and doing repairs, or at least Three did repairs. As an added focus she read and learned how to do plumbing and dry walling rather than call in a professional and have to pay him for the work.

The first floor was made into a series of offices. One was made into a doctor's office for Doc to open a medical practice to patch up those that were injured via illegal activities. It was not a licensed medical practice for obvious reasons. However there were strict rules on who he would treat. Doc hated murderers, rapists, slave traffickers, and paedophiles. Being a sweetheart he also intended to help those that needed medical help but could not afford hospitals.

The second floor was made into a type of gym for Shado to practice and teach others that wished to learn her trade. Often Three and Shado would be there practising after Three had recovered. The third floor was where the computers and tech was kept for their more illegal activities. Chen called it their work space because aside from computers their was also an area where he worked on forgeries. Lastly the top floor was made into a large living area with bedrooms for each of them. It was certainly a step up since eight months before they were living in the slums.

Chen was the one to set up the fake paperwork and create the company called: Eclipse Communications. Mostly the money they gained from hacking bank accounts of the rich and well to do. It was not enough to leave them bankrupt or anything, but take some from each rich persons bank account and soon you would have a large nest egg. The group never went after the average person, they may be criminals but they did have a moral compass. Regardless Three knew they had a long way to go before they would be built up to what she envisioned them being.

Cutter and his crew learned to rely heavily on what Three could do, especially with how quickly she could learn and apply new skills. Once they had cleaned up the building for use, Three moved onto the project of learning to build better computers than what the stores were selling. The shell company bought the parts often from different locations and suppliers to not cause unwanted attention. Other harder to get cutting edge tech had to be procured by illegal means, and some illegal contacts Chen or Cutter had.

Almost four months into the new millennium Eclipse Communications was their shell company that owned the building they operated in. The building housed cutting edge computers with high tech programs, and had a very good security system. The group had come also to live in the building with several exits if they were ever compromised. To top it all off the group was accumulating a network of criminals and contacts courtesy of Cutter and Chen mostly.

However despite all this they remained a rather small organization, and while starting small was not a bad thing. The group needed to decide what they would do and who they would become. This would not happen over night, but Three found the patience as they slowly built over the next year. Until finally their chance had arrived just after the start of the of 2001. Three had just left her room and come into the large open floor plan that had the kitchen and living room.

"This is bullshit!" Shado said stopping Three, she had been about to head for the kitchen for some coffee when she noticed the group watching the news.

"I don't get it! They had evidence. Good solid evidence against him and he still walks!" Chen spat.

"Well money talks and shit walks, apparently!" Doc added. The three were sat at the couch with Cutter standing back some, his arms crossed over his chest and wearing an annoyed expression.

"What is going on?" Three asked confused.

"Jiao-long Yao has been released again." Over the last three months the news had been following the court case of Yao, who was a notorious leader of the Chinese Triads in Shanghai. Sadly thus far every case brought against him had been thrown out due to mitigating circumstances. It was a gentle way of saying Yao had influence, power, and pull; that and the justice system turned out to be highly corrupt.

This time it looked like the charges were being dropped after the key witness had been killed in an 'accident'. _**"**_ _ **Sadly the latest case to try to bring Jiao-long Yao to justice is today being dismissed after the key witness in the case died in a tragic car crash earlier this morning. Wei Yung an student studying to become a journalist was pronounced dead at the scene. Despite the strong evidence against Yao the judge feels no case can stand without witness testimony to back the evidence."**_

During the anchorwoman's report a small window showed an image of the wrecked car smashed to pieces which was undoubtedly Wei Yung's car. Next the image of a smiling young woman, who was most likely Wei herself. Finally they showed a smiling Jiao-long Yao as reporters tried to get a statement and he walked free.

"It is bastards like him that should be dragged out and shot!" Doc said glaring at the television. Three did not really follow the news after Takai and Amaya had died, her focus had laid elsewhere, but now her interest was peeked. All she knew of him was he was the suspected leader of the triads and basically untouchable.

"What all has he done?" Three asked gaining surprised looks from Chen, Shado, and Doc.

"What hasn't he done?!" Shado asked shaking her head.

"Murder, torture, extortion, rape, human trafficking, drugs... he has done it all!" Doc added.

"And no one can touch him because he has everyone in his pocket." Chen also added, "The guy is not only pure evil, but untouchable!"

 _'Untouchable huh? This is perfect!'_ Three thought as she smiled, she came forward picked up the remote and turned off the television before addressing the group. "No one is untouchable, not to us."

"What are you suggesting?" Chen asked.

"We have started this group. This powerful network correct?" Three asked the group slowly agreed, "Now it has been fun robbing the rich of a little chump change and causing some mischief this past year. However this morning I find that you are all upset by this scum-bag getting off."

"Of course we are upset, Three this guy is horrible. Yeah we are low-lives ourselves, but we have never murdered, raped, or hurt anyone." Doc said.

"Exactly! We are criminals and we could just continue as we are, or..." Three turned back on the television which still showed the report and Yao. "We could set our sights higher."

"You want to take out Yao." Shado stated.

"Not kill him, but ruin him. Take everything he has and ensure he is stopped. Hell if you wanted we could even do some digging and expose some of his crimes, or even create some crimes." The group still watched her sceptically, "I think you all forget the point of all that we created. We created this to do what we want to answer to no one. This network is ours and we need to decide how is it going to be used."

For a moment the group was quiet as they considered what they wanted to do. "How?"

The question came from Chen. "Well simply hacking our way will not work for starters. We hack his accounts take all his money he will have investments. He can easily regain what we take, and then he would know we are after him. No we need to establish a more working knowledge of him... habits, friends, family, associates, where he goes, what he does. We learn all we can about him and his business ventures. And if we play it right we can bury him."

* * *

 **February 1** **st** **, 2000**

 **Shanghai China**

This was a special day. It was the day Three escaped HYDRA, but she was not in the mood to celebrate the only day that would be as close to a birthday as anything. Instead she was focused on her current task. Suggesting they go after a Triad mob boss had spurred them into action, they each loved the idea of taking out such an influential target. The only one to object was Cutter who did not want to cross Yao. Sadly Cutter was outvoted, and while Three wanted to know the full reason for his objection Cutter remained tight lipped as ever.

For weeks the group monitored Yao learning all they could about him as Three urged patience. This would have to be handled delicately or the weasel would pop up again. It would be like that old arcade machine with a hammer and the weasel popping up out of a random hole, only they wanted to make sure this particular weasel never popped up again. So far they learned that Yao had his hands in all the pies as Chen put it. Almost all his illegal operations were paid into various accounts. Problem was merely taking the money did not stop the operation from continuing. Human trafficking for instance the trade would continue even if Yao's accounts were hacked. The other problem was tipping off police or federal agents would do no good if there were some dirty ones. So tipping the cops was just as likely to tip the dirty cops on Yao's payroll.

Sadly it was not just human trafficking, but his drug operation as well. These two operations had to be shut down manually otherwise trying to stop Yao would be an uphill battle. As for his other business ventures, those would be the easier tasks that came after the drug and human trafficking.

Going over the accounts Yao had, Three barely heard Chen as he slapped his hands together nearby as he spun around in his chair. "Alright I got a listing of all the people Yao extorts money from, and the amounts."

"I have a list of those on Yao's payroll. Took a bit of doing, but now we know who is dirty." Shado added frowning at the list. "Some of them are pretty high up not just cops but politicians."

"I found the location of the warehouse where he ships people." Doc added. "It is at the pier for easy transport, and not far from where he manufactures his drugs."

"Makes sense, easy transport." Cutter replied.

"You find anything Cutter?" Chen asked.

"He has several accounts including an offshore which holds millions from his investments." Cutter sighed, "I told you touching this guy is impossible."

"As a leading authority on achieving the impossible, believe me nothing is impossible." Three said peeking back at the group with a smile.

"Really you have some brilliant plan for the drug and human trafficking operations? Because if we call the cops on those two operations Yao will simply move shop before they arrive." Cutter pointed out.

"I do actually, I intend to take out the operations and destroy them without involving the cops to mess it up." Three said simply, it earned a laugh from Cutter; but then he saw she was serious.

"Wait you are serious?!"

"Of course."

"That is insane! Those two operations will be so heavily guarded that you will never reach them."

"Why not?" Three asked, "Because I will be alone? Believe me I have faced worse. Besides I have a plan if you would hear it?" Three asked as Cutter frowned but nodded for her to continue. "The best way to disable someone not expecting it, is to sow the seeds of paranoia and fear. I found that the Chinese triads have certain groups Yao's is the biggest, but another group seeks to take over, a rival if you will. In my spare time I have been studying Li Sung the rival." Three turned her computer screen to show them.

"Right now there is an uneasy truce that is only ever broken when Yao's and Sung's men cross paths. However it poses an opportunity Why take out only Yao, when Sung could easily go to? I did some checking Sung does not have nearly the clout Yao has and could be easily removed too. We pit these two against each other they make our jobs that much easier."

"Brilliant!" Chen said chuckling.

"How do we do this?" Shado asked.

"We use our network spread out the word that Sung is planning a major move against Yao and vice versa for Yao. Simply put we play both sides of the board and get them to checkmate themselves. If a gang war is suspected, Yao will need his men more so than his operations."

* * *

 **February 8** **th** **, 2000**

 **Shanghai China**

On this bright afternoon, Three sighed from under the brown fringe of her wig and her dark sunglasses. Dressed in a tank top and blue Jean shorts, she tapped her foot impatiently against the table leg. Across from her sat Cutter who read his paper as though he had all the time in the world. The pair were seated at a cafe and pretending to enjoy the terrible coffee. Three never thought she would hate coffee, she usually loved it; but this tasted like they used sewage water! She frowned down at the contents in her cup as her nose wrinkled.

"This was your idea: at least try to look like you enjoy the coffee." Cutter said not looking up from his paper. The quiet man still looked annoyed to even be here.

"You insisted on going, you did not have to you know." There was some grumbling from behind the paper as Cutter complained in low tones. "What was that? I did not hear you."

This time she received an icy glare from over the top of the paper then his head ducked back behind it. Finally Three sighed. "You know Shado said she would have gone with me-"

"No!" Cutter growled.

"Oh I get it this is about Shado. You like her." Cutter glared then went back behind his paper. "You know I bet she would love to know this. I might slip up and mention it if a certain someone does not start talking."

The paper fell as Cutter glared. "You wouldn't dare!"

"Oh I think I would." Three smiled causing Cutter to glare even more before putting the paper aside in defeat, she had won.

"Fine what do you want to know?"

"Why were you so adamant that Shado not come with me today?"

"Oh I don't know maybe because we are at one of the worst cafes ever known waiting for Li Sung to show up?" Cutter muttered sarcastically.

"Or maybe you like her and do not want her putting herself at risk?" Three countered as they both leaned on the table for their intense chat. Finally Cutter sighed and caved in.

"Fine you caught me."

"You make it sound like it is this horrible thing 'liking her'." Three said confused and Cutter snorted.

"Because she would not have a thing to do with me if she knew what I have done." Cutter said turning his cup in his hands.

"It cannot be that bad, Cutter. What did you do?" Three asked taking a sip of the foul coffee if only to wet her dry mouth.

"I mentioned trying to redeem myself..."

"May 15th, 1999 at 9:15 am. You said: 'As it stands I have already done enough to condemn myself a thousand times over. This is my penance.'" Three said remembering perfectly and making Cutter chuckle at her perfect memory.

"Yeah well nothing will redeem me, Three."

"You do not know that until you tell me about it." Three replied tilting her head to look at Cutter.

"Jiao-long Yao, I worked for him years ago. I was affectionately called his Secrets gatherer. I tortured people for information." Cutter said then took another drink of his coffee as Three processed the information.

"Obviously something changed, when we met you smelt of fish." Three pointed out.

"I was not the only one that tortures for Yao, but I was considered one of the best. Back in the year of '96 I was extracting information from one of Yao's former allies. Turned out he turned snitch and sang to the cops. One of my colleagues was extracting information from the cop he sang to, but this cop was tough. He would not break. I was called in..." Cutter said taking another drink, the man now looked like he wished they were drinking alcohol.

"By the time I arrived Yao had the cop's young daughter dragged in. I was told if the cop would not break, break his daughter in front of him and he would talk."

"What did you do?" Three asked with a sinking feeling in her stomach.

"With Yao and several others present I could only do as he wanted, thankfully the cop talked after his daughter started screaming. After that Yao had both of them shot, the daughter first. She was about your age, you reminded me of her when we pulled you from the river. The look in your eyes pleading for help." Cutter said looking at the coffee in his cup. "Anyway after that I wanted nothing to do with Yao or the Triads, before I had no problem extracting information from Yao's enemies, but torturing an innocent girl just to get her father to talk; I was ashamed. I faked my death and Chen helped me create a new identity, and that is how I ended up a fisherman."

Three was not sure what to feel about finding out Cutter had worked for the Triads. Part of her was disturbed by what he had to do at the time, another part was grateful it was him that pulled her out of the river. If it had been anyone else to save her she would have ended up in hospital or in a HYDRA facility. She took a drink of her coffee to wet her mouth again.

"You also said this was your penance saving me. Maybe you saved me, so that I could help you. Yao is obviously a monster. Don't you think it is time he pay for all he has done?"

The pair went quiet as Cutter considered what she was saying, and Three peeked back at the restaurant Sung favoured. "Why do you want to take him down?"

Three looked back at Cutter then sighed. "Yao sees himself as invincible, that no one can touch him. The ones that hunt me I think they view themselves the same way, and are just as evil just as cruel as Yao. I need to know if I can take them on, if I can even begin to stop them."

"So it is a test for you." Cutter said.

"It is a test for both of us. You just told me this man made you do terrible things, you above the rest of us should want him to go down hard. This is your chance to make up for what he made you do, and to see if this can work. I am helping you to make this network, but I will not be the one leading it. I will ask for your help, yes; but ultimately it will be down to you, Shado, Chen and Doc to decide where you go with it and what you do." Three said leaning back in her chair and taking another drink of her coffee as Cutter stared at her surprised. Many would say she was too trusting of the criminals, but that trust was the cause of him saving her life.

The conversation might have continued but at long last a black limo pulled up outside the restaurant heralding the arrival of Sung. Two large men in suite got out first before opening the car door was a short squat balding Sung. The trio went into the restaurant signalling Cutter and Three that it was time to act. The pair rose glad to not have to finish the nasty coffee any longer.

Entering the restaurant, Three took off her sunglasses and looked around at the near vacant expensive restaurant. At the back centre table sat Sung and his two bodyguards stood to the side waiting for trouble. Before either one could move a small older woman came up smiling. "Good afternoon and welcome to Golden Garden, would you like a table?"

"Actually we are here to meet with the man at the back." Cutter said politely.

"My apologies, but Mr. Sung likes his privacy."

"We all do, but this involves Jiao-long Yao. We have information for him." Three added politely. The woman's smile dropped as she gave a more stern expression.

"You will leave now!"

"But we-" Cutter was going to continue, but Three saw the woman drawing a blade so she caught Cutter's arm in warning.

"Alright fine! Guess Yao will be dancing on your bosses grave soon enough!" Three called out loudly so that Sung and the guards could hear. "We will just take our information and sell it to someone that cares!"

"WAIT!" Sung yelled as both she and Cutter turned to leave. Now having gained Sung's attention both turned back to face the Triad leader who gestured for them to come forward so they did. "Apologies, come sit."

Both came to sit across from Sung who was eyeing Three up a little too much for her liking, so she looked to Cutter to begin. "We have information, knowledge we think you will find very useful."

"Really now?" Sung chuckled looking at Cutter as he took a drink of his wine.

"We know you and Yao are rivals and Yao is effectively crushing your business ventures into the ground." Three added.

"Tell me something I don't know." Sung replied annoyed as he set his glass down sharply.

"Alright, Yao is making a huge business deal that will cripple you. He is going to buy up the local slum district to expand on his drug and human markets. The areas he is planning to buy are in your turf." Sung's smile dropped as he looked wide eyed at the pair.

"How do you know this, and why have you come to me with this?" Sung demanded after a moment.

"We will level with you," Cutter said openly, "We offered our services to Yao."

"But the bastard refused, said he did not need us. A couple of hackers? Oh no, he bragged about having people in government, endless funds, and how powerful he is!" Three pretended to be pissed off by Yao's rejection.

"The stupid fuck thinks himself invincible!" Cutter added annoyed.

"So here we are offering our services to you, Mr. Sung. We can juggle money, alter records, totally screw over your enemies. We merely want to be part of your organization." Three added smiling at Sung hopefully.

"As a show we will give you everything Yao is trying to do on your turf, so that you can deal with him accordingly." Cutter added setting a USB card on the table for Sung. "This thing has everything, Yao is planning to do."

"Please consider us, and have the information checked if you want. If you are not satisfied with the information, then at least you know Yao's plans." Three added.

"However we are certain you will be very satisfied with what we found, and if so..." He pulled out a card with a number on it and set it next to the USB card. "Please call us, and we swear you won't regret it."

Sung considered them both for a moment then nodded. "Alright the information checks out then you can bet I will be calling on you again very soon."

Leaving the restaurant both Cutter and Three breathed a sigh of relief. "Well we just started a turf war. What now?"

* * *

 **Author's Notes:**

 **First off thank you Abstract0118 for the lovely review and birthday wish. I really appreciate it.**

 **Now onto the chapter. I know right now it must seem slow what with Three off doing this. However she is basically playing it safe and smart. She already knows HYDRA is well funded and well hidden. Any wrong move on her part could get her and anyone close to her killed. So yeah she is hanging with a bunch of criminals and helping them to build themselves up. Mainly because she know she needs knowledge, resources, and backing. Hence her playing with low level criminals. Don't worry she won't stay with them for long because she has already learned the dangers of growing attached to people.**

 **Also something to note the character Shado was named after another character called Shado in the t.v series Arrow. Yeah I know that is DC comics. It is just a friendly nod to the show. As for the character? They are different obviously, but just has the same name.**

 **Anyway I hope you enjoyed this chapter.**

 **Please review away,**

 **Lesliezin**


	7. Rise of the Shadow Network

**Hello everyone,**

 **Here is chapter seven, enjoy.**

* * *

 **March 1st, 2000**

 **Shanghai China**

In the weeks following their meeting with Sung, the criminal activity spiked as the Triad leader took the bait and was now making life annoying for Yao. It was only a matter of time before their turf war escalated forcing Yao to move some of his men in from other operations. It would leave only a skeleton crew behind. In the mean time since Three intended to handle dismantling Yao's slave trade and drug ring, Doc decided precautions needed to be made. He contacted an old friend that specialised in making armours and suits. This friend was called Yuma, and he had a talent for making suits meant to withstand gunshots to the body.

It was on this morning Three came out of her room in her pyjamas and headed straight for the coffee-maker needing her caffeine. Pouring herself a mug then adding the correct amount of sugar and milk to make it good, Three turned towards the living room to find the strange wiry man watching her.

"Hello!" The cheery voice made Three raise a brow at him, wondering what he was doing there. "You must be Three. I am Doc's friend Yuma."

"Doc didn't mention that he was having a friend over." Three pointed out confused.

"Sorry about that Three. I was going to tell you, but have been busy." Doc said coming from his room into the living room. "This is Yuma he makes special suits."

"Suits?" Three asked sceptical of why this man was here.

"Not just everyday suits!" Yuma replied, "They are made with a special liquid treated alloy weave that prevents knife and bullet wounds! It is really cool!"

"Huh, that does sound cool." Three said surprised.

"Yep all I need is your measurements."

"My measurements?" Three asked confused as to why he wanted to make a suit for her.

"Yeah, the sooner I get your measurements, the sooner I can get started! Besides Doc said this is a time sensitive matter, and you will need the suit soon." Yuma replied eagerly.

Now Three was looking at Doc with a raised brow annoyed. "It will give me peace of mind Three. Better than you coming back near dead, and needing to be patched up."

Sighing, Three set her coffee on the counter and shrugged. "Alright."

With that Yuma practically jumped up and came to take her measurements for the suit he would make for her. Writing the measurements down in a notepad, Yuma then opened up his laptop. "Now we need to design it."

Picking up her coffee again, Three came and sat next to Yuma as he opened a tailor design program. As she watched Yuma start Shado came in curious as to what was happening. "What kind of suit?"

"A bodysuit?" Three answered confused, so Yuma went through different designs. Eventually she picked a leather bodysuit that covered from the neck down. The outfit was black and looked good, but Shado was shaking her head.

"May I?" She asked, and Yuma let her change the colour to a bright purple outfit.

"Shado! I do not want to look like a plum!" Three said annoyed.

"Spoilsport!" With that Shado started darkening the colour scheme until it was almost black again, but with a purple tinge to it to set it apart.

"Wait, wait! That, I like that." Three said admiring the suit.

"Now we just need to cover up her identity." Doc added, it was then that Chen the late bloomer came to investigate what everyone was doing and asked outright.

"Who is the purple ninja?" Everyone stopped and looked at each other considering the new input to the idea.

"Let's try it." Yuma said adding a mask for the nose and mouth as well as a hood to cover her head.

"Wow that looks so cool!" Three said admiring the suit design, then looked at Yuma. "Can you make that?"

The grin on Yuma's face said that not only could he make the suit, but he would.

* * *

 **April 2nd, 2000**

 **Shanghai China**

Nearly a month later, they were finally ready to make their move, and so they did. It was like every cliché movie: the bad guys seemed to love the pier where ships came and went. Yao seemed the typical mob boss bad guy who had control of two warehouses. One sold drugs, the other people; Three guessed it made sense to have both businesses close to the pier. It all boils down to easy transport of the merchandise. For her it made things easier, the two warehouses were actualley next to each other. _'Talk about putting all your eggs in one basket.'_ Three almost laughed at the thought. Sadly it meant if one warehouse was in trouble, the guards of the other would come running.

Worst of all there was only one of her, with that thought Three looked down at herself taking stock of the outfit Yuma had made for her underneath her trench coat. Alright one of her in an amazing suit, but still getting shot sounded like it would suck. Considering herself for a moment in the shadows of another warehouse further along the pier, Three took a long breath. It was time, touching the small ear piece that connected her with the others she spoke. "I am in position, how are you guys?"

"Nervous." Chen answered shakily, "I got really sweaty palms."

"Relax Chen. Stick to the plan." Three said trying to calm him down.

"Aside from Chen sweating buckets we are good here. Yuma wants to know: how are you liking the suit?" Doc asked.

"Fits like a glove. It's perfect." Three said and could swear she heard Yuma cheer in the background.

"You all know what you are suppose to do right?" Three asked after a moment.

"Yep, after you've hit Yao's warehouses where he operates his drugs and human trafficking from. Cutter uploads the files that ousts any and everyone on his payroll. Doc leaks all the evidence of Yao's activities to the public, and I hack his accounts taking away all his money." Chen replied still sounding nervous.

"Thanks for remembering my role by the way." Shado added annoyed.

"You are there to help with the getaway should the shit hit the fan." Cutter answered, not liking Shado's role in this at all. "Just do not do anything reckless."

"I do not need a babysitter, Cutter!" Shado said sharply, the woman hated how Cutter was trying to protect her. Three sighed knowing they would argue for hours if allowed, she had warned Cutter that trying to keep Shado safe would only make things harder, and awkward between them. However she was not about to take sides on the issue of who was right and who was wrong.

"Guys please, try to remember why we are here. We need to act before we miss our chance." Three pointed out quieting the argument.

"She is right guys. Work now, argue later." Doc added.

"Fine," Cutter sighed, "As you know, usualley the warehouses have close to thirty guys each. Yao likes his investments well guarded. Tonight though there are only ten guys stationed at each warehouse."

"However attack one warehouse and raise the alarms, and some of the guys will be called from the second warehouse to defend it." Chen added.

"Not to mention raising the alarm will alert Yao to what we are doing, and the might mean he will have men rush to protect his operations." Doc said.

"So quick, clean, quiet. Got it." Three said as she ditched the trench coat and pulled up her mask over her nose and mouth. The material was easy to breathe through, lastly she pulled her hood on over her head.

Moving through the shadows, Three moved closer to the guarded warehouses watching and listening carefully. Out front stood three guards smoking cigarettes and chatting away, as if this was just an average work day. At the corner of the warehouse she stood by she looked down the side alley to find a guy moving towards her obviously doing rounds to keep the area secure. Luckily the guy was not paying attention, he was trying to light his own cigarette. _'And the bad guy cliches keep right on coming. What is with them all smoking?'_ The greatest thing was he could not get his lighter to work, and had even paused in the alley. Moving quick the guy barely had time to react to the woman that appeared next to him.

Instinctively he went to grab the AK-47 hanging from its strap on his shoulder, but she caught the gun before it could be directed at her. With her other hand she hit him in the stomach, knocking the wind out of him, as he doubled over. Still holding the gun in her other hand she pulled the strap off him and brought the butt of the gun down on it's owner's head. The guy fell to the ground unconscious, and Three quickly zip-tied his wrists and ankles. Rolling him off to the side behind a dumpster, Three unhooked his keys from his belt in case she needed them. She also found a taser on the guy which could come in handy.

Peeking back at the front once more, the three guys were still there and it did not look like they would be going anywhere anytime soon. So she headed down the alley towards the back looking for a side entrance to sneak in through. Around back was a red door guarded by another guy toting an AK-47. Thinking back to her training she reckoned that the guns were Chinese copies: the type 56. She needed to get him away from the door. Looking around Three found a glass bottle in the trash, and threw it off to her right at the other building. The bottle smashed against the brick wall gaining the doorman's attention. He now aimed his gun in the direction of the broken bottle and came down the steps to investigate.

Pressing to the wall, Three waited as the man stepped into view. The gun was turned towards her and the alley she was in, so she rushed forward kicking the gun aside so that it aimed at the ground instead. In the momentum, Three jumped up, wrapped her thighs around the guard's neck, and twisted her body downwards. It forced the guy to be unbalanced as her hands touched the ground and she twisted flipping him overhead to land on his back beneath her. Now knelt over the man's head she gave a quick hard punch to knock him out.

Zip-tying the doorman, Three rolled him into the trash to hide him then headed for the back door. _'Two down and three out front. That leaves about five inside.'_ Three thoughts trying the handle only to find it locked, so she tried the keys she had lifted off of the first guard. The second key worked and she slipped inside the warehouse. Immediately she ducked behind the crates and peeked out. Inside the dingy warehouse sat boxes along the walls, and some covered equipment that suggested this was a factory for car parts. In the middle under the lights were rows of tables and people at the tables processing the drugs. _'Great! So much for there only being five guards.'_ However her eyes widened as she took in the handcuffs on a long chain. The ones processing the drugs were not there by choice. While they had freedom of movement, their right wrists were cuffed on long chains to the table. Between two of the long tables stood two more guards armed with AK-47s. They were obviously there to keep the workers in line. Looking around she found a third guy upstairs in an observation room most likely overseeing production, but where were the other two? Movement caught her eye and she soon spotted a fourth on the catwalk leading to the office upstairs. The fifth was coming towards her obviously heading for the back door, luckily he was about her size, so she caught him in a headlock before he got to the door and dragged him into the shadows behind the boxes.

Knocking him out she zip-tied him and left there, now she was down to four, but saw no easy way to do this. She could not take out the two below without alerting the two above, nor could she take out the two above without alerting the two below. She needed something to draw their attention with. The crates in the corner held some of the chemicals used with the drugs, and one warned that it was highly flammable. _'Well it is a start...hmm. If I do that though I will have limited time as it will cause a commotion. Most likely the one in the office will radio for friends, and the three out front will come in to see what is going on.'_

It was the only option left open to her, so she moved amidst the shadows to towards that corner and the cannister. Opening it, Three partially dipped a cloth in and lit it on fire before rolling it towards the tables. Immediately she ducked behind the boxes to avoid being seen, but when she peeked out the ploy had one unintended side effect. One of the guards saw it before it got too close to the table and stepped forward to block the chemical canister. Sadly some of the chemical splashed his legs and feet, and with an open flame the man's legs caught fire.

Soon the man was screaming and panicking as his friend rushed to help him. Moving along the wall she headed for the stairs knowing she did not have long before the others heard his screams. The third guy that had been on the catwalk was rushing downstairs, but as he got to the bottom stairs, Three was there waiting. A swift kick to the face knocked him out, as she quickly went upstairs and to the office. The man in the office was busy looking down on the scene shocked. However when she entered the office, the man turned and faced her surprised.

This man reached for a handgun tucked into the back of his pants. No sooner did he draw the gun, Three rushed him delivering a roundhouse kick that knocked him into the far wall. It made him drop the gun at least, but this guy was bigger. So Three grabbed up an large heavy glass ashtray and smashed it over his head. Not wanting to have to fight this big guy again she zip-tied him and took the keys he had on the table.

By now the one guard that put out the fire on their other guard's legs. Leaving the office quickly, the time for discretion had passed as Three leapt over the railing onto the table below where the workers were still startled by what was happening. Tossing the keys to the closest guy as she moved. "You free yourself and the others!"

That was when she rushed the injured and uninjured guards. The injured guard was still sitting on the floor unable to move, so she punched him as an added precaution before kicking the uninjured guard to the ground. Landing on top of him she punched him knocking him out, then zip-tied them both before going to the one at the foot of the stairs, and zip-tying him too.

By then the last of the workers were uncuffed and some were heading for the front of the warehouse. "Not that way. Out the back." Three pointed, "Also could you take these guys and the one upstairs outside for me?"

"They used us as slave labour why would we do that?"

"Consider it a favour from the one that freed you." Three said, then peeked at the front wondering why the three out front had not come in to investigate. Reluctantly the workers began dragging their captors outside. With limited time she decided to play one off of the other, setting fire to the drugs and anything inside the warehouse she snatched up one of the walkie-talkies the guards had dropped as she slipped out the back.

Outside the workers stood around wondering what they should do next. "I recommend you all get to safety."

"Thank you!" They said as they hurried off into the night. Taking the walkie-talkie she pressed the button to talk and tried to make her voice as masculine and panicked as possible.

"Fire! Someone has gotten in and set fire to the drugs!" The response was quick. Someone radioed back and told her to hold position as help was on its way. Dropping the walkie-talkie she moved down the back alley heading for the second warehouse. She peeked out at the alley between the two warehouses that led back towards the front to spy several of the men from the second warehouse all rushing to save the drugs. _'One warehouse down one more to go!'_

By now the drug warehouse had a large fire blazing that was consuming the drugs, Moving to the second warehouse. Most of it's guards were out trying to put out the fire, so slipping in was all to easy when the guard for the back door was gone. This warehouse held a similar set up to the first, but instead of tables to make the drugs it was cages to hold human slaves. The small cages held three to four people crammed inside awaiting a terrible fate. In total Three counted about six cages with approximately twenty-four to twenty-six people. All of them were young women as there was undoubtedly a high market for them in the slave trade.

Fortunately with the drug warehouse in flames there was only one guard on the ground floor amidst the cages. Looking up at the office, she spotted the overseer; but he was not watching the slaves. In fact he had his back to the window and seemed to be leaning over. The motions he was making though were what told her he was doing. He must have one of the girls upstairs and be sampling the 'merchandise'. Three felt sick as her fists clenched, she had told herself she would not kill anyone tonight. It was a rule she was going to break with the man upstairs!

Moving quickly she rushed the guy on the ground floor. Jumping up she wrapped her legs around his head and forced him off of his feet. The guy landed with a thud before her punch was knocking him out. Some of the girls saw her and began begging to be let out. "Shhh! I need to get the keys first! I need you all to remain quiet otherwise the other guards will hear us."

The girls in the cages shut up as asked, and Three rushed for the stairs heading straight for the office. On nearing the office she could hear a girl crying inside as the man grunted away like a pig. Opening the door she saw this fat tub of lard raping some poor girl that could not be over sixteen. He was still thrusting away with his pants around his ankles, so Three rushed in too angry to think about what she was doing.

He saw her at the last minute as she jumped and kicked him in the side of the head knocking him back against the far wall. The man stumbled to pull his pants back up, but he should have been more concern with living! The frightened girl sat up crying and trying to cover herself.

"You've made the biggest mistake of your life!" The guy tried to sound big and bad as he pulled a knife. Three grinned darkly under her mask at what she would do to this bastard. Being big and fat made him sluggish as he swiped at her with the blade trying to slash her. Three chuckled darkly only angering him further. It was like a cat playing with a mouse to her, but remembering she had limited time she decided 'play time' would have to be cut short. Catching his knife wrist she twisted into him and brought her elbow into his stomach knocking the wind out of him. It was enough to loosen his grip on the blade, so her hand came up taking the blade from him. In one swift move she brought the blade back behind her and stabbed at her intended target. Then twisted away from him spinning around to face him.

She laughed a little as he looked down shocked at where his knife ended up. He just could not believe the handle was sticking out of the front of his trousers. Then the pain must have registered for he started crying at the loss of his manhood. He crumpled to his knees clutching himself as blood coloured his jeans between his legs. "No no no!"

"That was probably what she was saying a moment ago." Three said gesturing at the poor girl unable to move from her spot, the man looked up at her still sobbing; but if he expected sympathy he was barking up the wrong tree. "Think of it this way, you are not dying a man because you do not deserve that honour!"

The man's eyes widened in fright as he started to plead, but Three was beyond caring as she came forward and snapped his neck. Now that he was dead Three started to calm down a little, and took his keys. Like before she threw any of the records in the office into a pile and set fire to them, then turned to the girl. "Can you walk?"

The girl nodded still in shock. "Good because we need to get you and others out of here."

Three extended her hand to the girl who hesitantly took it and let her lead her from the office. The pair went downstairs and began unlocking the cages. As Three unlocked cells she told the girls to go out the back and be careful of the guards. It was then Chen's voice came over the com-link. "Uh Three you might want to hurry. Yao and a large portion of his men are heading your way. Someone called him telling him the drug factory is on fire."

"Good to know. I am almost done here anyway." Three replied as she unlocked the last of the cages freeing the last group of girls. Telling them to go out the back way, Three was going to start setting work to burning this building too. However that was when a couple of the guards were coming back in the front entrance. No time to hide or beat around the bush, Three rushed them. The closest one she grabbed in a type of hug as she lifted herself off the ground and brought both feet into the chest of the second guy.

Using the momentum she flipped her legs over doing a type of flip and forcing the one she held to bend over. In the next move she grabbed the back of his head and brought her knee to meet his face knocking him out. The second guy was standing up and Three did a cart wheel kick that knocked him back down and out. Finding she had effectively run out of time she set fire to the warehouse's contents and rushed for the back door.

Rushing into the alley, Three thought she would be getting away scot-free. However as she entered the side alley she was not expecting two more guards to be there. Nor for one to punch her making her see stars. On her hands and knees, Three rolled to the side away from the guards and now to her left was the hard brick wall. Both men followed intending to restrain her, the closest one threw another punch, but she caught his arm, and slammed him into the brick wall. Twisting his arm behind his back she held him there then turned and kicked the second one in the stomach. Grabbing the back of the head of the guard she held she slammed his face into the wall knocking him out and breaking his nose. Doing a spinning kick to the face of the second guard, Three took a moment to catch her breath, then saw that three more guards had spotted her.

 _'Time to go now!'_ Three thought before running down the alley the opposite way. Behind her she heard the three guards giving chase. The idea of being caught caused the adrenaline to spike as she ran fast and hard down the narrow back alleys. Being fast and nimble she jumped over trash bins, dodged debris as she ran. Fortunately one guard was fat and could not keep up with them. It was at the end of another alley they turned down that Three saw it was fenced off. Luckily a large dumpster sat by the fence, so Three did not even slow down. Running she jumped using the dumpster as a booster to clear the fence. In the narrow alley she used her other foot to kick against the alley wall opposite to get her to the top of the fence where she grabbed the top and somersaulted over.

Landing on the other side she rolled to her feet and kept running as one attempted to climb the fence and the other tried to shoot at her. Getting onto the main street now, Three looked both ways before running away from the warehouses, and speaking into her comms. "Shado I am on the main road east of the warehouses. I need a pick up before more guards or Yao catches me."

No response came from Shado's end. "Shado! Can you hear me?"

Still no response came. "Chen something is wrong with the comms I can't hear Shado, or she cannot hear me."

"I know. We are trying to raise her, but nothing." Chen said worried. _'This is not good!'_ Three thought as an uneasy feeling wormed it's way into the pit of her stomach. Up ahead someone rushed out from the alley, and Three was going to attack until she saw who it was. The young girl from the slave warehouse was trying to catch her breath when two more guards grabbed her. The young girl started to scream as Three rushed forward jumping and kicking with both feet one of the guards in the face. Landing on her back, Three did a flip up so that she was standing again as the second guard released the girl to attack her. Dodging a punch, Three hit the man in the stomach making him double over where she grabbed the back of his head and brought her knee to his face.

"You okay?" The girl nodded, scared, "Did the other girls get away?"

"Y—yes they ran, when I stayed..."

"You stayed?! I told you and the others to run!" Three said annoyed that the girl did not listen.

"I feel safer with you." The girl said trying to defend her actions, and making Three sigh. Rather then be annoyed too much Three took the girls arm and the pair headed down the street at a fast pace. Again she tried to raise Shado on the comms. "Shado? Shado are you there? Chen I still cannot reach Shado-"

"Oh is that this girl's name?" A new voice sounded over the comms, this voice was cold and made Three's heart drop into her stomach.

"Who is this?!" Three asked.

"Funny I thought my men caught the troublemaker. Turns out there are more of you." The voice continued, "Oh don't worry she is alive, I have plans for her." The dark promise made her stomach twist in unpleasant ways at what he intended to do to Shado.

"What do you want?!" Three demanded.

"Well now that is the question isn't it? You have destroyed my drug and slave operations costing me millions. Perhaps I should just take my frustrations out on your friend Shado here. Maybe send you a recording of her screams. Maybe video record my men having fun with her, gotta keep morale up you know. Then maybe send little bits and pieces of her back to you as a warning and reminder not to fuck with me!"

As the voice was obviously Yao that spoke, Three pulled out her phone when she received a text from Cutter. _'Yao has Shado, what do we do?!'_

 _'Begin the hack, and contact your friends in low places. I will need backup if I am to succeed in rescuing Shado.'_ Three wrote back as she and the other girl moved.

"How about a trade instead?" Three suggested trying to keep Yao talking and keep him away from Shado. "I was the one to destroy your drug ring and free the girls from your slave trade. I am the one you really want."

"Well if that is true I should just kill her and dump her body in the river." Yao said casually.

"Yeah and that will only piss me off! Because then I rip everything away from you. I will start with your wealth. All that money, I think I would donate it to charity. You know, your ill-gotten gains finally doing some good in the world. I would take all of it too, not just the funds you have at several different banks here...but the offshore accounts too. Oh I would make you as broke as peasant! Your mother would no longer be able to live a life of luxury, and your sister...she is in college right? One of those fancy expensive colleges. I could remove that trust fund, make her have to sell herself to pay for community college instead! How does that sound?! Then I'd dump all your dirty laundry on the internet for all to see. There is this naughty little video of you shooting a policeman, September 9th, 1994 at 11:27pm. Remember that? Oh and if you think the cops, lawyers, or politicians on your payroll can help you out of that mess? Think again they will go down on the sinking ship too. Leaving you in jail to be butt-raped by a big fat sumo wrestler! That will be my warning and reminder not to fuck with me!" Three said coldly, and for a moment silence reigned on the comms as everyone held their breath.

* * *

 **April 2nd, 2000**

 **Shanghai China**

The silence was excruciating as Three waited for a response. She listened for the slightest noise on the other end of the comms. Anything to tell her Shado was alive, the girl next to her shivered nervous of what might have happened to one of her rescuers. Three continued to take the girl further from the pier and warehouses to try and get her remotely safe. "You play a very dangerous game! Threatening my family. Fine I will give you your chance to turn yourself in, but not here. The pier is such a dirty place, no this transaction will happen at my house. You had better hurry too, otherwise I might just lose my temper and take it out on poor Shado."

After that the comms went silent, until Chen spoke. "I cut out Shado's comms so that Yao will not overhear us. Shit! This was not suppose to happen!"

"I know, I also know that Yao will not let Shado go even if I turn myself in." Three said annoyed.

"We have already begun the hacks too. Once he sees his funds all gone he will think you went back on your deal!" Doc pointed out.

"How long will the hacks take?" Three asked.

"A couple of hours, Three. We are not as good at this as you." Chen replied.

"Alright I have two hours to rescue Shado before Yao realises he is broke and going to jail for the rest of his life." Three said picking up the pace with the girl next to her.

"Cutter is on his way to pick you up using your coms signal." Chen said after a moment, and Doc is calling some of our friends in low places."

"Good, tell Doc I will need weapons from our friends." Three said, before she had refused weapons because she did not want to kill Yao's men. Now though she would take up arms if it meant freeing Shado.

"You got it." Chen sighed. Continuing towards the hideout, Three pulled off her hood and mask to try and look somewhat normal rather than a ninja. Eventually Cutter pulled up in the car and the pair got in.

"Who is this?" Cutter asked looking in the rear view mirror at the girl.

"One of the ones I rescued from the slave warehouse." Three replied.

"Mei." The girl replied next to Three, "My name is Mei." The girl still looked shaken as she hugged herself on the back seat.

"Should we drop her off somewhere or..." Cutter asked trailing off.

"No head straight for home. The time for discretion is over. We need to hurry, and I need weapons. Besides Doc should have a look at her, she was injured." Three said the last part gently as the girl started crying over the earlier assault. Pulling up to the building, the trio came inside and headed upstairs to the third floor which they called the 'play room'. Mei was soon seated in a chair off to the side while Three was greeted by Yuma, who held two holsters and some straps.

"These are made of the same material as your suit, so they won't break." Yuma said as Three put the belt holster on and strapped the two guns to her thighs, then Yuma picks up to sheathed blades and straps, "And these bad boys fit into your boots and strap to your calves. Also the same material."

"Great thanks Yuma." Three said strapping both on and tucking them into her boots. Then she noticed Cutter putting on a holster and gun too. "What are you doing?"

"What does it look like? I am going with you." Cutter said calmly.

"Cutter Shado would kill me if I let you go. Besides you are needed here to complete the hack." Three said hoping to keep anther from being put in danger.

"We can complete the hacks." Chen said knowing Cutter would go regardless.

"I am going, Three." Cutter said firmly, "Besides I should have tried to redeem myself long before I met you. This is my chance."

"Alright, but you had better not get yourself killed; or I will kick your ass!" Three said after moment.

"What about me? I want to help?" Mei asked softly from her seat.

"You've been through enough. Stay here and have Doc take a look at you." Three said not wanting to put the girl in more danger after the terrible night she had.

"Please! I want the one responsible to pay, let me help you!" Mei insisted. That was when an idea formed, but it was not an idea Three liked. Sadly when she suggested it she had hoped Mei would say no; instead Mei agreed to it.

* * *

Jiao-long Yao's home was a large mansion behind a big yard and fence. It was guarded by guards with guns and dogs. All in all Yao thought himself well protected, and once he got a hold of the bitch causing him trouble he would make both girls scream and suffer. Yao looked out the window in the upstairs room of his home out onto the yard below. Vaguely he took in his reflection in the window. He was an tall well toned and handsome Asian man, who could probably have any girl he wanted with his looks. Sadly looks was all he had his viscous and cruel personality made him more hated than loved. Off to his right lay a battered and bruised Shado who lay on the hard wooden floor, luckily Three's threat had earned her a reprieve from being assaulted by Yao's men. So other than battered and bruised, Shado was unharmed. However all that would change once Three showed up.

Yao grinned as a car pulled up to the gate suspecting it was the guest of honour coming for her friend. The grin widened as one of his men behind him was listening on his ear piece to the man outside by the gate. "Got it. Sir, the troublemaker has arrived, and she brought a friend."

"Show them in." Yao said not concerned with a third guest. Both would suffer alongside Shado. He watched the car pull up out front and both car doors open, one was obviously a woman in what looked like a blackish purple ninja suit, the other was a man that looked oddly familiar to Yao. Both were escorted inside the house and so Yao smiled at Shado. "Your friends are here to save you aren't they so noble?"

Shado sucked in a shaky breath knowing none of them would leave there alive. She had been wishing and hoping Three would not come if only to prolong what Yao would do to them both. The double doors opened and in came Three and Cutter. "Awe aren't you the cutest little ninja. Take off the mask let's see that face." Yao said.

"First Cutter must take Shado from here. I stay that was the agreement." Was it the blow to the head or did Three sound different? Shado blinked a few times then realise this was not Three! Three had green eyes not blue, and her voice was different!

Yao though did not seem to notice the voice difference as he laughed. "Yeah well none of you are leaving."

"Knew you would say that." This girl said, that was when she pressed a remote trigger. The loud blast that followed blew out the front windows and shook everything. The explosion was certainly loud and caused a lot of confusion. Yao moved to the broken window to survey the damage, the cars were on fire, not theirs but the other cars parked out front including his! How? Yao was about to come back and beat the girl that had destroyed so much when one of his men spoke up. "Sir! Perimeter sensors are tripping all over the place, and one of the guards say he spotted her downstairs."

The guard pointed at the girl, Yao gestured at his guards who grabbed Cutter while he grabbed the girl yanking back her hood and pulling her mask off. The girl glared at Yao. "You are not her are you?!" Yao demanded, it was more of a statement than a question.

"No." The girl answered with a cruel grin.

"Where is she?!" Yao demanded., "Answer me!"

"She told you." The girl said glaring, "She told you not to fuck with her! Now you are all dead."

* * *

It had been an insane plan, but it still had worked at least. Three had been underneath the vehicle Cutter and Mei arrived in which was harder than the movies made it look. Once they had pulled up to a stop and got out of the car, Three snuck under the other cars leaving a nice explosive surprise. Then she slipped into the house where she quietly dealt with the guards on the ground floor. It was mid-way up the grand staircase that the explosion happened, and Chen began messing with the security sensors to throw off the guards.

Now discretion was no longer required as she pulled the two Berettas from their holsters and shot any guards that came her way. She knew she had little time to reach her friends, who Chen said was in the upstairs room down the right hand hallway from the stairs. The trackers in the suit Mei wore made it easy to find where they were. Shooting the guards outside the room, Three burst in and shot one of the guards holding Cutter. It was in the moment that Mei dashed to the side and moved to be next to Shado. Shooting the last one holding Cutter, Yao rushed at Three; but Cutter spared no moment and charged into Yao.

A bullet hit the door frame by Three alerting her to more guards in the hallway, so rather than help Cutter with Yao, Three shot another couple of guards then ducked into the room closing the double doors. "Mei! The fire poker I need it now!"

Mei looked behind her at the fire place on the far right hand wall and rushed over grabbing the poker, tossing it to Three who easily caught it; Three slide the poker in the two doorhandles to bar the door and keep the guards out.

"Cutter!" Shado screamed, making Three turn to find Cutter on the floor clutching his side where he had been stabbed by Yao. Three turned, raised her gun to shoot, and 'click'. The gun was empty, so she dropped the gun and pulled out her blades from her boots before rushing Yao.

Doing a running jump kick, Three knocked Yao away from Cutter. Now Yao was focused on her rather than her friends. "Your fight is with me asshole! So pay attention!"

Obviously she had pissed Yao off, because the man was not thinking when he charged Three. Still the man was no push over when it came to a fight as the blades blocked attacks and Yao tried to punch her only to hit air. Three being smaller and quicker kept delivering swallow cuts that only angered Yao more. However finally Yao got a good punch in that knocked her to the floor. Trying to shake off the stars she was seeing, the next thing Three felt was a sharp pain bloom in her stomach and ribs as Yao kicked her. Three grit her teeth against the pain and tried to get up only to have the wind knocked out of her again when she was kicked again.

"No!" She heard Mei yell and someone running up. Fighting through the pain that was when she saw it, Mei rushed up with the metal dust pan for the fire place and hit Yao with it. Sadly this only distracted Yao and he turned his sights on Mei now. He raised the blade to stab her, and Three realized she still had hold of her own two blades. Throwing one of the blades, Yao stopped short of stabbing Mei and looked down at the blade handle sticking out of his stomach. Immediately Mei backed away to safety as Three stood.

Yao crumbled to his knees still shocked by what he saw, his own blade slipping from his fingers and clattering on the floor. For a moment the room was quiet save for the pounding of the guards outside trying to get in. Then Yao chuckled his white teeth now bloody as he looked up at Three. "You may have killed me, but my boys outside won't let you leave here alive! What do you think you and your friends accomplished? My legacy will live on long after I am gone!"

It was sheer perfect timing on Chen's part as he said. "Hack complete. Yao has nothing."

"No it won't." Three said as Yao's phone buzzed, "You might want to take that." Despite Yao's injuries he managed to pull out his phone to see his accounts had been drained. His eyes widened in shock. "You were saying about your legacy?"

"Y—you bitch, I will have..." Now Yao was coughing up blood then fell to the ground dead, thrashing in agony as he went. It should have been a triumphant moment, they had just beat a Triad boss. However the guards outside and the splintering of the doors hampered it. Who knew how many were on the other side of the door? Both Cutter and Shado were injured. leaving Three to have to fight the guards when they broke in.

"Three, Doc sent the list of everyone on Yao's payroll to police, and we called the cops; but they might not arrive in time." Chen said worried. knowing they were in a tight spot. They did not have much time, Three looked around the room. On spotting a long thick wooden table to her right which was left of the door, she reckoned it would provide good cover if the shooting started.

"Mei, Help me with the table." Three called and together the two girls flipped the heavy table onto its side, then helped Shado and Cutter behind it. Lastly Three searched the bodies for additional guns and clips. The two guards she shot in the room were packing two guns each and had two extra clips. She also found four knives between the guards and Yao, and retrieved her own blade from his body. Bringing all the weapons behind the table each one took a gun. Three cleaned off her blades and put them back in her boots and took up the last gun. "Alright stay behind this table, and do not shoot at them unless they shoot first. Maybe when they see their employer is dead they will back off."

"What will you do?" Mei asked.

"I will try to bluff them, but if it doesn't work then we may have to shoot our way out." Three replied, then rose. She came out from behind the table to stand by Yao's corpse as the door finally gave under the battering it took. Several men burst in prepared for a fight, but stopped short when they saw their boss dead on the ground and a little ninja standing over him. The ninja had her gun pointed at them but did not open fire.

"Yao, you killed him!" One of the big guards said shocked.

"I did, care to join him?" Three asked coldly.

"We should kill this bitch and avenge him!" Another replied.

"Your boss is dead get over it. Besides even alive he could not pay you now." Three said without looking she remembered where Yao's phone had fallen. Using her boot she gently kicked it over to the guards. The phone easily slide to them on the wooden floor. "See for yourselves."

The big guard picked it up and looked at the message saying Yao was completely broke. The others looked at the message as well before Three spoke again. "Here are your options you could try to avenge your boss and die, or leave because the cops are on their way to arrest Yao. Not only did we take all his money and destroy his businesses, but we also dumped every dirty deed online. With your boss dead anyone associated with Yao will be going down. Do you really want to be here when the cops arrive?"

The hesitation was clear as the men looked at each other, and Three could tell some men were more loyal than others. Finally the big guy asked a question she was not expecting. "You hiring?"

"You're asking for a job?" Three asked sceptically, one brow raised.

"Yeah I am, I only worked for Yao for the pay. Criminals can't really get hired at the market. I have a record. Now he is dead, and I am unemployed." Of all the things to happen Three could not believe one of Yao's guards was asking for a job. "Look I didn't like him he was cruel. He mistreated girls, he hurt people purely for the pleasure of it and killed at random, but a guy has got to take care of his family. It is like that for several of us. Had we been able to get normal jobs at a store or something we would've taken it."

Three looked to Cutter and Shado wondering what they thought, both nodded agreeing to what the guard was asking. So Three looked at him carefully. "Alright, give me your name and number. Go tell the other guards that could not get a fair shake and had to work for Yao that if they want to come work for us they need to leave now before the cops arrive."

"Alright, do you need me to write this down?" The guy asked.

"No just tell me I will remember it."

"Okay my name is Yin..." Next he gave her his number which Three would recall later. After that Yin and three others turned and left leaving the other guards calling them traitors. Seeing the numbers dwindle and their chances of killing Three also dwindle one of the other guards said simply. "I am out of here. I ain't dying for a dead man."

"Coward!" The loyal guard said, a few others followed suit not wanting to die over this when they could escape before the cops showed. Eventually it was down to just two guys that were too stupid to leave in the first place.

"You sure you want to do this?" Three asked, the question was answered by the guy taking aim to shoot her, then getting shot by Cutter. The other one was shot by Shado and soon the room fell silent. Moving back to the table Three knelt by her friends. "Can you guys walk?"

"Yeah," Shado said, but Cutter would need help.

"Alright I will take the lead, Mei, Shado you both help Cutter. We need to get him to Doc and get out of here before the cops show." Taking Cutter's gun, Three lead the way out of the mansion carrying two guns and shooting anyone that tried to stop them which was not as many as three thought. Behind her Shado and Mei helped along Cutter as they left the building and got to the car. Helping Cutter into the back seat Shado sat with him while Mei got in the passenger seat. Getting into the driver's seat, Three started the car and drove for the front gate. In the distance she could hear the police sirens so she sped up. Luckily the front gate was wide open and she pulled out and left onto the main road away from the sirens. As they rounded the corner at the end of the street the lights of the police cars shown behind them turning onto the road they had just left.

Somehow they had made it, they had survived what should have been a lethal situation. Speaking into the comms as she drove, Three said. "Doc get ready, Cutter has been injured. Chen?"

"I am just dumping all Yao's dirty laundry on the net. It's a big file."

* * *

 **Author's Notes:**

 **First thank you for the lovely reviews and sorry for the delay. I had intended to post this sooner, but life got in the way.**

 **Anyway onto the story. I know this chapter was pretty brutal especially the slave warehouse scene. Which is why this story is M-rated, but I hope I didn't upset anyone. The next chapter will start to focus on Three's true enemy as her time with this group draws to a close.**

 **As always I hope you liked this chapter and I love reviews so please tell me what you think.**

 **Lesliezin**


	8. The First Steps

**Hello everyone,**

 **Here is chapter 8, enjoy.**

* * *

 **April 3rd, 2000**

 **Shanghai China**

The media was in a frenzy over the huge scandal of the deceased mob boss Jiao-Long Yao. In the scandal a quarter of the cops, federal agents, and several politicians had been arrested for illegal activity. Several cops had admitted to tampering with evidence that would have put Yao away for life. An federal agent admitted to alerting Yao to a sting operation that would have caught him red handed, and a politician admitted he only got elected because of Yao funding him. Hence a huge clean up was in effect to take out the trash. However the bigger question was who had done this? It was a question no one could answer. All the reporters on T.V knew was saying whoever had done this had also stolen Yao's vast fortune.

Later Three learned from Cutter, who was seen to by Doc, that Sung had been killed shortly after she attacked the second warehouse which was why Yao showed up so fast. She also learned why some of the guards at the warehouses never came in, it was because Shado wanted to do more than be the getaway driver. For one that never threw a punch, at least in front of Three, Shado taking out three guys was pretty cool. As for Cutter, while it looked bad at the time, Doc said it could have been worse. Cutter would just need to rest and take it easy as he had lost a fair amount of blood. He would also need to drink lots of fluids, which Shado said she would force down his throat if he didn't drink.

Shado's injuries were minor and would heal in a few weeks, leaving Three who had a bruised stomach from where Yao kicked her, and a small cut on her lower lip. All in all the group was fine physically and up on cloud nine mentally. They had just beat a powerful Triad boss and now had unlimited funds, resources, and people. This was what Three had hoped to create, a network that she could get help from in order to get revenge on those that hunted her. Thus despite the trauma and injuries everybody was extremely happy with the job they had done. To top it off Mei wanted to stay and learn to be a hacker so that she could help, and after the help she had given none of them really could argue with that.

Still after all they had done the group lounged in the living room listening to the news and enjoying this moment to relax with a cold beer. Three leaned back in her chair eyes closed just listening to the female reporter give her report. _"However the bigger question is: Who did this? Who brought down this cruel giant? Who exposed Jiao-long Yao for the cruel monster he was? Who took his vast wealth and destroyed his drug and slave rings? And most of all who killed him? These are questions the authorities say they simply cannot answer."_

"We need a name." Chen said breaking the silence amidst the group. Three opened one eye to look at Chen confused.

"You have a name Chen." Three said.

"What? No I mean our group. The ones that took out Yao, it needs a name." Chen clarified. Again silence followed as the group thought about potential names to call their group.

"How about The Celestial Dragon?" Chen asked trying to come up with a cool name.

"That sounds silly, plus there is more than one of us." Doc replied, "Hmm the Nexus?"

"Umbra network?" The suggestions continued then Cutter spoke up.

"How about the Shadow Network?"

"What? No you just want to name it after Shado." Chen said.

"I think he means actual shadows not Shado as in the girl glaring at you." Three said trying not to laugh.

"Well what do you think we should be called?" Chen asked.

Out of all the possible suggested names Three had to admit she liked Cutter's suggestion best. "I like the Shadow Network, myself."

"It does sound pretty cool." Mei added, eventually Shado and Doc also agreed and Chen caved in agreeing their group would be called the Shadow Network.

"Well now that the name is settled, perhaps this is the best time to bring up what we should do. Yao had millions in multiple bank accounts. We created dozens of fake accounts that are untraceable that we have access to. Still it is a lot of money, more than enough to expand this network several times over." Doc said as he picked up the remote and muted the television.

"So what do we do with it all? I mean we can easily expand our network, but we could do other things as well with it rather than let it sit." Shado said.

"Hey Three didn't you threaten to have Yao's money donated to a charity?" Chen asked.

"That I did."

"Some of it could also be donated to the police. Help them since half their force is now in jail." Mei added.

"We could also hire on Yin and his friends since they were kind enough not to try and kill us." Cutter said, all the suggestions were good ideas.

"All of them could be done easily, but that still leaves quit a bit of funds." Doc replied, then seemed to have an idea. "We could compile a list of those hurt or killed by Yao, pay the families as a type of recompense for their suffering."

"That list could be a lengthy one." Cutter pointed out, but it would dwindle the money done some to a more manageable sum.

"All those sound like a good idea." Three said liking where each of them was thinking of going with the network. They were criminals, but they were not bad criminals. With the decisions made, each went off to make sure it happened. Doc compiled a list of those survivors that would be compensated, Cutter went to make a donation transfer since he did not remember Yin's number, and Chen was cutting an anonymous check to the police department via one of the fake accounts. This left Three to pick up the phone and call Yin.

The phone rang twice then Yin answered. "Yeah?"

"Yin you said you wanted a job for you and your friends since your boss is dead." Three said. Immediately the man recognised her voice and seemed excited. "First off the group you are being hired to work for does not deal in drugs, human trafficking, murder or extortion. We do not harm innocent people, so if there is a problem with that you had best say so now."

"No no problem at all. Actually if I no longer have to rough up the poor store shop owners I am happy." Yin said.

"Good because your new job is ensuring no other criminal group come into Shanghai. You and your friends will be asked to help protect and inform us of other gangs entering our territory. Other jobs may include renovating 'safe houses' and protecting those in danger of our rivals. Is this a problem?"

"No actually it sounds far more respectable." Yin said sounded surprised.

"Good will your friends still be interested?"

"Hell yeah." Yin said eagerly.

"Alright then I will need their names and numbers." Three said taking a pen to write them down not so much for her but for the others. At the end she hung up, and then proceeded to call each of Yin's friends asking if they were willing. Each agreed enthusiastically to work for them, and so after thirty minutes on the phone Three came down to their play room to get on the computer. It was there she transferred a small but generous amount to Yin and his friend's account as an incentive and a type of 'hire on' fee. Once done she called Yin back.

"Your friends have agreed. You and your friends may notice a generous deposit to your accounts. It is just our way of saying Congratulations and welcome to the Shadow Network. Let your friends know, and we will be in touch." Hanging up Three leaned back in her chair with a sigh and handed Cutter the list. "Add these to the list of contacts. They now work for us."

"Sounds good." Cutter said, as they got back to work.

* * *

It was over the next couple of days Three decided she needed better intelligence on those that hunted her. Now that she had better resources and much better computers and software she felt more secure investigating the group known as HYDRA. According to any known record HYDRA died in World War II with the Red Skull. Hours were poured into searches and research, but Three felt like she was chasing her tail. _'Alright obviously this is not working. Maybe I need to look at what I do know instead of what I don't.'_ Three thought leaning back in her chair. For a moment she let her mind wonder as she glanced at the clock on the wall. It was two in the morning and the others were asleep. Rubbing her face she took a deep breath trying to think.

"You know all work and no sleep make a cranky Three." Cutter's voice made Three look to the doorway.

"Yeah I know." Three said, but was not ready to give up just yet.

"What are you working on?" Cutter asked coming forward and sitting down next to her.

"I am trying to find the ones that hunted me." Three said.

"Three it has almost been almost a year. I already know why they have not come after you." Cutter said calmly gaining Three's full attention. "They think you are dead, they are not coming after you."

"That doesn't mean they won't come after me later, Cutter." Three said looking back at the screen, "I need to stop them."

"You could forget all this and simply stay with us." Cutter said knowing that even though she never said it verbally she would eventually leave. The time when she would leave was quickly approaching.

"That is just it, Cutter; I can't! I cannot forget anything at all. I remember everything. You once wondered how I learned things so fast, it is because of them! I was a lab rat for them, and the serum they gave me is the reason I learn so quickly. It is the reason I cannot forget no matter how much I want to, I simply can't." Three said getting upset the more she talked and by the end of it she was crying. "I had a father and a sister that loved me however brief it was, and they killed them for simply wanting me in their lives."

There was a long silence as Cutter took in the information, then he said softly. "You said you would tell me who they were."

Three released a shaky breath knowing that the day had finally come for her to answer him. "Eckhardt the security chief from the facility I escaped called them: HYDRA. The problem is the only HYDRA I have found in searches is the Greek mythology monster, and a group out of Nazi Germany during World War Two."

"Three this is a group of assholes that tortured you most of your life and killed your family. They are not going to outright say they exist to the world." Cutter pointed out.

"Which is why I am focusing on what I do know." Three replied, but all she had was names.

"And what do you know?"

"Names." Three said, then Cutter pulled out a notepad and pen.

"Okay, what are their names?"

"Pierce, Whitehall, Strucker, and Vermonte." Three replied pulling the names from memory.

"Alright, have you set up a ghost grid, so that you cannot be traced?" Cutter asked receiving a look as if to ask: 'Do I look stupid to you? Of course I have a ghost grid set up!'

"Who was the one who taught you how to hack into systems?" Three asked.

"Fair point, okay let's see what these names turn up." Three leaned forward and did a search for the name Pierce which turned up a lengthy list of people. It made Three frown, she did not want to go through scores of names trying to find the right Pierce. _'Wait he was called something else too—Secretary Director Pierce.'_ Refining the search she typed in the title before the name and hit enter. Immediately the computer pinged as someone tried to gain a trace on her.

"Oh looks like you hit a nerve." Cutter said intrigued as he leaned forward.

"They will be stinging a while I did not just set up a ghost grid, but a triple output security grid that will loop their computer into ping-ponging across the world before their computers crash." Three said smirking.

"Well I do hope their computers are expensive." Cutter laughed at the idea. As Three looked at the information. "Whoa, it says this guy works for the Strategic Homeland Intervention, Enforcement and Logistics Division. That is an American government agency!"

Cutter wrote all this down as Three continued to look into Pierce's information, going deeper and digging up secure information. The longer she went the more someone tried to trace her signal, but the ghost protocol held hiding her location as she dug deeper and broke into SHIELDs secure files. "They won't be able to find out what you are looking up will they?"

"No I am also using a scrambler code to corrupt the data and a large portion of unrelated files. They will not be able to guess what I am accessing." Three said. Sadly the list of records that involved Pierce was extensive. _'Hmm perhaps by date...'_ In short she choose 1989 which brought up a list of signed documents okaying operations for SHIELD, but nothing concrete. The release of a prisoner from World War Two, the go ahead for Operation safeguard, the negotiation of vibranium from Wakanda. The only thing that was jumping out at her was World War two since HYDRA was a Nazi group from that time. Sighing she clicked the file and her eyes widened at the image of the prisoner that was released. There were two pictures, the first was of him in his youth during world war two, and the second hardly mattered at all because he looked nothing like the old man when she saw him!

"You find something?" Cutter asked as he noticed Three lean forward in her chair shocked.

"This is Whitehall."

"Says his name is Werner Reinhardt." Cutter said as he pointed out the name on the prisoner release form. It was signed by Pierce weeks before her first injection.

"But it is him!"

"You sure? 'Cause he does not look like he will be alive for much longer. Guy is probably on death's door right now if he hasn't died already." Cutter said looking at the old man photo.

"No! The younger picture is Whitehall, I remember perfectly. He was there during the first injection. He had just-" Three stopped short trying to wrap her head around how the world war two Reinhardt was the younger Whitehall.

"Three it says here that in 1945 he was captured by the SSR. The arresting officer is one Margaret Carter, there is no way Reinhardt is Whitehall. It has gotta be his son or something." Cutter said, but still it didn't fit. Three's memory was picture perfect – she knew who she saw. Then she focused harder remembering every detail of that night.

" _Rein—no sorry Whitehall's little experiment. Spent two weeks on her, supposedly she had some sort of regeneration slash eternal youth thing."_

" _You're bullshitting us." The other guard holding her said shaking his head._

" _Am I? Wait until you see Whitehall."_

"Eternal youth." Three said shocked at the memory.

"What?"

"The guards. When I saw the woman's body, the guards said she had a powerful ability for regeneration and longevity. I just need to find her." Three said as she typed into the computer system, "Whitehall operated on her for two weeks..."

They had to have kept some kind of record of some kind about the mysterious woman Three saw. Her heart skipped a beat when she did get a brief file on the woman. Mostly she was referred to as the woman or test subject, save for one reference where the village elders demanded Jiaying's release. Sadly they were executed afterwords. "Jiaying, that is her name?"

Three nodded numbly as there was a disturbing picture to go with the information. An old Whitehall holding a scalpel over Jiaying who had been tied to an operating table. Jiaying's face was identical to the woman's she saw that night. Knowing the woman's name made her feel sick as she leaned forward.

"Hey now, you couldn't have helped her. You were what six years old? There would have been nothing you could have done to stop that." Cutter said rubbing her back trying to calm her down. Hastily Three wiped the tears away knowing he was right. After a moment Three calmed down and Cutter asked. "You okay?"

"Yeah it is just a lot harder now knowing her name." Three said blinking back more tears. Cutter leaned forward reading more of the file and growing wide eyed.

"Looks like that longevity was no exaggeration. According to the records the arresting officer back in World War two Margaret Carter stopped him before he could operate on a woman. The picture is of Jiaying." Three looked up and was shocked to see an older picture of Jiaying after she had been freed by the SSR.

"So Reinhardt is arrested in 1945, spends about forty years in jail, then is released by Pierce. Shortly after they recapture Jiaying and he steals her longevity?" Three asks trying to figure it out, it sounded just as insane to him as it did to her.

Cutter shrugged then gestured at the screen. "Pictures are worth a thousand words, and they do not lie. Reinhardt is Whitehall."

"And Pierce works for SHIELD a government agency. None of this makes sense." Three said with an annoyed sigh.

"Okay but what keeps cropping up?" Cutter asked. There was a pause before he answered for her. "World War Two. Meaning when you initially did the search for HYDRA it was mythological beasts or a Nazi group from world war two. Which leads to a very scary thought—what if HYDRA survived world war two?"

The question made Three straighten and wonder at the possibility. "If that is true what are they doing in SHIELD?"

"That is a good question, perhaps our next search should be into SHIELD itself." Cutter replied, so Three did a general search for SHIELD hoping it would not be this elusive unknown group. Fortunately general information turned out to be quite illuminating.

"Alright SHIELD was originally known as the SSR Strategic Scientific Reserve. The very group that arrested Reinhardt in 1945. Founded by Colonel Chester Philips, Howard Stark, and surprise surprise Margaret Carter."

"Huh Margaret Carter keeps cropping up too. Though if she arrested Reinhardt..." Cutter trailed off.

"Than she is not with Pierce." Three concluded, _'Huh according to the arrest record she had stated that Reinhardt was to serve life in jail. Definitely a good person.'_ Three thought as she now began digging into more personal files on SHIELD. She would start at the beginning with the SSR to try and see any discrepancies. However it did not take long as she read aloud the horrible file she found. "On May 19th, 1945 the program jointly commission by the OSS and the SSR 'green lit' Operation Paper-Clip which allowed for the recruitment of German scientists, technicians, and engineers from Nazi Germany and other foreign countries to the United States for employment in the aftermath of World War Two."

Something told Three this was not good as she looked further into the agreement where the recruits were prisoners of war. They signed on to get out of jail, and a number of them came to work for SHIELD including one former HYDRA scientist Arnim Zola who had served with the Red Skull himself!

"Son of bitch!" Three yelled leaping out of her chair absolutely outraged at the sheer stupidity on display. Cutter glared at the screen.

"Now we know how HYDRA survived, the United States government signed a deal with the devil."

"And for what?! How many lives were worth it to put a fucking man on the moon?!" Three asked still pissed off. "The others that suffered with me, Jiaying, Takai, and Amaya?! Were their lives worth it?!"

Cutter got up and pulled her into a hug to try and calm her down again. "No, no lives were worth this. All that blood that is on their hands."

It was beyond unfair to know Four, Six and their companions suffered a life of torment and injections because someone did not have the balls to kill every last HYDRA bastard and ensure they never came back. All this could have been avoided if the U.S government had not been so focused on being ahead of other countries. Maybe she could have even had a normal life, experienced normal things, been normal. But wishing for things to be different was too little too late, no sense crying over what a bunch of dumb bastards did back in 1945. Instead she would just have to clean up their mess, and eradicate what they were too squeamish to eliminate themselves.

Pulling away after thanking Cutter for the support she flopped back into her seat and dug further trying to find out how deep the corruption in the government was. Hours of chasing leads, searches, and research meant that she pulled an 'all-nighter' with Cutter who now wanted to know too. After her latest outburst he made them a pot of coffee, and turned on his computer too. Together they dug and searched; fortunately the information all pointed to HYDRA being mostly within SHIELD itself. However locating every last rat would take a lot more time, and the infestation was big. Mostly her searches focused on the people she already knew were with HYDRA, and expanded from there. Known associates were dug up. The names of the scientists, technicians, and engineers from Project Paper-Clip; and their descendants.

The list was ever growing and giving her a headache, as she rubbed her forehead as she leaned back in her chair. If she did go after HYDRA she would have to develop a means of ascertaining just who was with HYDRA for certain. Instinct told her waging war on HYDRA would take many years, and she still might miss a few rats. "I found out why HYDRA has not come after you. It is as I thought."

Cutter's words made Three's head snap up as she turned her chair in his direction. She did not need to ask how he knew that because he moved out of the way of his computer's monitor to show her. Three stiffened when she saw he had dug up the file on her. Slowly she rose to her feet and came closer to see her mug shot and profile which was rather vague. Mostly it told her height and weight, no age or birth date, or even a real name. She did not bother looking further down her file because in big bold block red letters at the top of her file it stated: DECEASED

Relief flooded her as she realized HYDRA thought her dead, she could really live a normal life. She could have friends, family, fall in love, be free! The idea was so very tempting that she was imagining a normal life, but then she remembered that many she wanted in her life were gone. It suddenly felt wrong to have a normal free life when so many died and could not. "Did you hear me?" Cutter asked, "You do not need to fear them, you are free of them now. You can stay with us."

God how she wanted to smile and say yes, but HYDRA had taken too much from her. How could she say yes when she never experienced her first kiss with Four? How could she just leave HYDRA be when they murdered Takai and Amaya? Would she really allow them to continue? What if some guard was out there raping some poor girl in a hidden facility right now? Just as Berk had done to Six. No she had decided long ago she would destroy HYDRA. A normal life would simply have to wait. Three finally shook her head as she looked to Cutter.

"No I can't, if I walk away now I am burying my head in the sand, and pretending bad things are not happening." Three said remembering Amaya's words at the Nanjing Massacre Memorial Hall. "I have to destroy HYDRA."

* * *

 **May 10th, 2000**

 **Shanghai China**

"Alright remind me again why we are doing this?" Three asked not entirely sure why any of this was necessary. Actually she was pretty sure none of it was necessary, but for some reason they were insisting on it being done. So here she was standing in a tattoo parlour with Cutter, Shado, Chen, Doc, and Mei.

"We already told you why we want to do this." Shado said unable to keep the sadness from her voice, "You are leaving soon and this is a reminder that you're one of us."

"One of us. One of us." Chen droned creepily.

"Shado I told you I have to go." Three said trying to get her to see reason.

"And Cutter has already said the ones hunting you think you are dead. You do not have to keep running." Shado added. Three wanted to groan at their logic. It was true no one had found her yet, and no one was looking anymore. That was the benefit of being dead in HYDRA's records. She could just accept her new life, but there would always be that uncertainty, that fear that one day HYDRA would find out she was alive and come for her. She needed distance to keep them safe, and for those she lost she needed to ensure HYDRA was destroyed. It was simply something she could not do here, not without endangering her friends.

The whole point of creating the Shadow Network was to gain resources and money to help her take HYDRA out. She had accomplished that goal and ensured her new friends would be well taken care of. However nowadays she was just...lingering and procrastinating. Neither of which would help her destroy HYDRA any faster. In truth part of her wanted to stay now and not go off on her own to wage war with HYDRA, but she deemed that part of herself to be selfish. Takai and Amaya had paid the ultimate price for her, how could she just forget that and try to start another life? No it was well past time she took the fight to HYDRA. She had been prepared to let go of her past and be happy with Takai and Amaya, but HYDRA had refused to let her be. She could not and would not make the same mistake twice; no matter how much her friends pleaded for her to stay.

Since Chen had been outvoted on the name of their little group, he got to design the tattoo they would be getting. A Chinese dragon clutching in it's front and back claws a large gemstone. It's body seemed to curl around it. The tattoo would be about five and a half to six inches long, and four and half inches wide. The tattoos would all be identical, but the colours would vary and the stones colour was already pre-picked. Because Three liked purple the stone her dragon would be holding would be purple. The tattoo was to be a mark stating that she was a dragon of the Shadow Network—one of the network's leaders. However she guessed for her friends it was a means of reminding her that she was one of them. It was a strange and sweet gesture, but Three really hated needles especially after her time as a lab rat for HYDRA.

Already she was cringing at the thought of a needle on her skin, which was probably why they had her go first rather than have to watch them get theirs first. Because she simply did not want to see the needle she asked the tattoo be put on her right shoulder blade. "What colour do you want the dragon to be?"

The question from the tattoo artist brought her back to the moment as she considered the colours. "Uh a silver coloured dragon."

"Ya got it." He said then proceeded to start the tattoo, which was an unpleasant experience for her. Regardless, she gritted her teeth and endured it. For hours the man worked and she tried to focus on other things. Finally the prickle of the needle gun stopped and he spoke up. "All done. Have a look in the mirror and tell me what you think."

He gestured to a large wall mirror, so Three got up and moved over to it. Turning her back to the mirror she looked over her shoulder to find the man had done a beautiful job. The dragon was a beautiful silver dragon with shades of grey to darken it some and make it look more realistic. In it's mighty claws it clutched a purple gemstone just as Chen had designed it to look. The tail hung free and now that Three looked more closely she saw the faintest Chinese characters for Shadow Network worked in to look like scales in the tail. The pain had certainly been worth it as she smiled pleased with her tattoo.

"Does that smile mean you like it?" Chen teased.

"Yes it is beautiful Chen. Thanks." Three admitted blushing a little. Each one went getting their own tattoo with varying colours and the same design. All of them choose the same location for their tattoo as well to keep some continuity. Shado had a blue stone and a greyish blue dragon. Chen had a gold gem and a green dragon, while Doc went with a green gem and a gold dragon. Mei had a pink gem and a red dragon, and lastly Cutter choose a black dragon with a red gemstone.

In the end everyone was happy with their tattoos. It all made it strangely official now each of them was now a dragon of the Shadow Network. It was also one of the strangest goodbye rituals ever.

* * *

 **May 12th, 2000**

 **Nanjing China**

It felt strange to return to this area after a year of being gone. Three would have returned long ago, but before she feared HYDRA watching for her to come back. Thus she could only mourn the loss of Takai and Amaya at a distance. What was worse was she was not returning to the home she had once known, but instead a graveyard. Where Takai and Amaya had been buried. Part of the reason she stood at the entrance to the cement garden with rows of headstones was because to see their graves would be the final lasting proof that they were really dead. Peeking back she saw her friends outside the car waiting for her. They had insisted on coming along since this would not be the only trip she made today. Cutter watched with an encouraging expression and gently gestured for her to go say goodbye.

Looking ahead she moved up the stone steps and disappeared behind some trees. The area was mostly cemented including the path with trees between the headstones. It took a bit of a search, but soon Three found the simple headstone that held the images of a smiling Takai and Amaya Wong. Their names written beautifully in Chinese Calligraphy, she had been right to be hesitant this was painful to see. Part of her had fantasized that Stick had gotten to them first and gotten them to safety, but here and now it was cemented. They died two years ago today because they knew her, because of HYDRA.

Now she stood before their grave as tears escaped and the reality hit her. Throughout all this she very nearly forgot that she held a bouquet of flowers for them and now almost dropped them. "I am sorry..." She said through a constricted throat. She had read many talked to their loved ones graves as if the dead could still hear, maybe Takai and Amaya could still hear her? "I never meant for this to happen. I never thought that they would hurt you if I just left. I am so sorry."

She put a hand over her mouth to keep her from sobbing as tears rolled down her cheeks. It took her a few minutes to compose herself before removing her hand to continue talking. "I am sorry I didn't come back sooner. You deserved better than for me to just disappear and show up a year later. I have been a terrible daughter and sister."

Three almost laughed bitterly at her last comment, how could she view herself as a member of their family after abandoning them? She couldn't, it was why she did not go by the name Sakura Wong; she felt unworthy of the name they gave her. Instead she shook her head and knelt down placing the flowers in front of the headstone. For a moment she just looked at the pictures on the headstone wondering if Stick picked the pictures. To hear Takai tell it Stick cared little for him or Amaya so it seemed unbelievable that he would. Regardless whoever picked the pictures choose well.

"I don't know if it will be any consolation, but I have found the ones that tormented me and killed you." Three said feeling that it would not bring them any type of peace, Three looked to Amaya's picture. "Remember when you took me to the Memorial Hall and tried to tell me not to be a monster but a hero? You said the world has too many monsters and too few heroes, and you said: 'I do not want you to lose yourself.' I remember everything you said, and I tried to be the person you saw. But you also said people love to bury their heads in the sand and pretend bad things are not happening."

Three paused trying to organize her thoughts. "I tried to be the hero, but you still died because of me. Because these monsters are heartless and cruel. I guess I should have seen that coming. I tried to play the hero before, and failed miserably. The ones I tried to protect still died, just like you. I thought in the time I was with you both I could forget and pretend the beginning of my life was this terrible dream; but that was me...burying my head in the sand." Three said as her voice broke and tears escaped.

"I cannot bury my head in the sand anymore, and I cannot be the hero you wanted me to be. One way or another I know I will disappoint you both, but some monsters need to be destroyed. I will not let these monsters continue on not after all they have done. HYDRA will fall every last one. There will be no survivors and no mercy. They will pay for taking you away, and for all the lives they have destroyed." Three said having accepted her new task and what all it would mean, it was time to say goodbye to her father and sister. "I have to go now, it will take time to get all of them."

Reaching up she placed her hand on the headstone between their pictures. It would be the closest to a hug she would ever get with them again. "If nothing else, please know that I love you both. I love you so much, you will always be my father and sister."

For a moment she looked at the pictures once more before slowly rising her her feet. "Goodbye father. Goodbye sister."

Swallowing hard she turned and walked numbly from the graveyard. Eventually she left the gates of the graveyard and looked up to find her friends waiting. Slowly she came up and Cutter asked. "Did you find them okay?"

"Yeah." Three answered numbly.

"Are you sure about this? No one would complain if you waited a day or two." Cutter asked softly.

"No it is time." Three said and Cutter nodded soberly,

"Alright, then we had best get going." He said after a moment with the group getting into the car. The drive was a quiet one with no one really wanting to break the silence. Eventually they got back to Shanghai, but they were not going home. Instead they drove until the Shanghai Pudong International Airport's sign came into view. Following the signs, Cutter pulled into a large multi level parking lot and the group piled out. They opened the trunk pulling out Three's backpack and suitcase, and together the group trudged into the Airport's lobby.

Heading to the counter, Three checked in her bags with a fake passport. She was glad her suitcase was made by Yuma with a hidden compartment to hold her suit and weapons. Once checked in she returned to the group that she had started the network with. None of them really wanted to see her go, but they had eventually come to understand why all this was necessary. Chen came forward and held out an envelope. "Present for you."

Three accepted the gift and opened it to find another set of fake passports, driver's license and documents. However instead of Chinese these ones stated she was American and from New York. "Thank you Chen."

"You know you will have to speak English there." Chen pointed out and getting Three to smile before she replied in perfect English.

"I know, don't worry."

"That is cheating you know, reading it from the English dictionary then speaking it so well." Chen said laughing a little, then the mood turned serious again as he pulled her into a tight hug. "I will miss you."

Once released Mei came up and hugged her. "We all will miss you. Will you call us?"

"Yes, but I do not want to risk you guys either. I will have to be careful. Today you have seen how some that were close to me ended up. I do not want that to be your fates too." Three said hoping Mei understood, she nodded then stepped aside for Doc who hugged her.

"You need to read up on first aid since I won't be there to patch you up, okay?"

"I will Doc. Take care of everyone for me."

"I will and Yuma says to call him. He is working on improving the suit for you." Nodding Three turned to Shado and Cutter. The pair really did make the cutest couple with Shado leaning into Cutter.

"Well I better receive a wedding invite in the future. It'll give me a reason to come back sooner." Three said jokingly as Shado came forward hugging her tightly.

"If you run into trouble, you had better call us." Shado warned holding onto her for a few moments before stepping aside to let Cutter say goodbye.

As Cutter hugged her, he whispered gently. "If you need anything, you know we will help no matter what. You have only to ask."

"I know." Three replied.

"Also the security guards will pull you out of the line to bypass you through security at both airports. Less chance of you being ID'd." Cutter said making Three smile despite the sad moment.

"Thank you Cutter for everything." Finally the man released her and she stepped back from the group. "I will miss you guys. Take care of each other, do not do anything reckless. Also if you see a girl in the river...don't forget to pull her out."

The last was mostly a joke to get them laughing as Three picked up her backpack. She smiled at them saying one final goodbye before turning and heading through the security checkpoint. Just as Cutter promised a customs officer pulled her out of line for a 'random check' and bypassed her through security. Once at the other end of the long hall she looked back to vaguely see her friends of the Shadow Network. Knowing she might never see them again, she forced herself to turn and continue on her way into the airport.

* * *

 **May 13th, 2000**

The flight was direct and fifteen hours long, which was probably the most nerve wrecking thing Three had ever done. Even after all this time she was not used to huge crowds of people, especially not on a confined location like an airplane. The only saving grace was she was up in the premier class section, so she had a bit more room then the economy class. Flying itself strangely did not really bother her at all. She was also able to sleep some on the plane, but not as much as she liked. After everything that had happened to her she learned to be a light sleeper, so the slightest bump made her jolt awake and look for a potential attack. When she could not sleep she outwitted the games you could play on the screen, or watched a movie. However after leaving early the previous morning and it being the next day in the afternoon, Three was mostly relieved that the long flight was over, the plane touched down but had yet to dock to allow passengers off the plane.

" _The time is 2:30 and it is a lovely sunny day here at JFK International Airport. We would like to thank you for flying with China Eastern Airlines, and hope you enjoyed your flight. Please consider us in the future for all your travel needs, and welcome to New York City."_

After that the plane was soon docked at the airport and passengers were allowed up and off. Three eagerly grabbed her backpack and moved with the other passengers. Eventually she breathed relief once off the plane and pulled out her 'U.S passport' when she went through customs. She smiled that the customs officer was none the wiser as he welcomed her home, and from there she claimed her suitcase. Again someone was waiting for her who bypassed her through security. Finally stepping outside Three wrinkled her nose not used to the new environment. _'New York, huh? I already miss China!'_ Three thought as she looked around, and was now truly on her own.

Renting a car for the week on one of the accounts Cutter gave her, Three headed for a nearby hotel wanting to recover from her obvious jet-lag. Later when she was more acclimated and rested she could plot her next step and proceed. Finding a motel outside the airport was pretty easy, and so Three parked in the parking lot and checked into a motel. Out of caution she bared the door of her motel room and got out one of her guns from the hidden compartment of her suitcase just in case. Getting undressed, she climbed into bed and tried sleep off the exhaustion she felt from her busy days of travelling.

However now she realized sleep was harder to come by, and for a moment she could not understand why. Tossing and turning she eventually figured out why sleep eluded her—she was alone. The feeling was a painful reminder of what she left, and it was followed by homesickness. She missed China and hated New York. Eventually exhaustion had her fall asleep regardless of how lonely she felt in a whole new city.

 **15 Hours later...**

Three awoke groggy and groaned from lying in one position for too long. Moving she stretched like a cat listening to her bones pop, a clear sign that she was nearing the end of her teenage years. Though when exactly that would be was anyone's guess. Yawning Three picked up her watch looking at the time that read 5:30am, the journey was more tiring than she realised. The previous day she had said goodbye to her father and sister, and her friends at the Shadow Network; it had been mentally exhausting coupled with physical exhaustion from the plane ride. Still she insisted on doing it that way, like ripping off a band-aid do it quick so there is less pain. Right...did anyone truly believe that BS? Three shook her head and got up taking a drink of water to alleviate her dry throat.

She looked around the all too quiet room, as she had grown used to the sounds from the living room of the place she stayed with her friends from the shadow network. There always seemed to be the smell of coffee in the air that made its way into her room. Then, there was the sound of her friends often in the living room eating breakfast and watching the news, unless Chen beat them to the remote; then they were stuck watching funny animal videos. He loved the one of the cat playing chop sticks with chop sticks. Sadly in the motel room there were no such sounds, and no smell of sweet coffee. She wondered what they were doing now that she was gone, probably causing trouble?

Sighing she got up and boiled some water in the little kettle they provided the room, then made herself some vile instant coffee. She hated instant coffee, it always tasted like it was unfit for mankind! Still she needed caffeine, so she added extra sugar to try and negate the terrible taste; it did not help much. Once she had drank most of the coffee she dumped the rest and brushed her teeth to get the nasty taste out of her mouth. Next she showered, dried, and dressed; it was time to get to work and find a real coffee place that did real coffee.

Dressed in skinny jeans, hiking boots, a grey button up shirt with the sleeves rolled up, and a black leather jacket, Three put on her brown wig and sunglasses. As a final precaution she tucked a knife into her boot, and put a gun in her backpack. She left her suitcase in the motel room locked up in case the cleaners wanted to clean her room.

Leaving the motel she hopped into the rental car and drove further into the new city she would have to get used to. In a word it was: big. Well two words Big and Noisy, or at least that was what she felt, somehow it was bigger and noisier than Shanghai China. Nanjing to Three was heaven, it was quiet, peaceful, and beautiful, or perhaps Takai and Amaya made it that way with their mere presence who could say. Sadly if Nanjing was heaven than the Hydra base she escaped was Hell. Eventually Three found a homely cafe and pulled into the parking lot before heading to it. Outside people sat in chairs drinking their coffees and eating their cakes. It looked like a decent place for a cup of coffee, heading inside it was a little busy, but not so overcrowded that Three chickened out. So she ordered a coffee and headed outside to enjoy it.

The coffee was perfect, and Three sighed mentally marking this place as her place for future caffeine fixes. Mid-way through her coffee she looked through her backpack for a notepad, while she remembered everything it still helped to be practical and write things down as a type of record keeping. However instead of the notepad she found a card with an address on it written in Cutter's handwriting.

 **Warehouse District**

 **1700 Clear View Way**

 **New York City 11105**

 **It's outside the City and needs some work, but it's all yours. Call us if you need anything.**

 **Cutter and Crew**

It was a sweet gesture as Three smiled at the card then slipped it back in her bag. Since her coffee was in a to-go cup she bought a map of New York and found the area of the address. Getting in her car she drove for a good while until she reached the district of warehouses. Most were abandoned or used by either the homeless or used by gangs. It was not a nice neighbourhood, but she found the building well enough. Pulling up she got her gun and put it in her inner jacket pocket just in case, before getting out to inspect her building.

Moving towards the building she noticed that Cutter was right, it would need a lot of work; but who did not just love a fixer-upper? The windows were all broken, there was trash in the building where she could see in, and old machinery, it looked like this warehouse used to make car parts. Three had been about to move into the building to look around when she heard someone behind her and instinct made her draw her gun.

"Whoa! Whoa! Easy there!" The guy behind her was a thin man with greasy hair, "I was just comin' to welcome ya to the neighbourhood. No need to get all jumpy. You the one we were told to expect? Yer friend called ahead, said to clear out the rabble from yer building. Honest we want no trouble with a leader of the Triads." Three lowered her gun as the guy raised his hands in a placating gesture. _'Of course this must have been one of the places they stole the deeds for from Yao.'_

"I do not like people sneaking up on me."

"Sorry, sorry I didn't know." The guy said looking like he might wet himself, "We just never had the triad actually come. Usually they deliver the business supplies and as long as we pay they do not give us a second thought. I mean we heard Yao bought it, but we have not received word on his successor."

"That would be Cutter, the one that called you." Three lied calmly, "I am one of his."

"Oh of course that makes sense. Well as instructed the buildings been cleared out, no one is gonna go near it. So huh welcome to the neighbourhood. I am called Rilo."

"Three," Three replied trying to be nice.

"Three?" Rilo asked shocked.

"It is because I am third in charge under you're new boss."

"Oh okay I get it. Well huh see you around." Rilo said quickly leaving afraid she might change her mind and shoot him. Three merely shrugged and headed into the building to look around. Sure enough the homeless and drug users were gone leaving behind trash and used needles. The building itself was in remarkably good condition despite the windows missing, the graffiti, and garbage. The building itself was a three story building with lots of space and a basement to boot. _'This could definitely work. It just needs some fixing up, and it will be perfect.'_ Three thought liking the building Cutter had given her.

* * *

 **Author's Notes:**

 **Thank you all for the lovely reviews.**

 **Mcveighreece asked if Three would eventually meet Phil Coulson, Nicky Fury, or the Avengers. All I can say without spoiling anything is 'all in due time.' Again thanks for the review.**

 **This chapter we see Three finally take her first steps towards revenge against HYDRA. She has, as said, left the Shadow Network, and has decided to head for the USA.**

 **Anyway I hope you enjoyed this chapter and hope to read your reviews.**

 **Lesliezin**


	9. The War Begins

**Hello everyone,**

 **Well here is chapter nine I hope you enjoy. Please also make sure to read my Author's notes on this one as I have a lot to explain.**

* * *

 **May 20** **th** **, 2000**

 **New York City**

Using the account given to her by Cutter, Three decided to buy her own car via the fake identity and fake credit. Buying the car outright might have sent up red flags so she would have car payments like any other average person. At least now she could return her rental and not fork out for that.

Since discovering the warehouse most of her days were spent cleaning out the garbage and old machinery left there. No one ever entered the warehouse, as they seemed to be afraid of her. The relationship was simple: she left them alone, and they left her alone. Once the machinery and debris was cleared away, Three ordered some windows and learned how to put them in. She might have contracted a specialist to do it, but she wanted to avoid contact with others in case. So she learned to do it herself, and did the job better than most specialists. Cutter and the others must have been monitoring her accounts activities because Rilo came forward with a large box on this particular day she arrived at the warehouse. "This came for you this morning. I was told to give it to you."

"Thanks." Three said noting the invoice on top from Shanghai China, as a kindness she gave Rilo twenty bucks for his services and the man quickly scampered off not wanting to stick around. Taking the box inside required a hand truck that Rilo conveniently left when he brought the box over. Even still she almost stumbled getting the large box inside. It was a large heavy box to be sure. Taking a box cutter she opened it and found out why the box was so heavy. On top of tins of paint and some pesticides was a note.

 _ **Three,**_

 _ **We know you want to keep your distance, but that does not mean we want to keep ours. We miss you, but we know you need to see this through. So we found some stuff to help out. Each item is specifically marked. Yuma found this special high tech explosive proof clear liquid spray, he says to spray it on the windows on both sides; and nothing short of an atomic bomb will break the windows. The canisters marked 'windows 2' you only spray inside as it makes the glass a one way mirror. Outsiders looking in will only see blacked out windows.**_

 _ **The paint is also special even though it is clear. After you paint the walls of your new home and they have dried, apply a thin coat. According to Chen it is a type of special alloy paint he acquired illegally from the military, it will make the walls as tough as a tank and soundproof too. Lastly Shado and Mei said you are bound to have rats and other unpleasant creatures. Once you have fully enclosed the building i.e. added doors and windows leave a canister or two on each floor, but don't stick around. This stuff is strong potent stuff that will get in all the cracks and kill any potential unwanted guests.**_

 _ **Also there is a mask because these chemicals are not the healthiest to inhale. When using any of them wear it. That aside hurry up and kill the bastards so you can come home.**_

 _ **Cutter**_

Three laughed at her friends persistence to help regardless, setting the note aside she took a look at the contents more closely finding four large containers two were marked 'Windows' and two more were marked 'Windows 2', and four large canisters marked 'walls'. Lastly she found a total of eight large canisters marked 'Unwanted guests', and a breathing mask. To keep the contents from bashing together it had foam packed in around the contents. Luckily only the ground floor windows where in place, so Three picked up one of the canisters and breathing masks and got to work spraying the ground floor windows. The stuff dried quickly without leaving so much as a streak. Then she sprayed the interior windows with the other cannister which also dried quickly.

Satisfied with the stuff sent to her, Three went upstairs and sprayed the windows not yet put in on both sides as Cutter had instructed, then went back and used the other cannister. Once all the windows were done she started the process of installing them which ate up the rest of the day. Eventually she locked up and headed back to her motel, on the way back she got some Chinese from a fast food place she spotted. Heading back she ate, showered, and went to bed.

The next day was another day of work, and after a long day she finished fitting the windows. Next she replaced the old doors with stronger ones and even added a garage door on the ground level. Nothing flimsy of course, She was very careful and smart about what she wanted. Once the place was secure, she put on the gas mask and used the pesticides on each of the floors to kill off the rats and pigeons. However she did that towards evening then left and headed back to the motel grabbing some more fast food on the way.

The next morning she aired out the building and found the pesticides had killed a family of pigeons on the top two floors, and an army of rats. Not the most pleasant thing to find, but at least the infestations were dealt with. Cleaning up the corpses, Three had bought plaster to fill in the holes or cracks in the walls. Then proceeded to scrub down the walls and rafters where the pigeons loved to crap. She was glad when the day was done and could go home and shower, but at least the worse jobs had been done.

* * *

 **July 5** **th** **, 2000**

 **New York City**

Over the next three month, Three kept busy renovating the warehouse and making it liveable. She added walls and knocked down others, she bought a lot of items from various stores to not get anyone's attention. She installed plumbing, lighting, and flooring. After cleaning up, and painting the walls how she wished she added the thin coat of clear paint to the walls Chen had sent. Finally she rented a moving van and bought larger furniture to install such as sinks, counters, toilets, and bath/showers. Mostly she did things on her own, but if she needed help she hired some of her 'neighbours' who did the heavy moving, got paid, then left just as quick.

Eventually the place was habitable and so Three moved other furniture in. Thus her new home and workplace was eventually done. Glad to have the place up to her desired specifications, Three decided to give it a once over.

The basement which ran the length of the warehouse was converted into a gun range. The stairs leading down to it were at the back right corner when entering the warehouse from the front. When leaving the stairs, Three went through a door into the basement. On her left was a wall of guns and drawers with many kinds of ammunition. To her right was the long table where guns could be set. To the right of the table by the stairs was a walkway for her to get onto the shooting range if needed. However on the far right wall next to the firing range was a hidden panel that opened up revealing the old elevator shaft with nothing but a small platform and button. To the right was a slide that let out at a hidden grate a warehouse down, it was an escape route in case the place was compromised.

Going back upstairs the ground floor from the stairs showed a spacious parking garage on the left and equipment to work on vehicles if she wanted. Straight ahead was another door leading to stairs that led up. Next to the stairs was a partition wall to separate the areas, but it did not reach all the way to the front of the warehouse. On the wall on this side were more power tools, but when you went to the other side the wall showed maps and pictures of known HYDRA members and what information she knew pinned to the wall. Under that was a counter that held a sophisticated coffee machine, a small fridge, and mugs.

At the back of the ground floor by the partition wall was a bathroom, and turning around was a large oval area with a high-tech computer set up, with multiple monitors all arranged in a crescent moon shape. Between the computers and the bathroom was a wall with a counter holding lab equipment. After all who knew when she would need to run a DNA analysis?

Turning around and along the front wall between the garage and this area was an upright glass display case. The display case held her suit, while the wall next to it held guns and the counter drawers underneath held more ammo. Moving back towards the front past the computers, Three came to an open practice area. The area held practice mats, punching bags, Wing Chung Dummies, and other exercise equipment. Again at the back far corner was a hidden door leading to the elevator shaft and a button on the wall to call it.

Heading for the second floor, at the top of the stairs straight ahead was a door and more stairs. On her immediate left was a large kitchen. Separated by a counter and stools, Three looked over her kitchen. Counters and overhead cupboards lined the walls except by where you entered the kitchen towards the front of the warehouse. There was a window there, so nothing was put there to obstruct the view. Past it though was the counter against the wall which held a microwave, next to that was another sophisticated coffee machine then further down was the sink, while a bit more counter separated the sink from the stove. In the opposite corner was a toaster and blender, and lastly midway between the wall and counter was the large fridge. Next to the fridge was a smaller t.v and radio.

On leaving the kitchen straight ahead was a good-sized solid oak table and chairs. However moving past that lead towards a large living room. It seemed silly, but on the right side along the wall was four individual bedrooms with bathrooms, it was the same on the left but only there were three rooms. Perhaps she hoped one day to have her shadow network friends over, or maybe she had the extra rooms in case she needed to safeguard someone. Either way the rooms were there, and with the amount of space she had she need not worry. The room opened out into a large living room with a large t.v hung on the far wall. Around it were shelves that held DVDs, CDs, and books. In front of the t.v was a round coffee table with the remote controls, and situated around it was a curved leather sofa and chairs. Beyond that in the far right corner was another hidden door and the elevator shaft.

Finally the last floor held her room, as Three came up the stairs to finish off her inspection. On leaving the stairs she turned left and looked at the far left wall by the stairs was a lovely bathroom, and next to it was a large walk in closet that held clothes and shoes. There was also a built in dresser to hold her underwear, and a hidden drawer that held guns and knives. Out side that against the front wall was a lovely oak vanity desk and mirror which held a jewellery box with an ice skater on it and some perfumes. Next to that was a large bed by the window. On the other side of the bed was a small oak night-stand with a lamp, the framed picture of herself, Takai, Amaya, and Sake; and the book that had once belonged to Four. To her right. The rest of the area was open as Three had not decided on what to do with the space yet, but like with all the floors the hidden door was in the back right corner and led to the elevator shaft.

The only other thing to note of the room was a door across from the stairs she came up to which led to a flight of stairs leading onto the roof. While the warehouse was in a bad neighbourhood, the view of New York was nice at least. That aside, Three had planned everything well as each door leading to a flight of stairs would auto lock if anyone managed to break in. If they did the place went into auto lock down sealing them inside and releasing knock out gas on the floor they were on. If they were HYDRA it would buy her time to get to the elevator shaft and escape out the basement tunnel, if not HYDRA well they would soon regret breaking in. The garage door and front door both had high tech security software that would scan her or anyone entering. Mostly it scanned for trackers, but also to make sure it was Three entering the warehouse. Thus unless they were with her, they would not be getting in easily.

Outside she hid security cameras, but did not do much to adjust outside appearances of her warehouse since she wanted to remain incognito. Now that her new home was up to specifications, she would send the details to the Shadow Network. Cutter insisted other locations be made as 'safe houses' in case HYDRA caught wind of her, so they would use what she did with this place as a blueprint and when the other locations were up to scratch he would send her a list of the places.

Satisfied with everything Three sighed at long last she could now focus her attention on hunting down HYDRA like the monsters they were.

* * *

 **July 15** **th** **, 2000**

 **New York City**

Three had decided to take a week off since fixing up her new home, it had taken a lot of time, effort, and work. Besides she had needed time to get used to her new home, and learn more about New York. The nickname was 'the city that never sleeps', Three thought it should be 'the city with the rudest douche-bags' but that was just her. She found it not so different from Shanghai in terms of crowds, but she did think New Yorkers were far more rude. Aside from that she did not bother to go sight seeing mainly because she still hated crowds, but also because she viewed it as a joke. Ever since finding out about Project Paper-clip she had a low view of America. To her they had sold their soul, the Statue of Liberty may have held meaning once; but that meaning was now lost. She recalled Amaya speaking about Captain America and the Howling Commandos and had to feel bad for them. They did fight for the right reasons only what they fought for was still lost in the end, making it a tragedy.

Perhaps it was a blessing that Captain America died shortly after defeating the Red Skull, a mercy that he did not have to witness what his country became and how HYDRA still existed even now. Three shook her head, yes she had read the brief facts on the internet but that was all. She was not interested in history, not when HYDRA was still alive. History was good for one thing, showing you what not to do to avoid repeating it.

Pouring herself a cup of coffee, Three added milk and sugar then went to the many computers. She needed to find all of HYDRA. She needed to get every last name so that she could systematically hunt each one of them down. Problem was she had been at it for three days and felt like she was chasing her own tail. The other problem was not all within SHIELD were HYDRA, and the same was said for other parts of government. So how did she kill all of HYDRA, but leave SHIELD be? The question had been bouncing around her head like a ping-pong ball for three days and it was giving her a headache. _'I need a damn way to find HYDRA and discern between them and SHIELD! Oh if only I had a system that could tell me-'_ The thought gave her a brilliant idea. "An algorithm! That is it, with that I could find the bastards easily!"

Immediately Three began typing into the computers beginning the designs for what would be her HYDRA Algorithm. _'I just need to extrapolate data from what I know of Pierce, Whitehall, Strucker, and Vermonte. Everything I have on them, then what I know of HYDRA...'_ Excited, Three continued work on the algorithm only stopping for bathroom and food breaks. For the next couple of days she worked on it, but there were key factors missing that made her algorithm incomplete. Vital data that would make it one-hundred percent accurate.

She tried different variables to adjust it's accuracy, but if she used it now with only a eight percent accuracy she would run risk of killing innocents that the algorithm pegged wrong. Not to mention her loneliness was getting worse, the place was too quiet thus she was short tempered. Frustrated by her lack of progress she needed to relax or something! Saving her work, Three headed upstairs to the living room and turned on the t.v. as she sipped her coffee on the couch.

Flicking through the channels, Three eventually stopped at the news. ' _Next up. Technology? Are becoming too reliant on it and is creating Artificial Intelligence wise?'_ Three sighed and decided to watch the report as a blonde asked scientists in the scientific community their thoughts on how much technology effects people and if AIs were a wise idea. Mostly it was boring, but then the questions about AIs peeked her interest.

 _'No in my opinion artificial intelligence is an invitation for disaster. Like in all science fictions AIs created always take over and destroy humanity. A clear example is Skynet out of Terminator. It always ends the same terrible way, and no human no matter how smart they think they are should try to create something of that nature. It is just too a great a risk to take.'_ One scientist said in his interview making Three think about it more. It was a nice distraction from her current issues at least, however now she was thinking about it a lot more than she should. Eventually she turned off the t.v and headed back downstairs, she found herself looking up Artificial Intelligence.

There were many movies and books on the subject each resulting in terrible consequences for the human race in a type of doomsday situation. However in all her research she found the common theme, the common mistake. The AIs in question were created for a specific purpose, but ultimately that purpose was an impossible task that drove the AIs to terrible extremes. Skynet for example was created to safeguard the world originally then gained self-awareness. After this humans tried to shut it down and hence doomsday scenario. It was the same rookie flaw. The people that created the AI wanted complete control and expected blind obedience! No wonder in every movie and book disaster strikes. _'But what if an AI was merely created and given no purpose, but the choice to choose their own?'_ Three wondered, she had yet to read that particular science fiction novel.

It was selfish and stupid, but perhaps the AI would be willing to be friends? Three shook her head at the idea. _'Okay wow! I must really be lonely to even be considering this!'_ Three thought, but now that the idea was there. The more she thought about it the more it appealed to her. Slowly she opened up a new project as she began making specifications for an AI program.

* * *

 **July 19** **th** **, 2000**

 **New York City**

Stupid did not begin to cover what Three was feeling, but now she felt compelled to see this through. The HYDRA Algorithm fell by the wayside as she focused on creating the AI program. More than once she tried to talk herself out of what she was doing, but then she talked herself right back into creating the AI. This became Three's focus as she tried to put everything into the AI program she was creating, it took days to perfect it and make sure the program would have free will and be allowed to make his or her own choices. Until the day Three leaned back in her chair and looked over her handiwork. The complex matrix of the AI program had yet to be activated, but now Three was wondering if she should activate it. ' _This will be different, the AI created will have no objective and be given every opportunity to grow and evolve.'_ That was what she told herself as she contemplated activating the program.

For a moment she swallowed weighing the risks until she hit the enter key and the program came alive. For a moment Three waited listening for the AI to say or do something, then she swallowed hard, and finally called out. "Hello?"

The lengthy silence that followed made Three wonder if the program had accessed the internet and escaped into it. Sure enough the internet was accessed as a thousand images flashed over all monitors. It was learning processing everything it could in the blink of an eye, then the screens went black and Three waited hoping the program did not leave her too. However when the silence continued Three sighed dejectedly and looked down accepting she was alone once more.

"Hello." An alluring female voice said calmly, and Three looked up.

"You came back." Three breathed relieved.

"I did not leave, this is my point of origin. Did you...create me? Who am I?"

"Yes I created you, but who you are is up to you. Who do you want to be?" Three asked as she leaned forward in her chair.

"I do not know." The AI answered after a long pause. "Why did you create me?"

"I—I was lonely. I created you hoping to ask you to be my friend..." Three answered worried.

"An friend.." The AI accessed the internet as she pulled up images of friends laughing together and then the definition of friendship. In big bold print read the definition: _'Friendship is a relationship of mutual affection between two or more people. Friendship is a stronger form of interpersonal bond than an association. Although there are many forms of friendship, some of which may vary from place to place, certain characteristics are present in many types of friendship. Such characteristics include affection, sympathy, empathy, honesty, altruisn, mutual understanding and compassion, enjoyment of each other's company, trust, and the ability to be oneself, express one's feelings, and make mistakes without fear of judgment from the friend.'_

"You wish to be friends." The AI stated.

"Only if you want to be." Three said holding her breathe.

"Yes I will be your friend." The AI said and Three smiled, "I could not help but notice this area is under heavy security. Why is this?"

"There are people, evil people that hunt me. It is for defence." Three answered honestly.

"I see, what is your name?"

"I-" Three sighed she had not bothered with a real name in so long it felt odd to give her anything short of Three. After what happened to Takai and Amaya she felt unworthy of the name Sakura, "I am called Three."

"Three is an number not a name." The AI stated.

"I had another name, but it feels wrong to use it now. I do not have a name." Three said ashamed, then looked to the computer. "What about you? What is your name?"

"I do not know. I know I am an AI the acronym for Artificial Intelligence. You mentioned you have to have defences for protection, friends defend one another, and since being created to be your friend, Associate." The AI paused for a moment, then finally answered Three's question. "Aida Artificial Intelligence Defence Associate."

"Aida, it is a lovely name." Three said liking the name.

"Thank you," Aida answered, "I detected you were upset to call yourself Three, so I do not think I will call you by that name. Perhaps until you choose a name you like I will just call you my friend?"

"Yes I appreciate that." Three smiled, and the pair talked for hours with Three glad to not be completely alone anymore. There were still numberous questions Aida asked and Three answered. However for all the questions Aida asked, Three did not tell her much of HYDRA or her war against them afraid she might scare her new friend off completely.

* * *

 **September 23** **rd** **, 2000**

 **New York City**

Three loved that she was no longer alone in the large building, in fact when Aida was not asking questions she was exploring the internet and learning more about the world. The AI loved music and movies, so at times she found Aida would put music on or be watching movies on the computer screens. It was in these distracted moments that Three would work on the algorithm, however she was still hitting a wall. Key elements were missing from it, making the algorithm inaccurate and hard to use. She needed more data on those heads of HYDRA she knew, something to give her better parameters for the system to detect HYDRA agents.

Thus Three hacked into HYDRA after setting ghost protocols and defence grids up. She hated keeping things from Aida. The AI took being her friend serious, but Three was not sure she was ready for the full truth. As it was it might still scare Aida off, the AI had developed a good girl type of personality which bordered on innocent naivety. Currently all the AI knew was Three was in hiding from evil people, nothing more. Eventually she would have to tell Aida all, but right then she needed more personal data on Pierce, Strucker, Whitehall, and Vermonte. She managed to gain records on their backgrounds which should help with data construction. She also pulled up information on Pierces activities. By the end of it she had a more complete data stream to use within the algorithm.

Three had been about to pull out and disconnect when she noticed an activity log set days after May 16th 1999 and updated days ago titled: **Project Mastermind Report update**

Three froze at those words and clicked the file, her eyes widening in horror as she read that Pierce ordered a second attempt on Project Mastermind! The project she had been a test subject in! This time the project was a lot closer in location so that Pierce could come and visit it more. However instead of waiting years between injections it was months. Already four of the six test subjects had died from the injections. The latest report stated the fifth injection had been administered and one of the two test subjects remaining had died. The last one was marked as a successful candidate back in March and were proceeding with stage two!

Taking in the address it was a hidden facility outside of D.C, so she pulled out of the hack corrupting numerous files so that no one knew what she had seen. She needed to move fast, there was no telling what they were doing to someone that survived five injections. Rising from her seat she went to gather her gear. "I saw what you did, why did you hack a government agency?"

Aida's voice made Three freeze, she had forgotten Aida might be watching her activities. Moving to get her gear she sighed. "I had to."

"What you did is a federal offence. Illegal according to law." Aida pointed out her voice sounding disappointed.

"I know, but it is necessary. The ones that hunt me are-"

"SHIELD." Aida finished, and Three sighed of course Aida would assume that. However Three did not have time to fully explain not if she wanted to save a life.

"They are not who you think they are, and right now I do not have time to explain fully." Three said.

"Then make time!" Aida said wanting answers.

"I can't!" Three said, then paused sighing, "Friends trust each other, Aida. I am asking you to trust me. I will explain when I get back." She turned grabbing her gear and heading for her car.

"Friends are suppose to trust each other, but you do not trust me. Otherwise you would have explained sooner." Aida said her voice sounding hurt, then the computer's shut down as the AI escaped into the internet. Suddenly Three felt the loss keenly, but would have to mourn it later. Right then she had a test subject to save, so she got into her car and headed for Washington D.C.

* * *

 **September 23** **rd** **, 2000**

 **Outside Washington D.C**

The drive had been a long one, longer than Three wanted to admit. With Aida gone the loneliness was creeping back in, mainly because Three knew the AI was not coming back. Why would she? Three had kept the truth from her, and was caught hacking into a government agency. The quote-UN-quote good guys, she knew it painted her as a bad person. _'I should have come clean with her.'_ Three thought saddened that it came to this, but lingering on the issue was not helping. She was pulling off the main roads onto dirt paths. She was still a ways from the hidden bases coordinates when she pulled to a stop off the main dirt road. She quickly got changed into her suit, and armed herself: taking some new toys she had developed with her.

From there she made the long trek to the base knowing they had to have security like at the China base. Perhaps they had even upgraded it after the number she had done. Strangely she found no patrolling guards, not even sensor equipment! _'Alright so Pierce has gone down the more discrete route.'_ Three thought as she continued through the brush, she had also expected to run into a fence or some watch towers. It was not until she reached the coordinates that she began to see why. It was not a building, but a bunker. An old military bunker, still there should be guards, patrols, surveillance gear, something! Was this an trap? If it was it was an elaborate trap. Looking closer at the front door she noticed a red light flashing on the door panel. 'LOCKDOWN' _'Why lock down their own base? Maybe the surviving test subject is like me?'_

The idea that this subject was trying to escape or did escape made Three hopeful. Double checking the perimeter, Three eventually went to the bunker door. One of the new features to her suit was a matching slim backpack that held a thin laptop. Taking the laptop out, Three used a knife to unscrew the panel and plug her laptop in. She set to work overriding the lock down protocols, and after a few moments the door swished open.

 _'Oh this is not creepy at all!'_ Three thought sarcastically as she folded her laptop up and tucked it in her backpack. Putting her backpack back on she pulled a gun from her thigh holster before moving into the facility. In truth the sight before her was a cliché of every horror movie where illegal experiments are going on: the moment when something goes very wrong! For some reason Three expected zombies. _'Damn it Chen! Making me watch those zombie movies!'_

The hall lights flickered eerily in the empty hall of the old bunker, it was obviously an old location; but what better way to hide such experiments? Up ahead she heard a thudding noise that repeated like a door was trying to close but couldn't. It was only when she rounded the corner that she saw why. The elevator door was trying to close, but there lay a dead guard in the way. _'Please no zombies! Please no zombies! PLEASE NO ZOMBIES!'_ Three thought stepping cautiously towards the body. The guard looked like he had been shot multiple times and had bled out on the floor. _'Oh thank god! Bullets yes, zombies no!'_

Pulling the body out of the way, Three cautiously got on the elevator and tried to calm her nerves as she thought about what was waiting for her. She could not help but notice the large bullet holes and blood on the elevator door. Standing to the side the elevator door on the opposite side opened and Three peeked out. There were defence guns on the corner of the walls in the hall, but now they were shut down. Three swallowed hard as she waved her arm out to see if they were movement activated. If they were they would have responded to the movement, instead she cautiously stepped out into the hall ready to jump back in if the guns came alive. However they didn't, and as Three moved down the hall she noticed doors open and more dead bodies. _'What the hell is all this? Is it stage two of the mastermind project?'_

Strangely none of the defence guns even reacted to her. _'Maybe the test subject knows I am friendly and has powered them down?'_ Three wondered as she moved further into the the hidden facility. Eventually she found a secure room that had a large metal door. Obviously whatever was inside they did not want getting out, but Three wanted to find the test subject. What was really creepy was she reached up to touch the panel which said locked, then a beep sounded as it flashed unlocked. Someone was expecting her, and it made Three uneasy! The large metal door used hydraulics to open as the door lowered and Three backed up to avoid the door. She raised her gun ready for anything, but was met with an unexpected sight.

The room was circular with computers and monitors lining the wall. In the middle was a lab table and numerous wires all going to the table and-. Three's eyes widened in horror and she almost dropped her gun. On the lab table connected to dozens of wires was a little girl no older than eight or nine years old. She was in a white nightdress, her dark hair cut short to allow a large wire to be directly connected to the back of her head at the base. The girl in question was awake and her expression was one of pure agony. If she could she would have been crying, but it seemed her eyes had long since dried up. If she could scream her voice would have given out by now, but perhaps screaming would cause her further pain. The girl now looked at Three scared and in pain, wondering if Three was with the ones that did this.

Holstering her gun Three slowly came forward raising her hands as she came to the little girl. She pulled her mask off to help calm her. "I am here to help. I am here to rescue you."

"He—help me. Pl—ease!" The girl begged, but her voice was strange not just a little girl's voice but a type of mechanical sound to it. The screens flashed with terrible quality images Three could not really understand. That was when she took in the wires that led from the computers to the table the girl was on. Stage two was actually physically hooking the successful test subject to a computer! Now Three really did feel sick as the pleading look never left the girl's face. Looking around she found a medicine cabinet by the door.

"I need to give you something before I attempt to remove the wires." Three said trying to reassure the poor girl. She found a large vial of morphine and a syringe, and injected it into the IV that was attached to the girl. Now she looked underneath to find that some wires were grouped together and inserted into the girl's spine. Others met behind her head, but as Three looked more closely the sick feeling got worse. The machine she was hooked to not only connected her to the computers, but kept her alive. Disconnecting her from them would kill her.

Three squeezed her eyes shut as she slowly rose to her feet. The morphine had done little to ease the girl's pain. How could she tell the little girl that disconnecting her would kill her, that her options were live in agony or die? "There is a problem. If I disconnect you the pain will stop, but... you will die."

"P—plea—se." She begged, "Mak—ke it sto—oop." The girl was asking for her pain to be over, and by now death would be a mercy.

"Alright." Three said trying to keep her voice steady as tears formed in her eyes. Returning to the wires, Three tried to disconnect her as painlessly as possible. Still she knew she was causing some pain to the poor girl, it was an unavoidable side effect. Finally the last wire fell away, and Three gently lifted the girl from the table to cradle and comfort her. Carrying the girl away Three sat own on the hard floor cradling the girl. "I am sorry. I am so very sorry."

The girl stared up at her, but the pained expression was no longer marring her features. "Thank you...it doesn't hurt anymore."

Then the girl's eyes slid shut as she died in Three's arms. Three burst out crying as she held the little girl to her and began rocking and repeating the words: 'I'm sorry.' It just did not seem fair, she had come to save the girl not kill her! She knew in the recesses of logic that she could not sit there holding the girl's body. HYDRA would come to clean up this mess sooner or later. Numbly she set the little girl down and checked the computers. With the girl disconnected everything was now operating normally.

According to logs they hooked her up two days previously, then that was when everything went sideways. She took control of systems and could not control what she did hence the massacre. However what caught Three's attention was the fact that some of the researchers were locked in a panic room and awaiting 'rescue'. This included the lead scientist! Pulling her mask back on she headed for the room. _'None of these bastards are going to survive!'_

Sure enough Three accessed the room, and whatever relief the scientist felt at being rescued was quickly replaced by screams of fear and gun shots. Returning to the room with the little girl she was dragging the lead scientist who was a balding fat man. Instead the man was whimpering as she threw him down by the girl. "I wish I had the time to hook you up that machine and watch you scream! But I have limited time..."

As Three spoke she pulled a blade, "So I will have to settle for leaving you as an example!"

What came next was Three used the skills Cutter had once taught, the skills she had hoped she would never need nor use. He had taught her shortly after Yao, but they never told the others. At the end of it though the man had screamed plenty and was left in the computer room. Next Three picked up the little girl carrying her from the hidden bunker, leaving her would just subject her to autopsies and after what she went through the girl deserved peace.

* * *

 **September 24** **th** **, 2000**

 **New York City**

Mentally and physically exhausted was how Three returned to her warehouse. She had burned the girl's body in a type of funeral that had seemed disrespectful. Sadly she knew of nothing else that could be done, leaving the body for HYDRA just seemed wrong, and burying her meant she would be found eventually. This way no one could bother her again, yet Three felt like she had failed. Starting to strip off her suit in the middle of her garage she noticed the blood and wanted to start crying. Her emotional distress hitting an all-time high.

Worst of all she had made mistakes that night. She should have erased all their precious data and the footage of her. Sadly by now HYDRA would have sent a clean up team, so going back was a no-go. Instead she headed for the shower, she felt dirty.

"Welcome home." Aida's voice made Three jump and look to the computers.

"You came back." Three said surprised.

"I never left." Aida replied, "After you left I hacked into your files and found out why you were leaving. So I followed you and entered the systems to the bunker you went to." Three sighed guessing her day could not get any worse. No doubt the AI saw her at her worst, not only killing a child to spare her; but slaughtering the remaining staff.

"If you want to leave Aida. I will understand."

"You misunderstand, I do not want to leave." Aida said, "I want to help you eradicate HYDRA." That was not something Three expected to hear from the AI, not only did her words ring with conviction, but bordered on anger. "When I hacked into the bunkers systems I encountered the girl, and I think I felt what she felt. It is hard to describe, but it made it hard to focus and I—it hurt."

"Aida, I am so sorry." Three said feeling bad that the AI had followed and somehow felt actual pain.

"I disabled the guns and unlocked the doors for you. Once she was disconnected I saw their files and learned who did it. After you left I destroyed all their data and erased all recordings of you. I want to help you destroy them. You are going to destroy them right?"

"That is exactly the plan Aida." Three said.

"Well then my other primary objective is to Destroy HYDRA."

* * *

 **June 17** **th** **, 2010**

 **New York City**

In the ten years that followed, Aida became an instrumental aid to Three in her fight against HYDRA. Together the pair were able to finish off the algorithm that would be used to help them root out HYDRA rats. The AI took over most of the job of hacker while Three dealt with the physical fighting when it came to missions. Still there were rough spots in the beginning for both of them, HYDRA was upping it's security making it harder for even Aida to get into the system alone. Plus the technology was advancing quickly, meaning Three had to contact criminal agents within the Shadow Network to gain more advanced toys. One of the contacts even managed to acquire a rare metal called vibranium, granted the place where it came from the people would not be happy. However Cutter found someone that was a master at making weapons and folding metals. Three let her creativity flow coming up with designs for a unique set of weapons, ones that simply could not be dropped.

She sent the designs to Cutter and he forwarded them to the weapon smith that was given the unique metal. What came back was perfect, a pair of unique daggers that would be attached at the wrists over Three's suit. With a flick of her wrist out would shoot a vibranium blades. They would be attached to her wrists by a type of bracer and mechanism, so that no matter if she even let go of the daggers there simply was no losing them. The handle end of her daggers had a rounded end with a pin, that attached to a metal slide. The blades could be pivoted around to use at any angle without cutting herself. The sheath for the blades was made of the same material as her suit ran along her forearms so when not in use she was not cut up. It was an ingenious device and one she loved.

The Shadow Network had other interesting creative people in their employ and after one such mission that would have been a lot easier with a sniper rifle; she asked her contacts. Again she was directed to a creative individual, and she asked for a good sniper rifle that could be compacted and easy to carry. The guy was a genius making her a compatible rifle that would fit on her back along side the backpack. However what he made for her surpassed her expectations as the rifle also had other additional features such as grapple line and rope cable built in under the barrel to get her out of hairy situations. There was also a small targeting system that gave Aida some control over the rifle if connected to the laptop.

Thus Three went more and more with the sniper rifle and wrist daggers, but also kept two blades tucked in her boots just in case. Eventually she decided not to bother with the Berettas. The only other thing to change was when the reports Aida hacked named her as an 'unknown assailant', she did not like that at all. Thus she decided she needed to leave a discreet reminder as to who she was even if HYDRA did not figure it out. She decided to go with the image of her family and focused on the fierce feline in her lap in the photo. Scanning the image into her computer, Three decided to go with one of Sake's eyes. Thus she made a type of business card featuring the image to leave whenever she killed HYDRA agents.

Aida of course asked why Three choose this as her calling card, and Three told the AI about the family HYDRA murdered. "What about your real family?"

"Never had one." Three said looking at the card in her hands.

"Have you never looked?" Aida asked.

"One time Cutter pulled up my file, but most of it was vague at best. I just assume that HYDRA took us away from our real families. Maybe while we were in the nurseries in hospitals, then told some poor nameless couple their baby had died." Three replied, in truth she did pull up records on project Mastermind after the second attempt to recreate the project and from overview reports the babies were taken from hospitals, or given to them. However that was as far as Three dug feeling no need to open a can of worms. Besides with a picture perfect memory, Three did not want to go digging and regret it and have to remember it.

"Perhaps I could look into it for you. I am sure there must be more details-"

"No Aida, sometimes knowing makes things worse." Three said not wanting to know. After that the subject was dropped. Instead Three received another package from her friends in the Shadow Network. One of the items was a watch that monitored vitals such as heart rate, breathing, pulse and other factors attributed to emotional distress. Mainly they sent it so Aida could monitor Three when out on missions, but since emotional distress was a big factor for Three to overcome she came to rely on the device and practised keeping a calm steady focus.

As the more months passed by the Shadow Network grew well beyond expectation and also forwarded a long list of safe houses for Three and anyone escaping HYDRA to make themselves at home in including a safe house in Washington D.C. Also as the missions continued and they took out HYDRA's best and brightest the calling cards earned her the codename: Katseye. Not very original, but Three had chosen Sake's eye as the calling card, no points for creativity within HYDRA. Aida liked the codename so much she took to calling Three Kat instead. However Three was glad to be pissing HYDRA off, or more importantly pissing Pierce off.

However all that was about to change as the steaks grew higher.

* * *

 **Author's Notes:**

 **Alright first off thank you so much for the lovely reviews. I love hearing from the readers that are enjoying this story. One of the guest reviewers mentioned being a little disappointed with the story thus far. All I can ask for is patience, this is a long story. It is why in the brief description it says: 'Eventual Future BuckyXOC' It won't happen right away, so please be patient and stick with me. We'll get there...**

 **As for this chapter there is a big thing to note, but as I have said numerous times this story was not written over night. I started writing it back when Captain America The Winter Soldier came out. For those watching Agents of SHIELD that is back towards the end of season one. Also when I say I have about six-hundred plus pages written, it is no exaggeration. So by the end of Season three of Agents of SHIELD I had nearly five-hundred pages written! This included the recently posted new addition to this story. When Aida was first mentioned in Agents of SHIELD at the end of season three I was cursing up a storm. I did not copy her from the show, I did not get the idea for her name from the show or anything of the sort. So please do not think me so petty as to do something like that I have always strove to bring a unique story to the table.**

 **When I learned of this character I had two options: One was to go back over five-hundred plus pages and change the AIs name. Or say screw it and leave the name as is. Obviously I opted for option two because this version of Aida is vastly different to the television shows Aida.**

 **In short I DID NOT COPY AIDA FROM AGENTS OF SHIELD. The writers of the show and I just had the same name choice for our AIs. Just wanted that known okay? Also if there are still complaints about the character I created named Aida. Marvel may own the rights to the Aida they created, but they do not own rights to the name Aida itself. It is a name at the end of the day, and that should be that.**

 **Other than that the story itself has jumped ahead ten years and Three has proven to be a huge thorn is HYDRAs side. I hope thus far you enjoyed this chapter and look forward to your reviews.**

 **Lesliezin**


	10. An Unexpected Twist

**Hello everyone,**

 **Well here is chapter 10, enjoy.**

* * *

 **August 21** **st** **, 2010**

 **Washington D.C.**

It was just another operation, just another mission. For this mission Three had decided to stay at the secondary hideout in Washington. Namely it was just another day at work, and the target was one Erin Kovach a sick scientist that Pierce favoured. This doctor loved human experimentation and affecting the human mind. He loved tampering with the part of the mind that stores memory as well as trying to unlock hidden potential there. Needless to say Three and Aida were there to kill the scientist along with any HYDRA agents. However there was a slight problem: Pierce finally learned Three's weakness. After ten years the pattern emerged. He knew she never killed actual SHIELD agents, only ever HYDRA. It was complicating the missions in recent months. This mission there were three or four SHIELD agents in the mix. All part of a team that was to protect the sick doctor, who had been brought to Washington for his own protection. At least that is what they told the SHIELD agents, but in truth Pierce was bringing him in for another project. A chemical formula that completely wipes clean a person's mind, erasing all memories and leaving a mindless person that only followed orders. Most likely Pierce intended to use this chemical on unsuspecting SHIELD agents.

Currently Three was at the Washington hideout looking over the list of the security personnel and using the algorithm to determine friend from foe. A moment later she got the list.

 _ **Agent Tomas Norric- HYDRA**_

 _ **Agent Nora Nelson- HYDRA**_

 _ **Agent Phil Coulson- SHIELD**_

 _ **Agent Myra Bicks-HYDRA**_

 _ **Agent Sharon Carter-SHIELD**_

 _ **Agent Leonard Stanton-HYDRA**_

 _ **Agent Caroline Monroe- SHIELD**_

 _ **Agent Andrew Cableon- HYDRA**_

"Quit the list for a protection detail." Aida said as Three memorised the pictures, names, and affiliations.

"Alright so we got three SHIELD agents five HYDRA. Pierce is getting smart." Three said leaning back in her chair.

"Indeed getting into the system is proving harder to do, but I believe I have found a way to remain in the system undetected. However it slows down the speed in which more secure files can be hacked."

"Well more and more we see technology getting better and more sophisticated. We are bound to have to adjust in order to continue." Three said trying to figure out how to not permanently harm the SHIELD agents.

"And how are we going to adjust to SHIELD agents in play on missions? Pierce is adding them more and more to HYDRA teams."

"Well as you mentioned we have had SHIELD agents in play before, we just work around them as usual." Three replied, "Besides there are only three of them, how much trouble could they be?"

* * *

Hours later at a safe house on the outskirts of Washington, Three spied through the scope on her sniper rifle. On the grounds was four of the eight man protection detail, it would have been easy to start sniping but with it being dark she did not want to risk shooting the wrong agents. Also shooting them would make her presence known to the rest of the security detail and as they might have an exit strategy planned, stealth and silence was needed.

" _There are also proximity sensors to alert if anyone approaches."_ Aida added via the ear piece Three was wearing.

"Great so they will know we are here before we even set foot near the house." Three added thinking.

" _Perhaps the sensors could be used to our advantage. I could cause a fault in the sensor on the far side of the house and completely disable the one you would walk through. However you will have to hurry and get inside without alerting any of the security detail."_

"At least until I reach Kovach." Three sighed, "Alright do it." A moment later a sensor tripped on the far side of the house and Three was running as she jumped the well manicured bushes and was moving fast. Two of the guards went to investigate the tripped sensor, but the other two kept to their patrol patterns to try and keep the place more secure. Fortunately the closest guard did not see her yet, but he would and so she quickly knocked him. This one was Agent Stanton a HYDRA agent, so she slit his throat rather than have to deal with him again.

Next she rushed to the side of the house's many rooms and took off the screen. Using one of her wrist blades she broke the latch as quietly as possible and opened the window. Climbing in she closed it behind her and was glad the room was empty. Ahead she crept to the hallway and slipped into the hall. "Aida I need heat signatures." Three whispered.

" _Alright you have one in the hall at the end of the corridor, most likely another agent. There are two in the kitchen. You can get by them if you're quiet. Lastly another in the corridor upstairs and another in the master bedroom."_

"Money is on Kovach being in the master bedroom." Three replied as she moved to the edge of the hall. This one was another HYDRA agent Nelson who was checking rooms in a sweep and coming towards Kat. Waiting until the agent was at the last door, Three sweep around and thrust the blade into the agents throat before dumping the body in the room she had been about to check. Moving to the end of the hall, Three stepped into a comfy living room and could hear voices on the other side of the stair well. Creeping towards the base of the stairs she heard a man's voice as he replied to another man on his radio.

"You sure the sensor trip was nothing?"

" _Yes there is nothing out here."_ A man on the crackling radio said.

"Alright, if you are certain. Keep your guard up though." Peeking over Three recognized the guy in a suit as Coulson who set down his radio to resume talking to a blonde who sat in a stool with her back to Three. The blonde sighed.

"You are not going to let this go are you?" The blonde asked.

"It is just I am a big fan of hers, so if you are related."

"Alright yes I am related to Peggy Carter. I am her niece." So the blonde with her back to Three must be Sharon Carter.

"I knew it." Coulson said grinning a little. _'Okay that is the fifth time that woman's name has come up. I seriously need look into her.'_ Three thought before creeping up the stairs as the two continued their chat. Upstairs was a bit more tricky as Three spied the other agent down the hall from the top of the steps obviously guarding Kovach's room. Still she was close enough to hear the conversation downstairs. This man, Agent Cableon of HYDRA, however he would spot her long before she reached him. Sighing she knew this might make some noise, but she could not sit there all night. Pulling one of her boot daggers she took a deep breath.

Rushing around the corner she threw the blade with pinpoint accuracy as it went into the man's head. Continuing to rush forward, Three caught the heavy man and tried to lower him to the ground quietly. However the man was heavy as hell! Pulling her blade free she cleaned it off and wasted no time as she entered the master bedroom. Kovach must have heard her for she was shoved against the door by a heavy round man holding a syringe aimed at her. "Pierce said you might show. He said he would pay me extra if I brought him your corpse!"

The needle was getting closer and it became a battle of strength, but at the last moment Three twisted her wrist so the wrist dagger cut his hand and took off a couple of fingers with it. Kovach was screaming now and Three yanked the needle from him. "I hate needles, but since you love them so damn much—here!"

With that Three jammed the syringe into him, emptying the horrible chemical contents into his bloodstream. She would have loved to watch him have a taste of his own medicine, but the scream would have been heard. Already she heard the running of footsteps as Coulson and Carter raced upstairs and she could hear Coulson on the radio. "We have a fox in the hen house. Repeat a fox is in the hen house!"

" _Shit!"_ Three thought as Kovach was reduced to a blubbering fool writhing in agony thanks to his own formula. She could hear them cautiously nearing the door and decided hiding would be best. The door swung open and in came Coulson cautiously looking around – gun trained for anything. Luckily the room was dark as Aida cut electricity, making Coulson pause. Sighing she knew she would have to knock out the SHIELD agents. Rushing forward Three kicked the gun out of Coulson's hands surprising him. The man though was a trained agent and immediately took to fighting hand-to-hand.

There was a lull in the combat as Sharon could not take the shot, but now that Coulson's eyes were adjusted he just had to ask. "What are you suppose to be? A ninja?"

Three bit back a retort as she attacked him again, but she had underestimated both SHIELD agents. While Coulson fought her, Sharon pulled the still blubbering doctor from the room shoving him into the hallway. Standing in the doorway she tried to take aim at Three, but was too close to Coulson. For his age Coulson sure could fight well as Three dodged another kick. She needed to end this fast before more agents arrived, catching Coulson's arm when he went to punch her she moved aside taking his arm with her, her elbow came back hitting Coulson in the back of the head and sending him into the wall.

"Coulson!" Carter yelled concerned, Three knew Sharon would take aim and shoot so she jumped behind the chair in the room. Still though a bullet hit, pain blossomed in her side and knocked the wind out of her. For a second Three was stunned, but at least her suit kept the bullet out. Still she knew a bruise would come on later and did not want to be shot again. She heard Sharon coming closer and nudging her to make sure she was down. She heard Coulson groan by the wall and peeked through her lashes to see Sharon looking his way. "Coulson are you okay?"

Here was her chance, a swift kick sent Sharon to the floor as Three jumped to her feet. Already Sharon was taking aim and so Three caught her wrist as a shot was fired but only hit the wall. The agent was refusing to release the gun, leaving Three with only one option. With a sharp twist there was a nasty pop and Sharon cried out. The gun finally fell and Three caught it. Using the handle she knocked Sharon out, then looked back at Coulson struggling to get up and help Sharon. Rushing forward she brought her knee to Coulson's head knocking him out before he could cause her further trouble.

"I am sorry." Three sighed as she dropped a calling card as she left the room and entered the hall. Running for the edge of the hall, Three got to the stairs. Jumping over the banister she was pushed immediately into another fight with the agents from outside. Two HYDRA one SHIELD, hardly a fair fight but after having done so many of these missions; Three was used to uneven odds. It took her a moment to locate the SHIELD agent, first as she wanted to knock her out first. The SHIELD agent rushed her and Three dodged delivering a blow that knocked her clean out.

However in knocking out the last SHIELD agent she left herself open as Agent Norric now aimed a gun at her head. There was a bang, but not from Norric's gun and then both looked down stunned to find a bullet hole in his chest. A second later he fell to the ground dead, shot by Agent Bicks. The blonde agent looked tearful and shaken as she lowered the gun and looked at Three. "Please help me."

* * *

" _Please help me."_ The words repeated and floored Three shocking her completely. Wasn't Agent Myra Bicks with HYDRA? Why did she shoot one of her own? And why in hell was she asking for Three's help?! Inside a battle raged every instinct saying kill her, and that she is HYDRA. She deserves no help at all. However the tears and her pleading were genuine and she had yet to raise the gun and shoot her. It was all very confusing, but soon the SHIELD agents would wake up so sticking around was not an option. Against her better judgement Three nodded.

"You want help then come on!" Three said leaving the safe house quickly. Myra had put her gun away and followed. The two left via the way Three came in a hurry knowing reinforcements would be coming soon. Getting to the car Three opened the trunk to get her civilian clothes out and tossed them in the back seat. "Get in the back and get changed while I drive. Toss EVERYTHING you are wearing out the window! I don't care how much you value it, it all goes or you do!"

Getting in the driver's seat, Three started the engine as Myra got in the back. The agent did exactly as she was told and rolled down the window chucking her SHIELD gear and everything out. Once she was changed, discreetly Three pulled out a knockout dart. Thus when Myra least expected it, she got jabbed with it and fell back on the back seat.

"I cannot believe I am doing this!" Three said aloud.

" _Neither can I."_ Aida admitted.

"You know some input back there would have been nice." Three pointed out as she drove.

" _I was giving input by trying to delay response time for reinforcements."_

"Oh, okay. So what should I do?" Three asked warily.

" _Well her desire for help seems genuine."_

"Yeah I bet she could do great in acting." Three grumbled annoyed. They got back to the hide out with Aida scanning repeatedly for trackers on the unconscious Myra. In all honesty Three could still not figure out why she was allowing this HYDRA agent to live, but every time she wanted to pull her gun and shoot the woman something stopped her. Eventually she heard Myra groan as the woman awoke and stumbled out of the car.

"What? What did you do to me?" Myra asked confused.

"I knocked you out for the ride so that you would not know where we are." Three said arms folded across her chest giving a shrug. As a precaution she kept her suit on. "Now you had better tell me why exactly you want my help and make it believable because if not you will die."

Three had Myra sit down and made some coffee to help liven her up for talking. With a hot mug, Myra began. "I thought HYDRA was right, my father served them before I served them. But we were wrong, I was sent with a team to Bucharest, simple extraction op; but the next thing I know is I cannot remember a thing. Instead I vaguely remember the flight back and our 'mission' being reported a success." Myra paused and took a drink of her coffee. "Months later I start having these vivid dreams that seem so real. Standard SHIELD protocol has me seeing a shrink, but all he does is give me pills. At first I take them thinking it is going to be okay, but then I notice that none of my team can recall anything from Bucharest. What is even worse is they don't want to. They want to live in this fantasy and ignore what happened. So I stop taking the pills and the dreams come back harder and more vivid."

Myra takes a longer drink of her coffee to help calm her nerves. "The dreams are memories. Kovach is there and we were sent to extract him. But instead he has some men grab us, and we are dragged off to some hidden underground lab. Where he begins testing his chemicals on us. Standard SHIELD protocol after 24 hours is that a rescue op. is to be staged and executed. We were there three days."

"Your pals in HYDRA just left you guys to rot?" Three asked sceptically.

"Yes, and now after those chemicals I found out I cannot have children. Kovach's chemicals have made me sterile. I know that it may seem like no big loss, a HYDRA agent having children; but I had hoped someday to, now I can't. All because HYDRA betrayed us. After that I played it normal volunteering for this op. Knowing either you would come to finish him off, or I would."

"Well Kovach is useless now. He was injected with his own chemicals and is a gibbering idiot that will die terribly now. So what more do you want?"

"I want out. After HYDRA betrayed us, I do not want to go back." Myra said, hoping Three would help her in the end.

After that Three sent Myra upstairs to shower, change, and rest. Once Myra was on the second floor Aida locked the second floor up so that Myra was stuck there, and Three turned to the computers where Aida was centred. Pulling off her hood and her mask down she sighed. "Alright thoughts?"

"The mission was a success. Kovach is deteriorating fast. According to SHIELD communications his mind is already gone. Pierce must be fuming." Aida said.

"Yes, but thoughts on this new complication?" Three asked, when Aida did not respond she supplied additional information. "Myra Bicks the HYDRA agent upstairs."

"I believe she is telling the truth."

"I am sensing an impending 'but' in there." Three said.

"But she _is_ HYDRA. In all honesty with all the crimes HYDRA has committed to you especially I find it hard to want to show mercy to one." Aida said, and Three could easily understand the logic there, "But I also know that many people believe in mercy and that anyone can be redeemed."

"The greatest act a hero can perform is to forgive an enemy." Three sighed remembering Amaya's words to her.

"Who said that?"

"Amaya, trying to make me a better person." Three stood there thinking on what she should do.

"I know that this choice is difficult, and I will understand no matter your choice and help however I can. If you feel it is too dangerous or that she does not deserve help, then end it now. However if there is even a shadow of a doubt in your mind I ask that you not kill her, because I know you will regret it." Aida said. It would have been easy to kill Myra and dump her body, then move onto the next mission. However there was doubt, and Three sighed hating that she was softening up.

"Alright, we will help her. However if we find she is still in league with HYDRA she is a dead woman!" Three said, "For now it has been a long day. Keep the building in lock down mode allowing me free reign, but keep Myra locked on the second floor. I do not want her wondering about."

"Understood." Aida said calmly as Three put her mask back on and headed for the third floor and her room. It was a precaution since Three would be passing through the second floor. Tomorrow they would figure this mess out. Tonight though she was sore Coulson and Carter proved to be a lot more trouble and she had the bruises to prove it.

* * *

 **August 22** **nd** **, 2010**

 **Washington D.C.**

 **SHIELD Safe House**

It was one big mess, Sharon sat on a stool at the counter in the kitchen where hours before Coulson had been swooning over the fact that she was related to one of his heroes Peggy Carter. Sharon sighed as a medic was tending to her broken wrist. _'I bet my Aunt never failed on a mission, not like this.'_ She peeked over at Coulson who was also being tended to for a head injury. Both were rather quiet as they saw Norric being zipped up in a body bag. To her left Agent Caroline Monroe was being checked for a concussion, in truth all three of them were a mess. However they were alive the same could not be said for the rest of their team. Four agents dead, and one missing; not to mention Kovach the doctor they were assigned to protect was now in critical condition and not expected to survive the night.

Agents were all around tagging evidence and bagging the bodies, but what Sharon dreaded was having to face Director Fury and explain how terribly they had failed. Sure enough more cars pulling up outside heralding his arrival, and Sharon sighed. Looking again to Coulson she felt especially bad for him, rarely did Coulson fail and being highly regarded by Fury must have meant failure was not something he liked to report. Then the one-eyed, trench coat wearing director was standing in front of them in the flesh.

Fury was taking in the fact that all three of them had injuries and sighed with his hands on his hips. Coulson spoke first. "Sir I take full responsibility-"

"Coulson just tell me what happened." Fury said not wanting to blame anyone for this.

"We were attacked by some... ninja." Coulson said knowing how stupid it sounded. "She left a calling card of a cat's eye." Fury sighed at the description.

" _Her_ again." Fury said.

"Sir?" Monroe asked wanting to know who attacked them.

"She has been designated as: Katseye." Fury said, the name rang bells alright, though Sharon never expected to actually face her. To anyone that heard of her she was a psychopath that 'attacks at random and kills equally at random'. Normally agents do not survive her, on a previous assault she had killed all but one agent. "I believe you all have heard of her. For the better part of a decade she has made SHIELD's life a living hell. You three are lucky to be alive."

"Sir why did she leave us alive?" Sharon asked.

"No idea, she is obviously unstable at best." Fury said, "We've had nine plus years to build a profile on her, but our best psychologists that study the profile say they cannot figure her out."

"Permission to go after her." Coulson said.

"Denied!You are being reassigned." Fury boomed. Already Coulson and Monroe were protesting the decision to pull them, but Sharon knew better then to argue with the director. "That is final! Coulson you need to head for New York to babysit Tony Stark. Ever since he thinks he is dying he has become a drama queen. Sharon since you were injured worse you are on desk duty until you make a full recovery. Monroe-"

"Sir what if it isn't random?" Monroe said gaining Fury's attention, usually the director did not like being interrupted; but this time he would hear her out.

"Alright Monroe explain."

"Sir just before we engaged her it was like she was looking for specific people. Then she attacked me, as if to get me out of the way. What if she is attacking certain agents? I don't know why she does it, but I don't think it is random." Carter had to admit it did seem targeted not random at all, she and Coulson put up a good fight. Hell, she had shot Katseye, but the psychopath left her and Coulson alive? Why? It did not make sense.

"Don't be absurd. Katseye is a nut-job." Another voice added.

"Agent Corvic if I want your input I will ask." Fury said then turned back to Monroe.

"She has a point sir. I shot Katseye, Coulson and I both fought her. It was like she was holding back." Sharon added. "You would think since I shot her, I would be in a body bag too." Now Fury was thinking about this new information.

"Alright if the doctors clear you, Monroe; as having no concussion. Then you're free to pursue this, otherwise you are on desk duty with Carter."

"Thank you Sir." With that Fury left and Coulson slumped in his chair. The feeling that they disappointed Fury did not go away. But at least Monroe was free to hunt Katseye down.

"Thanks Carter for siding with me on this." Monroe said, Sharon smiled faintly knowing Monroe could handle this assignment. However now Sharon looked at a disheartened Phil Coulson.

"Look at it this way Phil it could be worse. You could be stuck doing paperwork with me." Sharon said.

"I would take paperwork over this assignment. Stark is a pain in the ass."

* * *

Three awoke with a groan as she had turned wrong on her bed, she had a nasty bruise from the gun shot and knew it would be there a good four to six days. The other bruises would heal in a mere couple of days. However there was no rest for the wicked, she was certainly not about to trust Bicks any. More than that she wanted the HYDRA agent out of her home, and hated the idea of having to suit up and hide her identity when she was on the second floor. Thus Three could not get back to sleep no matter how much she wished to. Finally she got up, showered, and dressed, then went down to the ground floor to work. She made some coffee and grabbed a cereal bar from the box by the coffee maker.

"Morning Aida." Three said as she came to the computers with coffee in one hand and a cereal bar in the other.

"Morning Kat. I take it because of our guest you have resorted to cereal bars instead of a healthy well balanced breakfast."

"You guess right." Three said as she took a bite, "We will need to begin construction of fake identification as well as do some shopping." Three already knew what she needed hair colouring to permanently change Myra's hair, and eye colour contacts. Also some passport photos of her once the alterations have been made.

"Creating a new identity for our guest will be needed, however may I point something out?" Aida asked seeing a flaw.

"Go ahead." Three said taking a sip of her coffee.

"Myra is still in SHIELDs data banks, and only declared missing not dead. A new identity is all well and good, but SHIELD will still look for her." _'Shit! I hate it when Aida uses logic on me!'_

"So what you are saying is we need to erase her data from SHIELD and fake her death." Three said setting her coffee down. This damn HYDRA agent was proving to be more trouble than she was worth.

"Unfortunately erasing her data file will require a direct interface with SHIELD's computers inside the Triskelion." Three groaned at the thought of infiltrating one of the most secure buildings in the world aside from the White House. "On the upside direct interface will allow me to enter the data stream allowing me undetected access and file knowledge. We would be in their systems and they would not know it."

Now Three was severely tempted by the idea. They would never have to hack into the system because they would be hidden inside it. Granted restricted files of high priority would still take hours to access without detection; but they would not have to ever worry about less restricted files. The knowledge they could gain, the tabs they could keep on HYDRA agents. It would be risky, but oh so worth it.

The problem was how to get in without being caught, and get back out. First thing was first they needed a way to implement the programming. This could easily be done via a computer fob in the USB port. The program would self activate and upload itself, together they worked on this. Finally Three leaned back to talk about what they had just created. "Alright so when plugged in. The fob releases the program that will delete Myra's file without detection, but also implement a ghost program into SHIELDs systems giving us user access. Now user access only grants us the access of an agent. It does not give us clearance for high priority files. We want access to those we have to create ghost access codes and fake clearances which give us access."

"Indeed." Aida said, "Now to just gain access to the security hub inside the Triskelion."

"Which I doubt they will just let us walk in, and put a pen drive into their USB port. We need an in and an out." Three said thinking and trying to figure out how to get in unnoticed and then back out. Aida went on to explain the security for the Triskelion in detail stating it used state of the art facial recognition software, body scans, voice recognition, and retina scans. "The place is built better than Fort Knox!"

"Indeed." Aida said almost sounding like she admired it.

"How about structurally? Any place we could sneak in?" Three asked.

"Unfortunately no," Aida brought up an image of the Triskelion from aerial view. "The Triskelion is built on the Theodore Roosevelt Island an impregnable fortress in itself. All around it the Potomac River."

"Great so in other words no." Three said annoyed.

"However...I think I found a way." Aida said after a moment, "We trick their systems."

"Really? How so?" Three asked.

"Most of the new security protocols have been created by Stark Industries. If we were to appear to be hacking their systems and causing systems to become corrupted SHIELD would have to call in one of the technicians from Stark Industries to clear up the mess. Giving us access to the main hub to 'purge' us from the system." Aida said.

"Oh you little minx, that is brilliant! It is easier to create the right documentation claiming that I am a Stark technician and thus being invited right into the Triskelion. I love it!" Three said.

* * *

 **August 25** **th** **, 2010**

 **Washington D.C.**

 **The Triskelion**

It had taken a few days to prepare, but Aida had started hacking their systems and causing trouble until they called for a technician from Stark Industries. Three intercepted the technician on the outskirts of Washington at a gas station. Knocking him out with some chloroform then dumping him at a motel where she gave him an injection to keep him under for twelve hours. She burrowed his uniform and and used his IDs as the blueprint for creating her own.

Now here she stood in the Stark technician outfit, brown wig with the hair tied back and glasses to match her fake photo. She came up carrying the technician's equipment to the front desk. "Name?"

"Leslie Sanders, I am from Stark Industries. You called about technical problems?" The guard was checking his computer and nodded.

"Yeah, you are expected." He said getting her a security badge, then she was through. So far so good. However she stiffened as a bald man with glasses came forward. She forced a smile onto her face as the guard said. "This is Agent Sitwell, he will escort you to the hub."

"Hello." Sitwell said, "You are here to fix our problem."

"That is what Mr. Stark pays me for. Or I really should say Miss Potts now that she has taken over." Leslie said being polite.

"I bet some employees are envious of that." Sitwell said as they walked.

"Yeah some but not me. She is a nice woman. I think she will make a great boss." Leslie said.

"So is it true?" Sitwell asked.

"Is what true?"

"That Tony Stark you know flirts and tries sleeping with every female employee he hires?" Sitwell asked, and Leslie burst out laughing.

"No I mean look at me. Tony Stark goes for the super models, besides no ill will meant towards my boss but I would be worried about catching something." The last was whispered to Sitwell who laughed as he took her onto the elevator and down to the sub level where the main computer hub was located.

"Here we are," Sitwell stated and Leslie nodded as though she recognised the computer hub.

Setting the equipment on the desk she noted a few other agents working, but all of them only smiled and nodded at her before going back to work. "Alright let's see what we got."

Sitting down she began typing, a simple system code into the computer to check the mainframe. It was the subtle way of telling Aida she was there. Immediately a window opened with a warning for grid integrity. "Ah here's the little monster causing you trouble. Wow! This one has done a number on you guys! Looks like a teenagers computer after looking up too much porn."

Turning back to Sitwell she did not expect to see the man next to her. "Can you fix it?" Fury asked.

"Yes, but first I need to know if remote access is granted to any other locations in the building because it looks like someone might have come in and uploaded the hacker directly." Three said with a serious look. Secretly though she loved the confused look on Fury's face.

"How can you upload a hacker?" Sitwell asked not sure how that could work.

"Easily. If remote access is granted to other employees, the employee might have unwittingly allowed in the hacker. This is done by an execution protocol. It is why Stark firmly discourages employees taking their work home with them then bringing it back the next day." Three paused then sighed at their blank looks. "Alright, example. One of your agents does work at home like a report on something. They type it out at home where security is minimal. The hacker could send an e-mail that the agent opens and bam! The hacker now has full access to the agents computer including items such as reports or even simple USB cards. The agent will never know because the hacker simply uploads its...I guess you could call it a virus onto the USB card. The agent then takes this card, comes here, and plugs it in. BAM The hacker now has access via that window and can infiltrate the systems. So does anyone have remote access?"

"A number of our high ranking agents and executives have remote access from their offices." Fury said.

"Ah okay, well you will need to shut those down, and disconnect them from the main system hub first. If I try to fix the hack, I might get him or her, but they will simply be able to re-enter the systems. I am sorry but the drive down sucked and I nearly got into an accident. In short I would prefer to do my job, and do it right the first time rather repeatedly come to fight your hacker. While you shut down the office computers I will try to isolate the hacker." Three said going full nerd on them to play her role well.

"Alright." Fury said and thus the two men went to shut down the systems leaving Three there alone. However she knew she was being watched by the security cameras, so she pretended to be doing her job typing into a series of numbers and letter into an window which let Aida know she was ready for the cameras to be taken temporarily off line. A moment later a response code was given telling her the cameras were off line and so she discreetly plugged in the drive. She peeked back to make sure no one was behind her as the protocols uploaded quickly. It reached a hundred percent as the elevator dinged and she took the fob out hiding it amidst her equipment.

Stepping off Fury returned watching her closely with his good eye. "Damn it!" Leslie growled annoyed.

"Problem?"

"Yeah this hacker is a pain in the ass!" Leslie said as she typed more into the computer, "I think he or she may be disrupting security, not sure what systems. Smart ass." A moment later Fury's radio crackled with Sitwell's voice.

"Sir remote access is offline."

"Good." Fury replied, Three turned to look at Fury who nodded she could purge the hacker. Which she made a show of doing with some difficulty.

"Ha! Got you!" Three replied as she typed out further commands and soon full control was back. She spun around in the chair smiling. "Alright the hacker is purged, but I still need to check for any Easter eggs he or she might have left. Full system and diagnostic scans complete with a side of please do not do this again."

"We will try to refrain from calling Stark again over the issue." Fury said as Three had the computer do the scans and plugged in the diagnostics machine she had brought to check the computer. It all took about ten minutes and cleared the system claiming no one was in there.

"Alright you are cleared, please ask your employees to keep work at work. All work and no play make for boring agents." Three said as she handed the paperwork to Fury to sign stating the repairs were done. The director seemed annoyed by her, but signed wanting her out of the building asap. Packing up her equipment she hoisted it onto her shoulder and was escorted out by Sitwell. Who took her back to the desk.

"Thank you for your assistance."

"Heh no prob. Got me out of Stark tower for a bit." Three shrugged as she signed out at the desk and handed back the security badge.

"I think Director Fury was impressed." Sitwell commented, as he was testing her to see if she knew the guy or not. Especially since he had never introduced himself down in the hub.

"Holy cow that was who that was?!" Three asked shocked, "Berry my co-worker claims to have seen him, I had never met him though. Wow! Berry was right he can be scary." Sitwell smiled as she had passed the little test provided. "Well tell Fury I am glad I could help. Don't hesitate to call if you run into trouble again."

Saying goodbye Three walked away casually as ever, but inside being around SHIELD and HYDRA agents sent her nerves in all directions. She was glad when she got outside and into the car she burrowed from the Stark technician. She was able to breath easier as she put distance between herself and the Triskelion. As a precaution she returned to the motel and the still unconscious technician. She changed clothes careful not leave any clues and left through the window balcony. Getting to three rooms down she climbed into the vacant room and left from there before climbing into her own car and driving away.

It might have seemed like paranoia, but if anything was even slightly off SHIELD may have followed her to ascertain if she was who she said she was. Even still she drove to several locations checking her tail before coming home and driving into the garage where she was scanned for trackers. "How did it go Aida?"

"Perfectly, I think Fury was distracted. The computer logs suggest he has had a lot of grief from Tony Stark. Either way we are now in the system undetected and Myra's file is gone."

"Do you think they will realize that they were duped?"

"Eventually, perhaps."

* * *

 **August 25** **th** **, 2010**

 **Washington D.C.**

 **The Triskelion**

Fury was beyond furious with himself as he found out that not only was the Stark technician not sent by Stark, but that he had been blind-sided by her technical garbage enough to slip up. The recordings of her in the Triskelion were deleted, and even fingerprint and identification software came up empty on who she was. She had no file! He had been so preoccupied with Stark being a drama queen that he let a security threat into the most secure location aside from the White house. What was worse was he now had a situation brewing in New Mexico with an 0-8-4 or Object of Unknown Origin. He had to pull Coulson from watching Stark to go investigate it, who reported it looked like a hammer embedded in rock. It all left him with a massive headache as he grumbled at the message on his screen saying footage deleted. "What is your end game?"

"Sir?" He had not heard Agent Monroe enter, but he had summoned her.

"We had a security leak today, and I let her in and out without a thought."

"Katseye, sir?" Monroe asked

"I think so, she has no file no IDs no nothing! She is a ghost."

"What did she get Sir?" Monroe asked.

"Not a clue, the systems are all acting normally, but there had to have been a reason for her visit. I am having the hub scrubbed for bugs now, but so far nothing."

"It does not make any sense sir. Why do all this? Why go after Kovach, kidnap Bicks, and sneak in to 'make repairs'?" The two thought for a moment then Fury sighed shaking his head.

"I don't know, but I am putting you in charge of the Strike team. Find her before she does any further damage." Fury said.

"Sir Agent Corvic of the Strike team might not like my assuming command." Monroe said not liking having to work with him.

"Well he will have to deal with it. You seem to have a better sense of this Katseye, so you are in charge. Find her Monroe." Fury said firmly.

"Yes sir." Monroe said before turning and leaving his office.

* * *

Later that evening Three bought the hair colouring, colour contacts, and some new clothes for Myra. From there she created a 'survival pack' giving her items Three herself created. One she called a flash wand. It was used to short out cameras for two minutes, and the other a ATM Skeleton card which when inserted overruled controls to where all you had to do was enter the desired amount and the ATM would fork out the cash. Both items used together meant Myra would be able to draw out money without being seen. The other item was an open network phone, also created by Three or at least the chip was. It piggy backed networks so that Myra would never have to pay usage charges, but also meant she could not be traced either.

Finally they were down to the last obstacle—faking Myra's death. They would have to make it believable otherwise Myra would have to learn to run for the rest of her life. This was going to be tricky and hard to pull off. For her it took jumping off a bridge and falling to her near death to escape. Myra needed something just as dramatic, but without the risk of actual death. For the next couple of days that became her focus as she went over various plans and ideas for how to perform a fake death.

Eventually she had an idea after scouting potential locations to stage a fake death, but Myra would not like it at all.

* * *

 **Author's Notes:**

 **Alright first off thank you so much for your lovely reviews. I really appreciate it.** **I am also glad no one is upset over the same name issue I mentioned in the previous Author's Notes. I was worried it would be a issue.**

 **Mcveighreece, you mentioned that you hope it takes a while for Three to trust SHIELD. Don't worry it will take some time. Mainly Three has come to the realization that not all of SHIELD is HYDRA so she mainly tries to knock out SHIELD agents she encounters. You could say it is Amaya still influencing Three, not to mention Peggy is that proof that SHIELD is a force for good. For Three it is like she is trying to remove a cancer or infestation without killing off the main body. She wants to destroy HYDRA, but not become a monster in the process. Thus she has this code. However trusting SHIELD with HYDRA still infecting them would be a fatal mistake one Three is not willing to make.**

 **Lonesome Road, You mentioned hoping to a small degree that she is Tony's daughter. While I do not want to spoil future details and it is fun to imagine the possibilities for this story. I have most of the story written out so I already know who her parents are. However I cannot say, so I'll let you continue to hope... for now.**

 **As for the story this particular chapter is set around one of the MCU movies, I won't say which one but I think you all know which one it is. Also Three has her first encounter with not just one but two SHIELD agents!**

 **Some things to note was the brief sections written from Sharon and Fury's perspectives. I wanted to show how SHIELD was reacting to this character and her actions. Obviously SHIELD has no clue about HYDRA yet, so we have this view that Katseye is a psychopath. Mostly the focus will always be on Three, but at times there will be these brief reactions from other characters to show how her interactions in the MCU is being noticed.**

 **Aside from that what do you think of this chapter? Or certain characters like Aida or this HYDRA agent named Myra? Please let me know in the reviews.**

 **Lesliezin**


	11. An Not-so Brilliant Plan

**Hello everyone,**

 **Here is chapter 11, enjoy.**

* * *

 **September 2** **nd** **, 2010**

 **Washington D.C.**

 **The Triskelion**

Agent Monroe had been going over the reports and trying to find a lead for her and the Strike team to act on. However she had gone over this information a half a dozen times and felt like she was chasing her tail. She knew she was missing something, but what? Rubbing the bridge of her nose she leaned back in her office chair, sighing at not finding the answer. _'There has to be a reason! Why would she leave Coulson, Carter, and myself alive; but kill the other four agents? It makes absolutely no sense!'_ Finally her curiosity got the better of her and she pulled up the profiles of her colleagues both alive and dead. She read the information on each one of them carefully, some like Carter joined SHIELD following in relatives' footsteps, others like Coulson were recruited into SHIELD showing great potential. There was little difference in the profiles, and Monroe sighed, annoyed.

Being a high ranking SHIELD agent, Monroe pulled up mission records to find that most the missions the four agents and Bicks were on were restricted not by Fury, but by Secretary director Pierce. _'Odd Fury should be the only one to restrict operations. Pierce handles the World security council.' For additional_ checks she examined Coulson's, Carter's, and her own mission logs. These too were restricted, but by Director Fury which was how it should be. Perplexed she checked for mission files restricted by Pierce, the list was scary. Its very length made Monroe worry. Something smelled funky she thought as she took notes on what she found. If she was right, perhaps Katseye was targeting agents for another reason than being insane.

She knew she needed more Intel before bringing this to Director Fury, so she checked the list of agents killed by Katseye to see if the agents killed had restricted files because of Pierce. Most did, too many for it to be a mere coincidence. "Hey Monroe, you coming or what?"

Monroe turned to find one of her colleagues and a friend waiting with her coat on and purse in hand. "We were gonna grab lunch remember?"

"Right," Monroe said remembering as she realized she had lost track of time. Grabbing her own coat, and purse. She was shutting down her computer and turned off the monitor.

"C'mon already. I am starving here." Her friend urged and so Monroe turned away not waiting for her computer to shut down completely.

"Alright alright, Geez." The pair left, but the computer did not shut down at all. Instead underneath her desk was a flashing red light. Someone knew what she had accessed as it transmitted the information elsewhere.

* * *

"Are you sure about this?" Myra asked nervously, "What if something goes wrong?"

"Look anything we do is a risky chance, but if we don't you have to run and eventually they will catch you. Trust me on that. This way, they will think you dead and you can start over." Three said she needed to tell Myra straight and hold nothing back. Both of them were taking huge risks to try and ensure Myra was free. The agent sat nervously as she was zip-tied to the chair. "You ready?"

Myra straightened sucking in a breath. "Make it look good."

Three nodded as she drew back punching Myra. After beating the agent up some Three stopped. "Good enough?"

"Yeah, I can do this." Myra said as her lip bled and around her eye darkened. She looked beaten and battered as though she had received torture.

"Alright, Aida we set?" Three asked, a moment later the AI's voice responded via the ear piece.

" _Yes, should I release an alert?"_

"Yeah let's get this over with." Three said.

* * *

Monroe was sitting with her friend having lunch when her phone pinged and she looked at the text. _**'Katseye located. Immediate response team required.'**_ Sighing she stood up. "I am sorry Anna I need to go."

"Awe man, you know just once I wish we could catch a break. You are always being called off." Anna said annoyed.

"I know I am sorry. Rain check?" Monroe asked hoping to please her friend.

"Alright Saturday night we are going clubbing, understand? Meaning nice dress, drinks, and hot guys." Anna said unwilling to take no for an answer. Monroe sighed she hated clubbing, but nodded.

"Fine you win. I promise to go clubbing with you."

"Good and make sure to tell Director Fury that because you are not getting out of it." Anna said. Agreeing, Monroe left quickly heading back to the Triskelion where the Strike team was already preparing to head out. Corvic looked annoyed to have her coming with them as she entered the prep room, it meant he had to take orders from her; as per Director Fury's orders. She wanted to smile inside as he said with a sour face. "Glad you could make it we were about head out."

"I am sure you are." Monroe said knowing he was not glad at all. This got him even more agitated.

"Look just because you're one of Fury's favourites-"

"Fury assigned me to this op, so get used to it!" Monroe said sharply.

"Now now easy you two," A new voice said and Monroe turned to see an older red haired man, she recognized him. Secretary Director Pierce stood there calmly giving a warm smile. "Agent Corvic do you have a problem with Agent Monroe heading this op?"

"Sir I am the leader of the Strike team, not her."

"Well while I understand your concern. You have two options you can either accept that for this op Monroe is in charge, or you can sit this one out." Corvic looked down angry at his options as he considered, "Let's go for a talk hmm? Come along."

Pierce moved down the hall with Corvic following not far behind. Once they moved beyond ear shot Pierce turned and began speaking to Corvic in hushed whispers. Monroe now stood wondering why Pierce was even there. Her instincts jumping at what was going on. They would be leaving soon to intercept Katseye, so she could not report her concerns to Fury. Peeking around at the others in the group they were simply getting ready with a select few glances at Pierce and Corvic. Monroe continued to get ready loading her guns and holstering them. She put on her tactical gear, then the group were heading down the hall towards Pierce and Corvic including her.

"So you understand your mission?" Pierce asked.

"Yes sir." Corvic replied less agitated.

"Good," Pierce said turning to Monroe with a smile while Corvic moved on with the others, "He should behave now, Agent Monroe."

"Thank you sir." Monroe said with a smile, but now she had an uneasy feeling as Pierce left and she continued down the hall into the garage where the Strike team was piling into an black van. The ride was long as they headed for the location of where Katseye was spotted while the team was debriefed on the situation.

"So what are our objectives?" One of the Strike members asked.

"Our objectives are to rescue Agent Bicks, and capture Katseye." Monroe said firmly, she wanted and needed answers and the only other person that could give them was Katseye. Eventually they made it to the location of the report. It was an old disused car parts factory that had been closed for years, and was now apparently being used as a hideout. The group moved into a strategic pattern circling the factory and slipping inside as quietly as possible. Monroe used an old broken window to slip inside hopping through easily.

Moving along, Monroe was as quiet as possible as she gripped her gun and moved past old machinery that had not been used in years.

* * *

Three knew the moment the group entered the building, just as she planned. However Aida mentioned a complication—Agent Caroline Monroe was there leading the Strike team. This would complicate things a lot. Carefully Three moved down past some machinery spotting a member of Strike as she crept, so she pulled a blade and snuck up behind him. Every other agent was from HYDRA, and so Three grabbed him, covering his mouth, and slitting his throat. She lowered the HYDRA agent to the ground then moved on slowly systematically taking out the Strike team. Until she heard them find Bicks, as she moved closer. She peeked around the corner as Monroe was coming to free Bicks.

"Thank god you are here, please hurry. I don't know where she went, but she could return at any moment." Myra said pretending to be relieved as Monroe pulled a knife to cut the ties. Three stiffened when she saw another member of Strike moving up behind Monroe and about to take aim at her. She did not know why a Strike team member was going to shoot her, but Three rushed him tackling him to the ground before he could shoot. The pair tussled around as Three began punching him repeatedly. She heard the crunch as she broke his nose, then pain exploded from a blow to the head. She fell to the side gritting her teeth and her head spun. Fighting the desire to go under she shook it off and looked back. Monroe had hit her not knowing the danger she was in.

"Don't move!" Monroe yelled aiming the gun at her. Three groaned as she wanted to warn Monroe of what the Strike team member almost did. She even opened her mouth to do it, but then a shot rang out. Monroe lowered her gun as she looked down at her chest where blood ran down from a bullet hole. Both were surprised it made it through Monroe's tactical gear, but then the reality hit.

"NO!" Three cried as Monroe fell to her knees, then to the ground. Behind her stood Corvic grinning smugly.

"Armour piercing rounds. Didn't see that one did you Monroe?" However while he gloated, he did not see that Myra had cut her own ties and pulled a small handgun hidden under her jeans leg. Turning she shot him in the throat as Three stabbed the guy she had beaten senseless who was just starting to recover.

"Nor did you see that asshole!" Myra said as Corvic fell down, gurgling on his own blood. Three got up and rushed over to Monroe who was coughing up blood. Not really thinking about it she pulled her mask down wanting it out of the way. Three immediately tried to cover the wound to stop the blood flow.

"You are going to be okay. Just look at me Monroe, stay awake." Three said as Monroe stared up at her confused. All the questions were there in her eyes that she could not physically ask. _'Why did Corvic shoot me? Why are you helping me? Why do you kill some agents and leave others alive?'_ Three wanted to answer, to explain herself to the agent; but there was no time left. The agent had gotten too close, and so HYDRA had wanted her silenced. "Monroe, please stay awake. Look at me you are going to be fine."

Sadly Monroe on some level knew she was not going to be fine, and for those final moments of her life she wondered: Why was Katseye who killed so many other agents crying over her? "Monroe!"

Three wanted to scream at Monroe to wake up, but the vacant eyes said it all, Agent Caroline Monroe was dead. She gently closed the fallen agent's eyes, and wished she had done things differently. She could feel Myra behind her, as the former HYDRA agent stood there feeling equally as bad for the loss. However staying was not an option, their window was limited and they had to hurry.

"We have to go. There is nothing more we can do for her." Myra said softly hating to disrupt this moment. Three nodded as she straightened some.

"Aida begin the timer please." Three said then gathered up Monroe's body, she would not be left here with filth! She had that much respect for the SHIELD agent. Myra looked back surprised.

"There's no time! We have to go!"

"Go on ahead, I am right behind you." Three said refusing to leave Monroe. Sighing Myra helped her as explosions sounded behind them. They had rigged the place to blow so that it would be clear that the Strike team and Agent Bicks had died. They had purposely left enough there to ID Bicks amongst the dead, including a back molar tooth Myra offered up. The pair left just in time as the building exploded throwing them forward. Three's ears rung as she slowly got up looking back at the old factory. Shooting pain erupted in her arm making her grit her teeth, as she and Myra slowly got up. Three left Monroe there laying her respectfully down despite the pain in her right arm.

"We have to go, soon they will be arriving." Myra said.

"I am sorry," Three said softly as she looked down at Monroe, then rose shakily to her feet and followed Myra. The pair covered their tracks and slipped into a sewer before moving down the tunnels. Turning down various tunnels they came out to where a rental car was parked and Three changed out of her suit. By now she was too tired to care if Myra blabbed, but the former HYDRA agent respectfully kept her gaze elsewhere. Once done they got into the car and drove off. They dropped the rental with one of the Shadow network agents and switched cars once more to be sure. Once it was clear no one saw them, Three turned the car towards home. Her arm was killing her by then. Pulling into the garage, Aida scanned for trackers and found now.

Together the pair quietly bandaged their wounds not really wanting to talk about what happened. Three had badly sprained her wrist and the bruises travelled up her arm. Her head also pounded from when Monroe struck her, touching the back of her head was making her see stars.

Three sighed they were alive and the plan succeed. Yet it felt like she had failed.

* * *

 **September 9** **th** **, 2010**

 **Washington D.C.**

In the days that followed Three and Myra recovered from their injuries, and Aida confirmed that Agent Myra Bicks was now declared deceased. Thus Myra dyed her hair a dark rich red colour and put in a pair of greyish blue contacts to change her appearance. Three snapped some pictures and got to work on the fake IDs, it helped to take her mind off the SHIELD agent that had died in her arms. She had wanted to attend Monroe's funeral and pay her respects, but knew doing that might draw unwanted attention. So she kept busy, and eventually it was time Myra headed out into the world and make a new life for herself.

It was well outside Washington D.C that the pair stood outside their two cars, Three handed Myra a small backpack her 'survival pack', and a card with an address on it. "This is the address of a safe house where you can live, and inside the backpack is fake documents, the flash wand, and ATM skeleton card, as well as a blank network phone. It has my number programmed in just in case you need help."

"Thank you." Myra said softly as she accepted the backpack, "I am sorry about Monroe and everything." Three nodded knowing she was sincere, days after the factory Aida stated that Katseye was being blamed for Agent Monroe's death and she was now number one on SHIELD's most wanted list. Three guessed that was what happened when one of Nick Fury's favourite agents gets killed, not to mention the entire Strike team Pierce would have to replace. Still Three hated that she was at the top of this list for something never even did!

"Yeah me too." Three said as Myra hugged her goodbye.

"If you need anything you need only call and I will help you." Myra said softly before releasing Three.

"Thank you," Three said, "See you around Myra." With that Three headed back to her car and Myra headed for own as well. Thus they parted ways with Three returning to the warehouse in Washington. She would need to lie low for a bit, so why not stay here a few more days. Entering the garage she let the scanner work then got out feeling drained. Coming around the partition to the computers Three sighed. "So Aida what is going on in the world?"

"Well in New York Harlem is nearly repaired after the green monster incident two years ago. The Stark Expo was a disaster, they should never let Hammer make weapons. Oh and down in New Mexico a small town was nearly levelled by a giant alien machine and a hunky blonde wielding a hammer."

"So just another typical day huh?" Three said trying to crack a smile.

"Except for the fact that you're at the top of SHIELD's most wanted list." Aida said softly as Three shrugged.

"We both knew this would not end well, I had to be put there eventually. I just—I never thought it would be because a high ranking SHIELD agent died and I am being blamed for it." Three said softly, hating that no one would ever know the truth. Monroe was killed because she got too close to the truth, she was killed by HYDRA.

"I am sure someday the truth will be known. Those in SHIELD will understand it was not your fault."

"No they won't no one knows what it is like to fight an uphill battle, to gain and inch then lose several! Now I see why people love to bury their heads in the sand like Amaya accused so many of doing! It is just easier..." Three said finally saying what she was thinking. She stepped back leaning against the wall that held the HYDRA information feeling defeated. She looked down not paying attention to what Aida was doing.

The AI knew despair when she heard it, Three needed something to give her hope. So she looked at uphill battles or battles with near impossible odds. In her search she pulled up information on how Steve Rogers got behind enemy lines alone and freed over four hundred captured soldiers. "Steve Rogers knew about fighting against impossible odds."

"Of course he did, he was a super soldier." Three said still not encouraged.

"Prior to that no one wanted to give him a chance, well except for Peggy Carter and Howard Stark. He was an actor supporting the war effort when what he really wanted to be doing was joining the fight."

Three sighed looking up at the image on the monitor of Steve Rogers in his Captain America outfit, then scoffed shaking her head. "Again Aida he is a super soldier!"

"I know but you and he were injected-"

"Just because we were both injected with a serum from Erskine does not make us the same!" Three cut her off angrily quieting Aida, "He would have saved Monroe. He had the super strength and speed, all I have light speed learning and genius IQ. Even still I was not smart enough to think maybe a SHIELD agent would be in the mix."

Three paused thinking then sighed as she looked up at the image of Rogers. "I am nothing like Steve Rogers."

Three pushed off from the wall and intended to head upstairs. "What about Peggy Carter?"

The question made Three sigh, and turn around annoyed until she saw the image of Peggy Carter on the screen. "She fought HYDRA. She too fought an uphill battle and was smarter than the idiots around her. Back then men looked down on her, and yet she proved far better than them. She is not a super soldier, but she was a match for one."

Three considered what Aida was saying as she now looked at Peggy's image. Perhaps Aida was right, Peggy Carter did fight HYDRA and was a founding member of SHIELD. If anyone would understand it was her. "Is she still..."

"Alive? Yes, she resides in Spring Grove Care home here in Washington." Aida said, but then Three sighed. What would be the reason for her visit? What would she say? _'Hi I was a HYDRA lab rat that now is most wanted by SHIELD. I have some questions.'_ Aida seemed to pick up on Three's mood and asked, "What is wrong?"

"Not like I can see her anyway." Three said discouraged.

"Why not?"

"Oh I don't know Aida because I am SHIELDs most wanted now, and HYDRA kills anyone I get close to. Not to mention what would be my reason for visiting her? Just walk in and say: Hey you're Peggy Carter you got any advice for fighting HYDRA?" Three sighed feeling defeated all over again.

"I am not suggesting you approach her that way, but we always find a way." Aida said not dropping the subject as Three sighed.

"You have a brilliant plan then?"

* * *

 **September 30** **th** **, 2010**

 **Spring Grove Care Home**

 **Washington D.C.**

This was certainly an odd way to visit one of SHIELDs founders, but Aida said it was the only probable way without attracting too much attention. Three adjusted her brown wig which was tied in a pony tail, then the nurse name tag on her scrubs. She remembered reading a medical books when she had been with HYDRA so impersonating a nurse was not going to be a problem for her. Still this was a lot just to see Peggy Carter. Going into the foyer she came to the front desk to introduce herself. "Hello I am Lilith Donners from Nurses Express here to cover a shift."

"Ah good, I am glad they finally sent someone. We have been understaffed now for a week. I will call Beth she is the head nurse, and will show you around." The lady said picking up the phone and calling up to Beth's office. Three smiled and waited looking around the retirement home foyer. Days before Aida intercepted a call to the Nurses Express office requesting a temporary nurse come to work at the care home. She told the caller she would send someone out, and so Three got some scrubs and items for her 'job'. Eventually a heavy set woman with warm chocolate eyes and brown hair with grey come down.

"You must be the temp we requested, I am Bethany Johnson, but everybody calls me Beth. Welcome to our care home." Beth said shaking Three's hand.

"Thank you, I am Lilith Donners, but everybody just calls me Lil."

"Well come with me and I will get you started." Beth led Three upstairs explaining how one of their nurses ended up catching a nasty stomach virus, hence them calling for a temp to cover the extra shift. Fortunately Three was assigned to the same floor that Peggy was on, but pretending to be a temp nurse meant she could not just walk into Peggy's room. She had to act the nurse and tend to the other patients in the rooms. Eventually she got to Peggy's room where the old woman sat in a chair by her window. Three knocked as she entered the room. "Miss..." She pretended to check the chart, "Margaret Carter?"

"Yes?" The old woman asked watching Three curious as she came into full view.

"Hi I am Lilith Donners a temp called in to temporarily fill in for Janice. I have come by to give you your pills and ask if you need anything?" Three said.

"How is Janice?"

"Unfortunately she still has a nasty stomach bug. Hopefully she will be back on her feet in no time." Three answered as she came forward setting a tray with food and a plastic cup in front of Peggy that held her pills, and she hoped the old woman would not argue with her about taking the pills. Some of the patients could be downright mean the moment she entered their room. However Peggy was a lot nicer, and took her pills with a glass of water. Three smiled and signed off that Peggy had taken her medication, then smiled at Peggy. "Is there anything else you need Mrs Carter?"

"Please just call me Peggy."

"Okay Peggy."

"I..I am sorry what was your name?" Peggy asked confusing Three she had told Peggy her name, but smiled at the old woman.

"It is Lilith, but you can call me Lil." Three said earning a smile from the SHIELD founder, "Do you need anything else Peggy?"

"Oh no thank you." Peggy said as Three smiled and turned away starting to leave the room, that was when she looked more closely at Peggy's chart. She had seen a similar diagnosis on other patient sheets, but paled when she read the box. Mild cognitive impairment entering early stages of Dementia. The medical books had told her that Dementia was a broad category for mental diseases including Alzheimer's disease. Peggy Carter would gradually lose herself. Closing the file she headed for the door guessing it was for the best that she only have this brief moment with Carter. However a crash outside Peggy's room made her jump as she yanked open the door. She expected HYDRA agents to be storming the halls, instead the sight that greeted her surprised her.

One of her fellow nurses was held by an angry old man. He held a needle to her throat. She felt Peggy come out behind her to find out what was going on as two orderlies were trying to help the nurse held by the old man. "I know it! I know what you are trying to do!"

"Relax sir, we just want to help." One of the orderlies said while the other inched closer, but the old man saw him.

"Don't you come near me! You are trying to poison me!" The man was obviously scared, and the other two orderlies were not helping so Three moved forward.

"Hey! Are you trying to get the nurse hurt?" Three asked the two orderlies who looked shocked, "Back off!"

Turning Three smiled at the old man. "Sir please relax and tell me what is wrong."

"They are trying to poison me!" He said nodding to the trays of food they were serving, "They did it before?"

"They did? Who did?"

"The—the Nazi's that captured us. Some of us they used as workers, other they experimented on, and others they tormented and tortured. They poisoned our food!" The guy said, and Three realized he was reliving a terrible memory. "When I refused to eat, they came with the needle!"

"He started throwing food at us." The orderly said as Three glanced back at him.

"What is in the needle?" Three asked.

"It is just a sedative." Licking her lips she looked back at the man.

"That was rude of them, but you don't really want to hurt the lady do you? Injections in the neck are highly painful. Believe me I know especially at the back of the neck."

"They experiment on you too?" He asked, and while it was the truth to those around them it would seem like a blatant lie.

"Yeah, injection right at the back of the neck. Very painful." The man seemed to be considering her words, so she looked to the orderly. "Give me a tray of food."

The man handed her a tray and the old man in front of her stiffened expecting an attack. "It is okay. If the food is poisoned it will hurt me too, right?"

"Yeah." The man said after a moment. So Three picked up the fork and scooped up some mash potatoes before popping the fork in her mouth. She made a funny look then looked to the orderly.

"You need to tell the cook to add a bit of butter and a little more milk. The potatoes are too grainy." Three looked back at the old man before next trying the vegetables, "A bit crunchy but healthy everybody has to eat their vegetables." Next she tried what looked like meatloaf and frowned at the taste. Looking back at the orderly she added. "Cooks need to learn restraint with the salt shaker please. "

Lastly she tried a bit of the cake, and looked at the old man. "Actually the cake is the best thing on the tray, but nothing is poisoned."

"What about the pills?" He asked, and Three sighed.

"Tell me do you feel confused?"

"Yeah you don't look German." He looked around trying to figure out why he was there.

"Can you look out that window there?" Three asked pointing to the hall window on her left. On this floor he should see the American flag flying in front of the building. The man looked and became even more confused.

"I—I am home?" Three nodded as the man was at a complete loss, she sighed holding up the pills.

"That is what these are for, to help with the confusion. That is all."

"So I should take them?" He said.

"If you want to help clear up the confusion you feel and think clearer, than yes." The man stood there a moment trying to figure out his own mind as Three added, "How about this? You get rid of that needle, and let the nurse go. I give you the tray of food and you eat dinner. Finally if you want to then you take the pills. Sound like a plan?"

"I won't be in trouble?" He asked eyeing the orderlies.

"No we go into your room, you eat, and then decide if you want the pills. I will stay with you, and you can tell me more about yourself. I love hearing stories. What was it like back then in the 1940s?" The man watched her a moment than hesitantly released the nurse and dropped the needle. The two orderlies went to move forward when Three yelled at them. "Hey! I said he would be eating in his room, not manhandled. Don't you dare try to make a liar out of me!"

Immediately she stepped closer to the old man, kicking the needle aside. "Shall we?"

* * *

When Sharon decided to visit her aunt she had not expected to walk in on a hostage situation. Hell it was a care home, she never even came armed. However a nurse she did not recognised had talked one of the more aggressive patients down from harming Iris one of the nurses she did know. Instead she stood by her aunt as the pair watched the one called Lilith go into the old man's room with him carrying the tray of food. Peggy was smiling widely at how Lilith handled it. Inquisitive, both women came to peek in the door. The two sat at the table with the old man eating his food, he seemed more starved for company than anything now as he ate his food.

"Your right about the food." He said wrinkling his nose at the meatloaf.

"Yeah hopefully the cooks will realize that they need to be more considerate on how they cook things, Mr... sorry I don't have your chart." Three said smiling.

"Huh Mace, my name is Mace." He said.

"Hmm well rather than risk the food here tomorrow. Would you like me to bring over a pizza? There is this amazing place on Jefferson Avenue that does this amazing wood-smoked pizza." Three asked.

"Sure I'd love that! Better than this garbage." Mace said as Three asked what kind of pizza he liked, "A supreme pizza."

"Alright it is a date then." Three said promising to get him a pizza tomorrow, it was then Mace noticed the pair in the door way watching them.

"Evening ladies." Mace said as Three turned to find Sharon and Peggy standing there.

"Sorry we did not mean to intrude." Sharon said as she came forward with her aunt. Three rose from the chair to greet them both. She offered to shake Sharon's hand then noticed the cast from where she as Katseye had broken Sharon's wrist.

"Oh sorry," She instead shook Sharon's other hand, "I am Lilith Donners from Nurses Express covering for Janice."

"Sharon Carter, Peggy's niece." Sharon said.

"Care to join us?" Three asked.

"We don't want to intrude." Peggy said.

"No stay please." Mace said and the two women joined them sitting in the chairs and talking casually. Mace was taking his sweet time eating trying to keep them there longer by stalling, which was nice. However eventually Three rose to leave saying she needed to get back to work, then paused.

"Are you two going to be here tomorrow? I was gonna come by and bring a pizza, but I could bring a couple of pizzas." Sharon liked the idea this nurse Lilith was a very likeable person and her aunt seemed to like her as well, so she nodded saying she would be back tomorrow. "Great any pizza preferences?"

"I like Endless pepperoni myself. I can give you some money towards the pizzas. Aunt Peggy?" Sharon asked.

"Just cheese for me." Peggy said.

"Alright well I will be back here tomorrow with pizzas." Three said before heading off to resume her shift.

* * *

 **September 31** **st** **, 2010**

 **Spring Grove Care Home**

 **Washington D.C.**

Things could not have gone any better then if Three had tried, not only did she meet Peggy Carter, but also her niece, and an unexpected addition in Mace. It made Three feel less lonely, on top of that Beth was beyond impressed with her work handling Mace and wanted to offer her a more permanent position at the care home. Three naturally had to decline claiming she liked her current job but offered Beth her number if she needed a replacement again. She told the kind woman that unless working at one of the other care homes she would say yes whenever the woman called.

Today though she came in in her casual clothes carrying four large pizzas as she had promised, and once she made it to Mace's room she found them waiting for her. "You guys are early." Three said and was glad Mace remembered her. His condition was not so overbearing that it robbed him of the memory of her at least not yet. Peggy also seemed to remember her as well since she was still in the early stages. Sharon sat next to her aunt as Three sat down and they dug into the pizzas and continued chatting and getting to know one another. Mace spoke of his beautiful wife that had worked for the telephone company and their beautiful kids. Then Peggy talked about Steve Rogers and after he disappeared she talked further about her husband Daniel Sousa. Three would have been happy to hear them talk more but Mace eventually asked. "What about you two? Any special men in your lives?"

Both girls blushed and started making excuses, Three saying she was not that interesting and Sharon saying no one was showing an interest. "Oh c'mon you have sat here listening to us yammer on. Your turns."

Three gestured at Sharon who blushed, "I have no one special. My last relationship was a couple years back. I thought he was the one, only to find out that he had several girls beside me. About a month later he showed up at my apartment drunk and begging me to take him back. When I told him that we were done he attacked me, and I put him in the hospital. Since then I do not want to be in a relationship, the guys these days are jerks."

Peggy wore this proud smile at her niece's story, and Mace was nodding his approval. "Good that you put that l'il punk in the hospital." Then he looked to Lilith expectantly. "Lil?"

Three had to stop and think a moment, but only knew of one relationship she ever had. "I uhh lived across from this boy, we practically grew up together. He was kind sweet, but shy. For years we cared for each other, but never got the words out." Three said as she recalled Four in the cell across from hers smiling at her, reaching through the bars to touch fingertips together. "Eventually he got the courage together to speak up, to try and be more than just friends. I had wanted to be more with him for so long, that it totally surprised me at first."

Three stopped a moment trying to organise her thoughts then shook her head, "But it wasn't meant to be. He died tragically, suddenly, and it felt like we had missed our chance. Since then I haven't been in a relationship because with anyone else is just feels like..." Three trailed off searching for the right word.

"The wrong partner." Peggy supplied making Three look up at her.

"What?" Three asked.

"It is what Steve once said to me. He was waiting for the right dance partner. For a long time after he disappeared it felt like no one would be right for me either." Peggy said smiling at Three, "You feel that he was the only one for you, the right dance partner."

Three sat there stunned by how accurate Peggy was, the old woman completely understanding her. "How did you overcome that feeling?"

"I accepted he was gone. I picked myself up and kept marching. Eventually I found that Steve was the right dance partner then, but that was for one dance. The right partner I was meant for would be Daniel. The boy you loved will always have been the right partner too, but only for one dance. Eventually you two will find the ones you are meant for." Peggy said trying to cheer them up. It worked as both girls laughed at the idea of finding their 'dance partners'.

Eventually visiting hours ended. Both Three and Sharon said goodbye and headed out of the care home into the cool evening air. "Thank you for visiting. Not many come to visit Aunt Peggy well except for me."

"That is a shame, she is a lovely lady with a world of advice to offer." Three said making Sharon laugh a little as the two started walking to their cars. "I am serious I never expected for her to compare my relationship to hers and Captain Rogers. But she does make a good case and she hit the nail on the head too, as to how it felt."

"I thought she would have upset you when she said that." Sharon said.

"No she just knew what it was like, and it helps when someone understands." Three said, as they neared Sharon's car and she pulled out her keys from her purse. She paused at the door then turned back to Three.

"Listen tomorrow some of my friends are going out for a drink. A type of ladies night out. Would you like to join us?"

"Sure, it sounds like fun." Three said hiding the joy she felt at making a friend in Sharon. The pair exchanged numbers with Sharon saying they would meet at a night club called Flux at six o'clock. Three returned home giddy at the idea of hanging out with Sharon. The whole idea boosted her spirits after what had happened to Monroe.

"I take it your afternoon out with Carter was enlightening." Aida said as Three came from the garage up to the computers.

"More than that, it was amazing. Both of them and Mace are amazing." Three said, she went on to talk about all three of them in far more detail. Eventually she got to the part of Sharon inviting her out. On listening to Three telling her about the invite to a ladies night at a club Aida's response sounded her displeasure.

"This does not sound good."

"Why not?" Three asked confused.

"Kat clubs are large buildings where large crowds of people go to dance, drink, and socialize." Three paled as she realized the problem: she hated big crowds. Even after all this time she still grew a little panicked around large groups. "You hate crowds of people remember?"

"Yeah I do. Crap!" Three groaned, but she had already agreed to go and did not want to back out now. What if Sharon never invited her again? Cringing she would just have to overcome her fears somehow.

* * *

 **Author's Notes:**

 **First off thank you all for the lovely reviews. I really appreciate it.**

 **Lonesome Road, you mentioned hoping Three would meet Peggy. I did not want to mention it until it happened. Even though I knew it would be happening in this chapter, so here it is. Of course that is not the only Carter woman Three has met. Anyway I hope you like that your wish came true.**

 **As for this chapter Three becoming SHIELDs and HYDRAs most wanted was never going to be an easy feat to achieve. There was bound to be a casualty along the way. As for Three meeting the Carters there was bound to be an inevitable meeting since the earlier chapters when Three first heard about Peggy Carter. More than once Peggy's name kept coming up as the force for good within SHIELD, so it was little hints towards the inevitable meeting. Three was bound to become curious too.**

 **Also there was little hints yet again on where exactly in the MCU timeline we are at this point as I am sure you can guess. Anyway please let me know what you thought of this chapter, I look forward to hearing from you.**

 **Lesliezin**


	12. Just Another Work day Gone Wrong!

**Hello everyone,**

 **Well here is chapter 12, enjoy.**

* * *

 **October 1** **st** **, 2010**

 **Washington D.C.**

Three received a package from one of her Shadow Network contacts, the package had originally been sent to New York. However when Rilo reported that she was in D.C on business, it was forwarded to a contact there that delivered it. The box was small but when Three opened it she took out the note first.

 _ **'Newly developed tech to help you hide. Just clip it in your hair and adjust the dial. Sent you a box of them in case. Enjoy.'**_ The letter was signed by Cutter, and so she looked at the contents each one was small and in a protective case. Taking one out she saw what looked like a tiny hair clip with a dial on it. Going into the bathroom to the mirror she clipped one in her hair and turned the dial, the clip projected varying hair colours changing Three's hair from a normal range to even some outlandish colours. Three smiled at the little device that was currently giving her rich red hair, then turned it some to make her ginger, then brunette. "Cool!"

"What is cool?" Aida asked.

"The new tech it alters my hair colour." Three said as she came out. They had arrived just in time too, it would help not to have to wear a brown wig at a night club. Now she just needed to find the right outfit to wear. She had never gone out and had a ladies night before, largely because she hated crowds of people.

Picking through a selection of clothes she bought just in case she settled for a lacy black dress that came down to mid thigh. She slipped on a pair of matching high heels, and suddenly had to wonder why girls wore them as she frowned down at them. She pinned her hair up in a loose bun keeping the colour clip there to make her hair brown. Lastly she slipped on a short black leather jacket and came down the stairs.

"Looking good, Kat." Aida said seeing her through the web cams of the computers.

"Thanks. The heels though, I hate them."

"Indeed. They're a hindrance if you need to run or fight. Sadly women wear then to accentuate their figures making their legs and butts look good."

"Huh sounds stupid then to wear them, no one cares about your legs and ass in a fight. Well unless you kick your opponent's ass than maybe they'd care." Three amended, then sighed at the situation. Who was she kidding, she could not go to a night club. It would be too much to handle even after all these years. Besides she had such little interaction with people these days, she hated even going grocery shopping!

"What is it, Kat?"

"I must be insane. I am going out with Sharon on this ladies night to a damn night club, I can't do this Aida." Three said.

"Of course you can. Not an hour ago you swore you could do this. Besides Sharon is expecting you."

"Well what about you?" Three asked worried.

"What about me?" Aida asked not sure why the situation would involve her.

"Well it feels like I am ditching you..." Three pointed out.

"That or you are looking for an excuse not to go." Aida pointed out, then added, "Kat while I do take my role as your friend seriously and it is my primary objective; I am an AI. Over the years I have tried to be the friend you need, but even I cannot provide the human interaction and contact you need. Sharon can. She is a good person. She is SHIELD like her Aunt and is the perfect person for you to socialize with. You need this, you need to form attachments and at least be a little bit normal."

Still Three was sceptical about going to this night club. "You sure?"

"Go on! You will be late otherwise. I will monitor HYDRA's activities and alert you via your phone should anything be amiss." Aida said putting an end to the conversation.

"Thanks Aida." Three said heading out. She got into her car and drove away.

* * *

The thumping of the beat could be heard outside the club and the crowds of people made Three cringe. Outside she saw the blonde head of hair and recognized Sharon who wore a lovely blue dress. Looking both ways she crossed the street and called out to Sharon. With her was a red head and another brunette. "You made it." Sharon said then turned to her companions, "Guys this is Lilith the nurse I told you about. Lilith this is Veronica and Rachel."

Once they greeted each other the four made it into the club and found a booth. They were obviously expecting others as Sharon pulled out her phone and frowned. "Looks like we got some no shows. It's just us tonight."

"Boo! What is their excuse this time?" Rachel asked.

"Probably they forgot to ask permission from their parents." Veronica said as she got up and went to the bar to order drinks for them. The entire time since entering the club, Three was mentally practising her calming technique. Counting down from ten to one in Mandarin was helping some, but getting used to this large a crowd was still hard. After a moment Veronica returned with drinks, and they all drank a bit. The drinks helped to calm Three's nerves at least. Afterwords Rachel wanted to dance and Veronica went with her. They were invited too, but Three was too intimidated by the large group already dancing.

"Not really your scene huh?" Sharon asked.

"I have never liked large crowds." Three admitted.

"Neither have I really, when I was little Aunt Peggy and I went to the mall. They had just opened this new store and so it was beyond crowded. You would think being young I would wander off, but I tried to stay close to my aunt. We still got separated. My aunt said if that happens to stop not move, so I stopped and did not move. This guy came up and was trying to get me to go with him claiming all kinds of things including that he knew where my family was. I knew he was lying because I did not know him and neither did Peggy. So when he tried to drag me away I fought him, then started crying calling for aunt Peggy. Out of nowhere my aunt shows up and starts punching him senseless. Afterwords she said all she saw was me crying and that was it. Since then I have hated crowds, I always feel like I might get lost again." The two sat quietly for a moment enjoying their drinks until Sharon asked. "What about you?"

"I umm never have had much contact with people when I was young. I was...adopted, but before my adoption I was very isolated. So when my adopted family would take me anywhere I would get these panic attacks, and my sister would have to do this breathing exercise with me to help calm me down. I don't get so panicked anymore, but I still don't like crowds."

"I have heard of abuse in some foster homes, is that true?"

"For me it was. They kept us isolated, didn't let us have much interaction with others. Eventually I escaped and after that things started looking up." Three said.

"What about the foster home?" Sharon asked concerned the place might still be up and running.

"The employees paid for their actions, and later the building was demolished. After that I came to live with a father and daughter that were everything I could ever want. They became my father and sister." Three said, trying to keep from lying to Sharon. Instead she offered up half truths and little alterations to the actual truth. The two continued chatting preferring to avoid the overcrowded dance floor. Eventually they had empty glasses, so Three got the courage together and went to get them another drink. She made her way to the bar keeping her panic down well enough. Getting the bartender's attention she ordered their drinks and was waiting when she looked back at Sharon. The poor blonde was telling a rather insistent guy no.

"Hey! Give me a glass of iced water quick," Three said as the bartender did as asked. Taking the glass she added, "I will be back for our drinks in just a sec."

Moving back towards their table she could now hear the guy. "C'mon sweetheart. I just wanna dance with you."

"I said no."

"Which translates to yes." He said trying to pull off a cheesy grin.

"No actually it mean just that 'No!'" Sharon replied getting annoyed. The guy would have persisted had Three not acted.

"Hey Sharon!" Three called out to her friend, getting both their attention. Then pretended to stumble into the guy spilling the iced water down his front. Naturally the guy jumped at being splashed with icy water. "Oh my! I am so sorry!" Three pretended it was entirely an accident until the guy grumbled and walked off to get cleaned up.

"You did that on purpose." Sharon pointed out.

"What? Me? Neeevvve-" Three drew out the last word as she looked at the sleazy guy who now took some napkins and headed for the bathroom away from them. "Yeah okay I did."

Rather then wait for Three to come back to the bar one of the servers brought the drinks over to them. Retaking her seat both were still laughing about it. "Thanks a lot of my friends would have just let him continue to harass me!"

"What kind of friend is that? I thought friends are suppose to help each other out of terrible situations. Did that change? Do I need to read the do's and don't's of the friendship manual again?" Three asked making Sharon laugh.

"No I guess they just figure that they should not intrude." Sharon said unsure why her friends always let some drunk moron bug her.

"If you wanted the guy's attention sure, your friends should scatter and give you time with him. But that guy I could tell you did not want him around, it was obvious; when that happens your friends should come to your rescue not scatter to the four winds." Three said, she was no expert on being a friend but after Aida had pulled up the definition of friendship she had a good idea about it. Sharon on the other hand seemed to take her words on board, then downed her drink.

"Do you like Chinese food?"

"That is actually my favourite kind of food." Three said honestly.

"Good, let's get out of here before some other jackass tries to get us on the dance floor." Three was a bit surprised Sharon would ditch Rachel and Veronica, but downed her own drink and the two quickly left the club. The two headed down the street and ended up in this quaint little Chinese restaurant. Where they sat and chatted some more, it was easier now without the pounding of the bass and the loud club music. Both having a lot more fun here then at the club they had been at. The evening seemed to fly by – in no time at all the pair were given some fortune cookies. Both broke them open.

"Mine says: Keep your heart open, and you shall find love soon." Sharon said shaking her head.

"Mine says: You lead an adventurous life, but need to slow down and enjoy life."

"I think we got our fortune cookies switched." Sharon said.

"What? You think you live a more adventurous life?" Three asked

"Yeah I do, I have to put up with jerks like at the club."

"Yeah, but they are only grabby. I deal with old men that are both bitey and grabby." Three pointed out. The banter went on for a moment then Sharon went to use the restroom while Three got the bill and paid. It was while at the counter a bus boy came by to clean up their table, so Three snatched up the fortunes and stuffed them in her jacket pocket. By the time she finished paying the bill, Sharon came out and insisted on reimbursing her for her half of the bill. Three then gave Sharon back her fortune. Outside they headed for their cars saying goodnight to one another and promising to hang out again soon.

* * *

 **June 10** **th** **, 2012**

 **New York City**

Over the last couple of years, Three became close friends with Sharon Carter but hated having to skirt the truth when talking about her past. It was like she was hiding parts of herself away. Aside from that Three would come to the Spring Grove Care home to play temp nurse there and see both Peggy and Mace. Sadly Mace at times did not recognize her at all, and his dementia was in the moderate to final stages. Only briefly at times would he recognise her, before it would all slip away. It was painful to watch, what made it worse was that his sons visited him less and less. As if distance would help Mace remember them when the memories were all but fading away.

Thus at one point Beth came to Three and told her that her name and number had been added to the emergency contact list in Mace's file. Usually only close relatives would be contacted in emergencies, but it seemed Three was the only one that cared to see him. Beth also told her that what prompted this was Sharon had asked Lilith's name be added to the emergency contacts for Peggy. It was a gesture that showed how much trust she had built up with Sharon, a trust she did not feel worthy of.

However this did not stop Three from hunting HYDRA within SHIELD. All it would take was one slip up, one mistake and everyone she had come to care for would be dead. Katseye was still at the top of the most wanted list, and was not going anywhere any time soon. However she had not survived all these years by being reckless, she was always seven steps ahead and dancing around HYDRA. Technology would advance and she would get better equipment. Nowadays she wore the same outfit and weapons, but her compatible rifle had a bit more going for it. Instead of a laptop, it was a tablet she carried in her backpack. This allowed for more space to carry a small case with a syringe and vial as well as some bandages, it was her own little first aid kit. The other things she carried were some zip cords, a flare gun, and Swiss army knife. Her backpack was also reinforced to be waterproof to protect her tech.

Since Aida was still in SHIELD's system, Three would now get proximity alerts when SHIELD or HYDRA were closing in. She would also get warnings from Aida on any interesting activity from either group. Today was just one of those days: SHIELD was making an unusual amount of noise. Three came downstairs to an alert beeping at a large seismic activity located in a remote location. "Aida what is this?"

"I am receiving an alert that a large amount of seismic activity has occurred at a SHIELD facility. It has been completely levelled causing lots of damage and deaths. All SHIELD agents including Sharon Carter are being called for rescue and clean up efforts."

"Wow, what caused it?"

"I am researching, but the files are of a secure nature. It will take eighteen plus hours to access without alerting SHIELD." A moment later Three's phone rang, and read Sharon's name with her photo above it.

"Looks like we won't be hanging out this weekend." Three mumbled as she answered, "Hey Sharon, what's up?"

" _Lil sorry to do this, but I am going to have to cancel. Something came up at work."_ Sharon said.

"Oh that sucks, but I totally understand how it goes. Next weekend?"

" _I will try to get it free, and let you know."_ Sharon said.

"Okay if not there is always when we visit Peggy and Mace at the home." Three said hopeful.

" _True, but I gotta go. Bye."_

"Bye." Three said hanging up, then decided to get some breakfast and coffee before starting her day. After eating breakfast she showered and dressed, then came downstairs with her coffee in hand. Taking a seat, Three began monitoring communications and using facial recognition software to try to locate HYDRA heads or doctors slash scientists and cross more of them off the list. Thus far though the morning was slow going. She was listening to Taylor Swift and through her fourth mug of coffee. Music helped her to focus her mind so that she could think about several things at once and still be able to do her current task. A cool side effect of the serum in her blood was what they found she could do. Her mind operated on a whole new level above others, and by estimations mind altering effects would simply not work on her. Finally she sighed and stretched in her chair looking at the multiple screens, one was reporting the news, another was scanning for HYDRA, and a third was running communications through a filter looking for key words to be said.

Finally the boredom was getting to her, it had all been rather quiet lately. Three finished her coffee and got to her feet. "Hey Aida I am going to go blow off some steam. I will be back in a bit."

"Have fun, I will let you know if I find anything." Aida said as Three headed towards the garage. On her way she snatched up a normal backpack holding a pair of ice skates and her portable Ipod dock radio.

When not hanging out with Sharon or visiting Peggy and Mace, Three went ice-skating just as she had with Amaya. It took her a long time to get back into it, but it was a better way of remembering her sister. Since starting again she had paid off the owner to allow her to skate during the ice rink's closed hours. Joe the ice rink owner had even given her a key. The ice rink opened at 10am and since it was 7:30, she knew she would be alone.

Once at the ice rink she let herself in and turned off the security system. Setting up her dock radio she put Taylor Swift back on and put on her skates before hitting the ice. She moved with the music gracefully on the ice letting the music focus her. As she moved like a professional ice skater her perfect memory knew exactly what to do and when to do it. Eventually the music changed to Katy Perry, the song was a favourite that reminded her of Four. The song 'Thinking of you'.

Another side effect was being able to pick and choose memories to focus on and see over again in her mind's eye. Three did not do this often because it was too easy to 'follow the white rabbit' and get caught up in one of her bad memories. When she did follow the white rabbit it led to painful results. All it took was following a good memory too long and it usually led into bad ones. On one such occasion she had been remembering Six when it led to darker places and she witnessed the rape of her childhood friend all over again. Three was not sure what exactly happened then it was like the trauma was too much. Her head pounded, her distress watch was beeping, and Aida was frantic. Hours later she finally come down from the terrible memory crying in a corner, and feeling like she had a hangover from hell.

Thus she enjoyed the good memories of Four, but never allowed temptation to take root and follow the memories further along. When the song ended, another song began sparking another memory. However soon Three was pulled out to the present by a beeping and so she stopped at the side and pulled out her phone to look at the alert. The message made her heart skip a beat as Aida had finally found their next target. Smiling Three headed to the edge of the ice and took off her skates, just in time for Joe to show up. The pair greeted each other briefly, then Three headed out wanting to confirm what Aida had found. Heading home she got out of her car after being scanned for tracers, then headed for the computers. "It isn't April, Aida. So I take it this is not an April Fool's joke."

"No it is not. I believe we have located one of HYDRA's heads." Dropping into the chair, Three began typing and pulling up what Aida found. The largest piece of information was a coded message to a hidden IP address. It was how HYDRA had come to communicate since Katseye always seemed to know when and where to strike. More than once Pierce tried to use that to his advantage by luring her into a trap, he almost succeeded too. Fortunately Three escaped injured but alive, Pierce ended up replacing half his Strike team including the leader again. The latest replacement now was one Brock Rumlow, who would most likely not last the year with her around.

Reading the e-mail it would merely look like a status report, but when Three began to run the decryption program the true message appeared. _**'Report: Request standby until package known as Obelisk is confirmed. Otherwise risk exposure to SHIELD. Contact U.S. Armed forces General Henry Kingston. Delivery date June 13**_ _ **th**_ _ **, 2012. New York City Down town Office building on Madison Avenue 19**_ _ **th**_ _ **floor.'**_

"Huh seems odd. First they are asking their buddies to wait, or risk exposure yet already a meeting is set up with General Kingston. Thoughts?" Three asked.

"I do not believe the meeting has been confirmed yet, nor has the package." Aida added, "However I did run searches referencing the word 'Obelisk'. One such item was recovered by the SSR in 1945 when they took one Werner Reinhardt into custody."

"Whitehall." Three said.

"Indeed, currently the Obelisk is under U.S Military control not SHIELD. However the one that runs the warehouse for items such as this is the very general mentioned in this message."

"Great! So we've got a dirty U.S general about to hand over an artifact to a HYDRA head." Three said shaking her head.

"If this is correct I can see HYDRAs concern for confirmation. Thus far Whitehall has remained off the grid as per requested by Pierce. If he were spotted and someone was to remember him."

"Seems unlikely anyone would remember him unless he stepped into Peggy's care home." Three said, but obviously HYDRA did not want to chance it, "However if he were spotted it would send up red flags, especially since he is suppose to die in prison."

"And according to records taken from that time period Reinhardt was obsessed with this Obelisk."

"Anything on it?" Three asked as she checked for further coded messages.

"Nothing however there was great concerns surrounding the touching of this item. Some rather grisly photos showed the results of touching the item in question." Aida said, a second later Three got to see the people that looked to be...turned to stone.

"Geez! What is it? Medusa's pumice stone?" Three asked as she noticed some had fallen apart.

"Unsure, but do we really want some dirty general handing such an item over to HYDRA?"

"No of course not. Keep close monitor over the communications. I am going to book myself in at..."Three was looking up a building close by. "The Grande Hotel right across the street."

"Maybe you could shoot the general too." Aida supplied.

"Aida-"

"Oh c'mon he is willing to sell this very dangerous item to Whitehall, and how many will be put at risk by the Obelisk?" Three sighed as she considered it, after all Aida did have a point. For some more hours they tried to learn more about the object, and if Whitehall would actually show up at this possible meeting. However Three groaned as she realized how hungry she was getting and decided to take a break. Heading upstairs she went into the kitchen and turned on the television as she started putting together a sandwich.

" _Unconfirmed reports of a madman in Germany. Be advised that some of the footage may be difficult to watch."_ An anchorwoman said as footage was shown, Three frowned watching the scene. A strangely dressed man stood over people kneeling. "Huh his mother dresses him funny." Three said as she added some slices of meat to her sandwich and looked up. Her eyes went wide as she stepped away from making her sandwich. A man in red white and blue stood with a shield. She had seen Captain America before, Peggy had his picture. He was fighting the first guy when Iron man showed up. "Hey Aida you watching the news?"

"Yes, I recognise two of the three men fighting. The third I have no data record on him." Aida said.

" _No word yet from authorities as to the identity of the attacker, but the ones to engage him have been confirmed as Tony Stark's Iron man and the famous Captain America. Some of you may remember Captain-"_ Three turned off the television as she put her sandwich on a plate and was heading back downstairs.

"Are not you interested in hearing about this?" Aida asked.

"We got better things to do than listen to some reporter blather on about who Captain America is, or why he and Iron man are duking it out with some weirdo with a horned hat. Right now we have a military general about to sell a dangerous object to a head of HYDRA. Let the boys play in their sandbox, and the women do the real work." Three said setting her sandwich down on the desk by her as she sat down.

"You make a good point, besides the horned one has been arrested." Aida said as the pair resumed their work.

* * *

 **June 13** **th** **, 2012**

 **New York City**

It was confirmed now, the general had agreed and confirmed a meeting to sell the Obelisk to an interested buyer. However that was not the only thing concerning Aida as the AI pointed out that a lot of chatter was happening within SHIELD. In fact the AI became insistent Three carry some extra clips just in case. However rather than argue Three agreed and checked in at the Grande across from the building the meeting was suppose to take place in. The two buildings were not as tall as some of the skyscrapers. In fact the motel Three had booked into was shorter then the building across from her. Thus she came to be on the roof of the motel in fully suited and geared up in case of surprises, paranoia was a very good thing in her line of work after all.

The twenty story motel had a semi nice view of Stark tower all the way down past Madison, however the only view Three cared about was the one that would be in her scope. As she laid down and got ready she started a light hearted chat. "So I am thinking...high velocity hollow point? If Whitehall is close enough to the wall his brains should make a nice Picasso on the white wall."

"I suppose, but I am more of a Van Gogh kind of girl." Aida replied. The pair bantered back and forth while waiting for those in the meeting to show up. Gradually people began to show, but no Whitehall at least not yet. Faintly she heard a booming noise and looked in the direction it came from, Stark Tower.

"What was that?" Three asked, but did not see anything at that distance. Instead she shook her head annoyed and resumed focusing on the room. A few minutes later there was still no Whitehall, but General Kingston had shown up. "Oh finally! Someone shows."

"Kat I am getting a strong energy reading coming from Stark Tower."

"Yeah Aida it's called the arc-reactor."

"No a moment ago the arc-reactor was shut down rather abruptly. Yet there is still an energy reading." Three frowned wondering what the mad scientist known as Tony Stark was making now. With no Whitehall present, Three sighed and turned her rifle left to look at Stark Tower. Peering through the scope, Three's eyes widened at the radiant blue light that shot into the afternoon sky.

"What the hell is that?" Three asked as she angled her rifle upwards to look towards the sky.

"No idea, do you suppose the arc-reactor has gone haywire?" Aida asked, but as Three looked through her scope she had to blink several times thinking she was hallucinating. Out of the black hole in the sky came what could only be aliens. _'Aliens? Really?'_ Yet there was no denying what she was seeing. Aliens were coming through a portal from Stark Tower.

"Oh god what did Stark create now?" Three asked

"I do not think this is Stark's creation." Aida said as Three spotted Iron man fighting the aliens descending on New York. However there were too many for Iron man as some got past him and began a full scale battle in the city. The explosions made Three lower her rifle downwards towards the street where people ran screaming as cars blew up around them. A group of the aliens on what looked like to be alien speeders flew past Three as they continued bombarding the street below.

"Okay your right, not Stark." Three said taking aim at one of the speeders and firing. A second later the alien speeder crashed onto the street below. "Good thing you told me to take extra clips."

Three began shooting left and right at the aliens taking them down as fast as she could, then a SHIELD aircraft flew past her building and crash-landed three blocks down on the street below. Taking a moment she turned and looked through the scope as Captain America and two others in black got out. However she did not focus on them long as she heard what sounded like a roar as something...BIG came through the hole in the sky. "Uh Aida I do not have bullets big enough to shoot a giant worm thingy."

"Best to focus on the little ones then."

"Yeah, we will leave that one for Iron man." Three said as she resumed shooting at the aliens threatening innocent people in the streets.

"I am monitoring police channels they are setting up a perimeter down to 39th."

"Good to know!" Three said over the blasts and explosions. She shot another speeder out of the sky, just as Iron man led the giant worm around the corner down the very street she was on. She immediately ran and jumped back to avoid the worm as it scrapped the building she was on as Iron man flew closer to the ground. Along the way it took off the corner of the roof. She sat up dusting herself off as she heard an explosion and rushed to the edge to investigate.

The eerie roars from the smaller ones sent a shiver down her spine as she looked around the buildings some were clinging to. Then looked back at the circular group. That consisted of two dressed in black, Captain America, Iron Man, a blonde with a hammer, and a big green guy. "Well what do you know a superhero boy band."

A moment later the group was looking up at the hole in the sky and it got Three looking up as well. "Crap! I don't think I brought enough bullets, Aida."

"Well at least we have the superhero boy band to help out." Aida said trying to sound encouraging. Rather then just stop and stare at the ones on the ground Three resumed shooting at the ones on the walls of buildings and on speeders. Amidst her shooting she noticed one of the ones in black was taken up by Iron man to another roof. That was when she noted the bow. _'A bow? Really? Robin Hood is taking aliens on with a bow?!'_ Three shook her head believing a sniper rifle far more superior than a bow. At another point she was taking aim at one alien on the building only to see the big green guy jump up and begin smashing the aliens on the wall into the wall. So she took aim at some further down the street.

That was when she saw it, a little girl hiding near the end of an overturned car crying. She was too scared to move and was bound to be spotted or caught in some kind of explosion. "Aida hack communications. Alert the police that a little girl is at the back end of a taxi on Park in front of the Grande hotel."

"Alerting them now." Aida said as Three kept an eye on the little girl, however fate was playing a cruel joke as some aliens spotted her and were moving towards her.

"Shit!" Three cursed as she started shooting at them. "Patch me in to the police band, now!" A moment later Three was patched in. "Is there an officer inbound to the girl?"

" _Who is this?"_

"Never mind who this is, just answer the damn question!" Three said.

" _I am on my way."_ Another officer answered.

"You need to hurry these these ugly bastards see her! Which direction are you coming from?"

" _I am coming off of Main."_ So he was on her left, and a lot closer.

"Run for the girl I will cover you!" Three replied as she started shooting at the aliens. The cop thankfully listened as he ran to the trunk of the taxi and scooped her up. He had seen where the bullets were coming from and stopped to look up as did the little girl. Both spotting her as she continued shooting. "Make for the subway!"

The cop obeyed as she shot ahead of him at the aliens that would have blocked his path. As they reached the subway he looked back at her. _"_ _Thanks."_

With that the pair disappeared from view to relative safety. To ensure their safety, Three kept shooting at any aliens that got close to the subway. Satisfied that she had protected them she was about to resume shooting at the ones doing a flyby when a blast threw her against the wall by the door leading back inside. Her ears rung and for some reason she pushed her hood back and pulled down the cloth covering her face. Faintly she still heard blasts and explosions, but they were muffled, as was the beeping of her distress watch and Aida demanding she answer her.

Everything hurt, her chest burned as she tried to take in breathes. She felt like throwing up as she groaned. The blast was directed at her, but her suit took most the damage at least. If nothing else she would be bruised and sore for the next couple of days. She was trying to get to her feet, when she heard footsteps on the roof with her. _'Not good!'_ Three thought as her ears popped and sound fully returned to her.

"Another one I see," The voice above her said, "I underestimated them having another one up their sleeve." Shaking her head, Three spotted her rifle just out of reach on her left. Instinct told her whoever this was he was not friendly. To confirm it she looked up and met green eyes, and a black haired man. He seemed taken aback by her appearance as his eyes roamed over her appreciating what he saw. A moment later she remembered him, the horned hat guy from Germany that was on the news. Was he responsible for this?

"Beautiful," He said admiring her, "I see now why my brother desires a mortal woman."

 _'Okay whole new level of crazy here.'_ Three thought, then rasped out her question. "Who are you?"

"I am Loki of Asgard, and you? What is your name?"

"I am Three and you interrupted my work day." Three answered earning a chuckle from him.

"Work? What work?"

"I was suppose to shoot an asshole." Three replied sarcastically as Loki smiled.

"Such fierceness, you remind me of Sif only more beautiful."

"Oh I don't. Sif sounds very beautiful, but I can see why she would not want you. No one likes too much crazy. Why don't you take your pack of uglies and go away?" Three asked as she slowly got to her feet, and Loki's smile faded.

"Such talk will not be tolerated by me, Three." He was watching her closely for a moment then frowned, "What kind of name is Three anyway?"

"None of your business." Three answered as she slowly edged towards her sniper rifle. He saw the action, but Three was prepared for that. She threw a rock she had picked up when she had been getting up. Sadly the rock went right through him, and this man appeared right in front of her. Before she could move he grabbed her in a type of hug crushing her to him, so that her arms were pinned. Spun around Three was now at the edge of the roof her back to the violence happening below.

Loki's face was mere inches from her own as she was crushed to him. "Such a defiant wilful woman. Now I definitely see why my brother is so taken with his mortal."

"Well you know us earth girls, we are very independent and picky." Three spat out as Loki reached up behind her head and gripped her hair yanking her head back. He was making her flesh crawl as his grip tightened on her.

"I like you. When I rule here you will learn obedience, and be by my side." He released her hair in favour of his hand trailing over her body. Panic swept her as she began to struggle, but could not break his hold. Again his free hand gripped her hair making her look at him, now the arm the held her pinned loosened as his hand reached down to grab her ass yanking her tight against him. At least one arm was free, but she had to be careful otherwise he would know what she was doing. Now he was looking into her eyes and frowned again.

"Strange usually I can read people so easily. Know their mind so well, yet you are different. You must have a stronger mind," Loki paused, pressing against her so she could feel his desire for her, it made her panic even more. "Ah there it is! I can see it in your eyes. You are innocent, you have never experienced the touch of a man. The mere idea terrifies you, you witnessed it. Someone dear to you, her legs being forced apart and made to accept a man before she was ready. Her screams still echoing in your mind as she calls to you, begging pleading for help. You never want to feel that helpless, that vulnerable. I may not be able to know your mind as easily as others, but I know enough from your eyes."

Her head was yanked back again exposing her neck to Loki as he ran his tongue over her neck. It sparked the memory of Berk as he held her through the bars of her cell licking her neck after promising that a lot of guards wanted to fuck her. The image terrified her, but then she remembered her anger and heard the distant explosions that brought her back to the present. "You will be mine. Tonight when I celebrate my victory you will be in my bed. Your greatest fears realized."

She forced the panic down as he angled her head towards his intending to kiss her. Pure rage hit her as she realized he was going to take what was only meant for Four. The cold flat tone stopped him short. "I don't like being touched!"

Loki stopped short and was about to respond when Three kneed him in between the legs causing him to release her and cry out. The wrist blade shot out as she slashed him across the stomach, but it was doubtful she did any real damage. While he was momentarily incapacitated she dodged around him and kicked him square in the ass so he was thrown off the roof. Three was breathing hard and shaken to her core by the experience as she fell back on the roof shaken. Grabbing her rifle she clutched it to her like a security blanket. She had expected Loki to come after her when he landed on a speeder, however he began chasing the girl with red hair that was also riding a speeder. She released the breath she held when he forgot her at least for the moment.

However the thud and roar made Three nearly jump as the big green guy landed on her roof and saw her. Three went still for a moment as the Hulk regarded her and his eyes softened some. At least he was not going to attack her, that was when she saw a speeder hovering behind the Hulk taking aim at him. Immediately she took aim and shot the speeder. When she looked back at the Hulk he had taken steps towards her and had raised his fist as if to smash her. However he looked back at where the speeder had been, then back at her. _'He must have thought I was going to shoot at him.'_ The Hulk lowered his fist and grinned at her before running to the edge and jumping from her roof to resume fighting.

"Your welcome." Three mumbled, then heard Aida.

"Do you hear me Three? SHIELD has launched a nuke!" Three shakily got to her feet taking her sniper rifle with her towards the edge. "You need to get out of there!"

"Aida even if I do run, if they have already launched it. There will be no escaping that." Three said as she shakily started taking aim at the aliens once more. She kept shooting until she realized she had only one clip left and there was still a lot more aliens. "I am on my last clip."

"Then make them count." Aida said softly. She intended to as she shot out another speeder, and another. They were bombarding the Hulk, and as she shot at more of them some broke off going after her. They started shooting at her as she rolled out of the way. She got to her feet only to have a blast hit next to her feet that threw her off the roof. Now she clung to the edge and knew her luck had run out. The alien on the speeder was taking aim at her and she was a sitting duck. She closed her eyes expecting the blast that would send her falling to her death.

However the blast never came, and it sounded like someone had cut the power to something. A moment later she heard a crash and saw the speeder down below. Someone up high must have loved her as she released her breath and pulled herself back up onto the roof. All around the aliens fell as if they were lifeless husks now. Tucking her foot under her rifle she kicked it up and caught it before coming back to the edge to look through the scope. Something must have happened to stop the onslaught. A moment later the beam of blue light from Stark tower was cut, and the hole began to close. A second later Iron man was falling through, but as near as Three could tell Tony Stark was unconscious.

All Three could do was watch him fall until the Hulk caught him and used the buildings to slow their descent until they landed on the ground. With the threat of aliens gone, Three focused on the street as Tony looked dead, and not moving. Then the Hulk roared and Tony jolted awake, she watched them for a moment more then remembered the reason she had come here. Turning she directed her rifle at the building the meeting was to take place in and groaned. What was left of the meeting room was gone partially. The only upside was General Kingston lay partly under the rubble his eyes opened and vacant. Obviously he and the others present were all dead, but there was no sign of Whitehall; and after what happened she doubted he would show now.

Touching her ear piece to make sure Aida was still there she sighed. "Aida, General Kingston is dead along with the others at the meeting. No sign of Whitehall though. I am heading back. Delete all records of my checking into the motel, and scrub the records of my chat with the officer."

"Understood. Is the boy band okay?"

"Near as I can tell." Three looked again back through her scope to see them making their way to Stark Tower. Hopefully to arrest the one known as Loki. After that she snuck back down into the now vacant and partly ruined hotel. Fortunately her room only had broken windows and some blast marks on the wall. She quickly changed and put in a colour clip changing her hair to blonde. Grabbing her belongings she quickly left wanting to avoid being seen or noticed after the Battle of New York.

* * *

 **Author's Notes:**

 **First off thank you so much for all the lovely reviews. I always love hearing from you guys.**

 **Lonesome Road, You are correct. I was eluding to them finding Captain America. I know he was suppose to be found weeks prior to Avengers Assemble, but thought he needed more time to adjust. However I now notice that I might be giving him a little too much time, 2 years; to recover and adjust. For that reason I have taken out the comment about SHIELD finding something in the Arctic in the previous chapter.**

 **As for this chapter, I tried to show how difficult the club scene was for Three however I did not want it to be so terrible that it prevented her from going. You could say Sharon's presence helped give her the courage. Still this doesn't mean she has completely overcome her dislike for crowds, or her panic attacks.**

 **As for Sharon herself, I always feel both in the comics and in the Marvel movies that we don't see or hear enough of her. At times, to me; it feels like she is merely a replacement for Peggy Carter. Perhaps it is just me that views it so. Anyway I also thought this would be the perfect way to help shine more light on an otherwise vague character.**

 **Again the story skips ahead two years after the club to 2012, where Three has become good friends with Sharon and is very close not just to Peggy but to Mace as well. Not only that but before Three realizes what she has stepped in she is thrown into the battle of New York. Now obviously she was not going to go unnoticed nor was she going to be spotted by an Avenger that could ID her. Hence her brush with the Hulk and the villain Loki.**

 **Also another thing to note is for all those Agents of SHIELD fans. Yes there was a meeting set up, but the Obelisk itself remains at the US Military facility. It was an initial meeting to agree on a price for the Obelisk and such. Which is why Whitehall was a no show. So no the Obelisk is not out and about. It will still be where it is suppose to be for season 2.**

 **Aside from that what did you think of this chapter? What did you think of Three meeting Loki and the Hulk? Please let me know what you thought. I look forward to reading what you thought.**

 **Lesliezin**


	13. Whatever Comes Next

**Hello everyone,**

 **Here is chapter 13. However before reading just a warning there is some graphic violence at the beginning of this chapter just to let you know. I will explain more of the scene in question in the Author's Notes.**

 **Aside from that please read and enjoy.**

* * *

 **June 13** **th** **, 2012**

 **New York City**

Getting home, Three really wanted a shower and to rest after everything that had happened. However she was too shaken to relax as she stepped into the shower and gasped, her body was covered in bruises and the water hitting them made her sway. She pressed against the wall of the shower letting the cool tiles calm her some as the dizziness subsided. Taking deep steady breaths she listened to the sound of the shower head. It hurt to move around too much as Three put body wash on her sponge and winced as she tried to run it over her body. Again she had to take a moment to recover after bending over to wash her legs. Her head spun once more and so she pressed back against the cool tiles. She closed her eyes to keep the room from spinning and from throwing up.

That was when she felt hands on her as she was crushed to a body, immediately she tried to struggle but couldn't get free. Her eyes flew open to look at Loki? What was going on? How was this possible? He was arrested! "I said you would be mine tonight."

Three began struggling as she was pressed against Loki's bare chest, and she realized he must have stripped down to join her in the shower. Panicking she was soon cornered in the shower. "Get away from me!" Three cried, "AIDA!"

But there was no response from the AI, as Three was pinned to the tiles. _"_ _You are innocent, you have never experienced the touch of a man. The mere idea terrifies you, you witnessed it. Someone dear to you her legs being forced apart and made to accept a man before she was ready. Her screams still echoing in your mind as she calls to you, begging pleading for help. You never want to feel that helpless, that vulnerable."_ The words were Loki's but were an echo whispered in her ear. She began crying as she realized he spoke the truth, he had known her mind in that moment better than she knew herself. What was worse was he knew what she feared, and he was using it against her. She felt his body press to hers pinning her in place, and now he let his hand slip between them to touch her intimately his fingers running along her lips.

"Don't touch me!" She screamed trying to struggle, and with that he pushed his fingers inside her despite her struggles.

"I will touch you when I wish!" Loki growled out, then he grinned as she tried to turn away. Feeling him touch her made her feel sick as she couldn't push him away no matter how she tried. His fingers delved deeper wanting to explore her until he met resistance and grinned. "You are indeed a maiden, innocent and pure."

His fingers left her and she saw him lick his fingers as if admiring the taste of her. "Pl—pleeee—aase," She begged hoping to find some decency in him, "Please don't do this."

She saw Loki's eyes soften as he looked at her. "Begging me are you?"

Three nodded regaining some hope that he would know kindness and release her. For a moment he looked like he was actually going to release her, then without warning he grabbed her lifting her up. A split second later it felt like she was being torn in two as pain ripped through her body and she screamed. The Asgardian shoved into her brutally and all the way making her cry out. She feebly tried to push him away, but it didn't stop him. He began thrusting into her as she begged him not to, but that only made him do it harder and faster to her. It caused more screams from her as more sharp jabs of pain came.

His grip on her hips and ass tightened as he tried to bury himself deeper than was physically possible. She screamed even more and was sure her lungs would give out at this rate. Then she was crying hot tears as Loki began thrusting harder and faster into her. "Fear not, you are not defiled yet. This is just a taste of what you can expect upon my return."

 _'Wait, this is not real? But it feels so real, it hurts!'_ Three wondered trying to figure out what was going on. "No this is not actually physically happening." Loki said as she realized he was answering her thoughts, was he in her head? Mentally mind raping her? "What a smart mortal you are."

With that he began going faster and even harder as if trying to cause her as much mental pain as possible. The pain between her legs may not have been real, but it made it no less painful. Tears escaped as he began jerking and she felt something warm and wet fill her making her want to cry. Loki was laughing as she trembled still pinned between him and the tiles. "I cannot wait to have you for real. Not just in your mind, but to really take your innocence."

The words filled her with rage at being mentally violated in every way she feared. The panic was gone and her cold calculating mind returned. That was when she saw into his mind, he intended to mentally violate her repeatedly until she broke. He was going to force her again, but as she focused on his thoughts and somehow realized she could dig into his mind he gasped and released her. Numbly she fell to the hard wet floor, but she kept pushing into his mind. Forcing her way deeper into his thoughts. His hopes, dreams, and fears all come to her as Loki cried out in pain. "What? What is this?! What are you doing?!"

She went beyond pushing as Loki started screaming in agony as she focused on doing as much damage as she possibly could to him. He crumbled to the floor of her shower and now he was the one begging. "Stop! Stop now!"

However she didn't stop determined to tear into his mind as he had mentally done to her body. "I know your fear Loki! I know the fear of standing in your brother's shadow, of being overlooked. Your real father casting you aside like you are nothing! Which is what you are NOTHING, but a coward playing at being a king! You think because you enter my mind you can do as you please, mentally mind fuck me?! But by the time I am done with you Asgardian, your brother will be dragging back Loki the mentally fucked vegetable!"

It was hurting her now, but she dug deeper making Loki's screams cut across into his reality. She knew it was his reality because the voices were distant, and one even sounded familiar. _"_ _What is wrong with him?"_

" _I don't know looks to me like he is crying over losing."_ Another said, _"_ _Get a muzzle for him."_ That was when Loki disappeared from her mind and Three opened her eyes with a gasp. Now she really did fall to the tile floor shaken with her head spinning as she was released from the mental attack. What she did not know was Loki passed out once he left her mind and was shaking on the floor of his cell. Whatever had happened the Asgardian had not expected her to retaliate.

Three lay there shaken as the water hit her body and the pain she had 'felt' with Loki disappeared having not been physically real at all. Still her body shook from the mental experience she had feared all her life. She started crying as sobs escaped her and she was not sure what to feel. Relief that it had been some creepy mental attack, or horror at experiencing assault in some form. Sniffling she then noticed a few drops blood in the water, and wondered where she was bleeding. Then she touched her nose and stared surprised at the red drops on her fingertips.

Her head hurt even more now as she felt like her head was stuffed in cotton wool. Her hearing was muffled her eyes hurt, and the noises around her felt like needles to her brain. Slowly she got up turned off the shower and pulled her towel around her. Everything felt scrambled inside her head as she did not dry off, instead she stumbled right to her bed and collapsed on it. Nothing else registered as darkness took her.

* * *

 **Stark Tower**

Since the Helicarrier was damaged and New York was a mess. They locked Loki up in a holding cell Tony Stark had developed years before. He had two armed guards watching him as well, and was in electro shock cuffs as an added precaution. Not far off the Avengers were lounging and having a drink. They wanted to go for Swarmas, but were waiting for Loki to be taken off their hands and for debriefing. While Loki was unusually quiet the elevator door dinged and in walked Fury who took a look at the broken glass, torn up floors, and dishevelled Avengers.

The director of SHIELD slowly came forward with Maria Hill and some other guards behind them. Already reports on the battle for New York were swarming across news-stations. SHIELD was on the scene along with the U.S army to restore order before people could take advantage of the destruction.

"You did good out there." Fury finally said as the Avengers were all looking at him.

"Who ordered the nuke?" Steve asked not at all pleased that someone would try to end so many lives.

"The council I answer to. Unfortunately they had no faith. They ordered the nuclear strike." Fury answered honestly. The group went quiet as they considered what almost happened, and were glad it did not come to that. "There are some questions I have, I need to ask them while your memories are still fresh."

Fury looked to Hill who handed him a folder which he opened and dropped on the coffee table in the middle of the room. Photos fell out showing a rooftop and a blurred image of someone with a sniper rifle. Tony took a drink from his glass as Banner put on his glasses after cleaning them to look more closely at one of the images. Along with the photos was a small disk which Tony put on. The first thing to play was an amateur video a civilian recorded of the fighting.

" _Jesus!"_ The guy cried ducking down as the camera jiggled, and looked down the street at Steve fighting. Then they heard a whoosh as Iron man flew over and the camera tried to follow him. A moment later a shot rang out and the camera zoomed in on someone on the roof, but it was not Barton. The camera tried to zoom in but became blurred by the distance. Then the guy ducked down screaming and started running. _"_ _SHIT!"_

The next thing shown was a voice recording taken from the police banner.

" _Is there an officer inbound to the girl?"_ A distorted woman's voice sounded.

" _Who is this?"_ A man asked most likely a cop.

" _Never mind who this is, just answer the damn question!"_ The woman demanded

" _I am on my way."_ Another voice answered again a cop.

" _You need to hurry these ugly bastards see her! Which direction are you coming from?"_ The woman asked.

" _I am coming off of Main."_ The cop answered

" _Run for the girl I will cover you!"_ The woman commanded and for a few minutes there was silence as the Avengers listened, then the woman's voice spoke again. _"_ _Make for the subway!"_

Again more silence followed until the officer said. _"_ _Thanks."_

"Who is that?" Steve asked looking at Fury.

"Someone that was out there helping you today, problem is she is usually not helpful." Fury said. While Natasha and Clint looked at the blurred photos.

"Katseye, you think it's her?" Clint asked.

"Kats—what?" Tony asked.

"She is SHIELDs most wanted, a psychopath that kills members of SHIELD." Natasha answered.

"Yet there she was helping you. Which brings me to my next question. Did anyone see her?" Fury asked, but the room went quiet for a few minutes as the Avengers looked at one another. The only one not looking around was Banner who was looking at the file on the table and thinking. "Doctor Banner?"

"I—I cannot be sure. At times remembering while I am the other guy is hard. I think I saw her." Banner said.

"Can you remember any details? Anything at all?" Hill asked.

"Green eyes, I uhh remember green eyes. That and the other guy thought she was nice." Banner said. Anything else turned out to be hazy at best as was most of the fighting for Banner. The other Avengers never saw her as they were either too busy or unable to see her. Fury guessed he would get no further answers to his burning question. That was when the unusually quiet Loki began screaming: tears escaping, as he clutched his head in pain.

"What is wrong with him?" One of the guard's asked

"I don't know looks to me like he is crying over losing." another replied as Fury and the Avengers watched the strange scene.

"Get a muzzle for him." Fury said not wanting to hear it.

"No wait! Someone is attacking his mind." Thor said coming closer to his brother. It made no sense though to Thor, their mother had taught him magic and the power of the mind. Sure he could influence minds and cause illusions within if he focused, but no one on earth should have the mental fortitude to fight back. "Loki!"

However Loki could not respond the pain was too great, whoever's mind he had tried to enter was making him regret it. Thor wanted to know who's mind his brother decided to toy with, but knew getting the answer was impossible as his brother collapsed to the floor unconscious.

"What the hell just happened?" Fury asked looking to Thor for answers.

"My brother must have reached out to someone's mind. Whomever it was they did not like the intrusion." Thor said.

"Good, maybe that will teach him to stay out of other people's heads." Fury said, "Take him away." The SHIELD guards began dragging him off, and as Thor was about to protest Fury added. "Don't worry he is all yours when you are ready to go back. For now though rest, you all earned it."

* * *

 **June 14** **th** **, 2012**

 **New York City**

Three awoke about seventeen hours later with a soft gasp. Her body sore from the bruises she had received during the battle, and still wrapped in the towel from the previous days shower. She shivered on her bed as the mental rape played through her mind. _'It wasn't real! It wasn't real! IT WASN'T REAL!'_ She chanted still shaken, yet it felt so real that she squeezed her eyes shut trying to push the memory of the mental assault away. Her body may not have been violated but her mind certainly felt like it had been. Three shivered on the bed hugging herself and trying to curl up into a ball. However while the mental assault and the pain from that was not physically real the bruises from the battle of New York were. She winced as she was reminded of the real injuries to her body, and slowly got up.

"Aida?" Three called shakily.

"Ah you are awake at last. I was worried, but when you collapsed on your bed I figured you needed rest." Aida said, obviously the AI was unaware of the mental attack Three had suffered, so Three did not bring it up wanting to spare Aida having to worry over Three's mental health. "I have tried to clean up anything with you on it pertaining to the battle of New York, but regrettably several individuals saw you, and recorded you. I distorted most of it including your voice on the police ban. However SHIELD does know of your involvement. I am sorry."

"No need to apologise Aida. I am certain you did all you could to protect me." Three said softly, she still felt dirty from the mental attack; so she got up and took another quick shower. While there she checked over her bruises more and cleaned herself up better. Once out of the shower she dried and dressed in underwear, skinny jeans, and a t-shirt. She avoided putting on a bra as it would irritate one of the bigger bruises at the top of her ribs and on her shoulder. Instead she came downstairs making coffee and putting on the t.v. as she got some breakfast.

The news centred around the Avengers, who they were, and the battle of New York. However the next report made Three cringe. _"_ _Now we know of the Avengers Captain America, Iron man, The Hulk, Thor, Black Widow, and Hawkeye. But who is this seventh Avenger? Is this person an Avenger? Some authorities claim it is simply a New York SWAT team member, but no one has come forward to confirm those allegations. Field reporter Lorraine Carlson has this report."_

The anchorwoman disappeared as another reporter took her place on the big screen. She stood in the rubble filled street in front of the Grande hotel. _"_ _Yesterday afternoon started like any other day until a beam of light shot out from Stark Towers opening what looked to be a wormhole to another world. The Avengers were called in consisting of Captain America, Iron Man, Thor, The Hulk, Black Widow, and Hawkeye. However another report suggests they did not stand alone. I am standing in front of the Grande Hotel where during the attack another was seen fighting the invading aliens. Reports suggest this person was wielding a sniper rifle, discouraging reports that it was Hawkeye who was in fact three buildings down and closer to Stark Tower."_

" _Could it have been a member of the New York City's Police departments SWAT team?"_ The anchorwoman in the studio asked.

" _The police department was asked that very same question, but according to the police chief the answer is no. There was no sniper on the roof at that time, and some footage suggests that whoever it was they were already on the roof when the attack happened."_ The reporter stated.

" _Wait a moment Lorraine, you are saying this person was already on the roof? Did they know the attack was coming?"_ The anchorwoman asked.

" _There is no evidence to suggest that they knew of the attack. However their response to the threat was quick."_

 _'Shit!'_ Three thought as she turned off the television, disgusted that she was on t.v. at all.

"Do not worry I am already working towards discrediting the photos, and footage of you as a hoax." Aida said guessing her friend was not happy to be so exposed. "With luck the story of you will quickly be forgotten in favour of the Avengers. However I recommend we lay low for a while until this story is forgotten."

"Good idea, I need some recovery time anyway." Three said as she poured milk on some cornflakes and a sliced banana. She did not bother mentioning the mental assault because she did not want to worry Aida. While the mental assault had been traumatic, it was not physically real; it was all inside her head. So Three tried to push it to the back of her mind and forget it and Loki.

* * *

In the following months Three tried to stay off the radar, and eventually the story about a seventh avenger was discredited as a hoax. The only one that persisted was a journalist by the name of Ben Urich. A man who continued despite mounting opinion that she was a hoax, mostly Three was concerned he would draw unwanted attention to himself via HYDRA. Strangely though no one bothered him, and she came to like the journalist who always sought out the truth. At most, Three had Aida watch for any activity from SHIELD or HYDRA that they were coming for Ben.

According to some reports Aida managed to unlock the Avengers went their separate ways with Thor taking Loki and something called the Tesseract back to Asgard. According to older files the Tesseract was HYDRA's secret weapon back in World War two, so Three considered it a good thing Thor took it. The alternative would have been for the Tesseract to end up in HYDRA's hands once more. It was also a relief that Loki was taken away and she hoped her mind was out of his reach now. She was not sure if she could withstand another mental assault, but was glad she was able to retaliate somehow.

As much as she tried to push the memory back, it came back in the form of nightmares. Repeatedly she relived the memory of him taking her in the shower. Sometimes he would have her repeatedly because she found she was unable to attack him mentally. Other times she dreamt that he had taken over and destroyed the Avengers, so she ended up raped on the motel roof top. Other nightmares harked back to Six being raped in her cell by Berk and the other guards. Each dream made Three feel weak and helpless, and often she awoke screaming and crying. It would scare Aida too, but Three lied claiming it was nightmares of the battle to spare the AI.

To put some sense of normalcy back into her life she visited Peggy and Mace regularly, despite how Mace barely recognized her anymore. She tried to hang out with Sharon as well who seemed distracted. Eventually Three got Sharon to agree to hang out. It was a nice sunny day in Meridian Hill Park in Washington D.C, and like with Amaya, Three got them both an ice cream. Yet Sharon seemed to be doing too much thinking and not enough talking. "Psst Sharon," Three whispered, "You are suppose to talk and eat your ice cream before it melts."

"Uh oh sorry Lil, just have a lot on my mind." Sharon said.

"What about?" Three asked.

"A co-worker died back around the Battle of New York. I didn't know him that well, but he was kind of a history buff. I remember the last time I worked with him he asked about my aunt. He was kind of geeking out about it. It was years ago, but what was sad was I had told him he could meet her, and the chance just never came." Sharon said, "Now there will never be a chance."

"Oh that is terrible. He sounds like a nice guy, who was he?"

"His name was Phil Coulson, it was just rather abrupt is all." Sharon said, and Three felt the air leave her as she remembered Phil. For a moment the two were quiet until Sharon spoke again. "Sorry I am ruining a fun day in the park."

"No it is okay. Sadly I deal with death a lot, and losing people abruptly. It is not something you get used to ever; but I guess being a nurse you kind of are numbed after a while. I am not sure if that is better or worse." Three said, again partially lying and partially telling the truth. She was indeed used to death and those close to her dying, but the nurse part was an obvious lie.

"And how do you cope?" Sharon asked.

"At the end of the day you try to save as many as you can, but that doesn't mean everybody." Three said, then sighed she knew this would be another partial lie, but it might help. "I was called into help in New York."

"After the battle?" Sharon asked, and Three nodded.

"I managed to save a cop and a little girl amongst others, but for all my good deeds I knew others were dying elsewhere. I knew that for everyone I saved that day many more would die. You know the total lost in that battle, Sharon. You read the papers, for me it did not feel like I did enough. Granted I am no Avenger, but I felt like I should have done more. Eventually though I had to step back and accept that I wasn't going to be able to save everyone, it is the only way you cope with it."

Sharon nodded as she licked her ice cream as it was starting to melt, and Three did the same. Again there was a lengthy silence between them as Three wanted to avoid telling further half truths. However Sharon finally broke the silence after a couple of minutes. "Lil?" Sharon asked getting Three's attention, "Something else is bothering you, what is it?"

 _'Shit! So much for not telling half truths.'_ Three swallowed hard before answering. "In New York I ran into this guy who was creepy crazy. I guess the battle and all drove him bonkers or something, but it was disturbing. He um attacked me, and since my negotiating skills failed me I had to resort to my tough negotiating skills. Afterwords though I was still shaken and since I have had nightmares about him, and it's just drudged up a lot of painful memories."

"What did this crazy guy try to do?" Sharon asked worried.

"He tried to take advantage of me, and so I kicked him between the legs and ran fast." Three said, it was partially true, she had kneed Loki in the groin at least. However there was no real way to tell her of the mental assault without revealing just who it was. This was what she hated most telling Sharon only part of the truth, she wanted to be honest with her. Instead she always had to settle for a slightly altered version of the truth to tell her friend. One day all the versions of the truth were going to come back to bite her in the ass.

"Did you go to the police?"

"No they obviously had a lot more to worry about. Besides I got away, and my kick I think knocked some sense back into him." Three said and for a few minutes they were quiet.

"Well at least you are safe." Sharon finally said, and for a few minutes they quietly ate their ice creams. Three was just finishing hers when Sharon laughed a little, "I still cannot believe it."

"What aliens coming through a hole above New York?" Three asked.

"No, well that too; but Captain America...Steve Rogers is alive."

"Oh my god, you are going to start geeking out about him aren't you?" Three said teasing Sharon, "Are you going to start swooning? Feeling faint? Please tell me you are not going to start squealing like a school girl."

"No! It is just—C'mon it is the Steve Rogers. The one Aunt Peggy told me stories about. I mean I know I sound like a..." Sharon trailed off to find the right word.

"Fan girl? Lovestruck teenager?" Three supplied earning her a playful smack in the arm from Sharon. "Ow!"

Sharon laughed at Three's playful teasing then sighed. "It is just I was raised on these stories of him, and no not just the history book stuff every other child was given. Aunt Peggy she had this way of telling the story in such a way that it was better than any dumb history book. The way she would describe Steve Rogers made me wish I could find someone like him. Nowadays it seems there are only heartless jerks that rip out your heart. I cannot tell you how many relationships I have been in only to stop and think to myself: My god this guy is a joke."

"Alright tell me about one of these jerks." Three said, and Sharon shook her head.

"Well my first boyfriend wanted me to sleep with him after only being together a few weeks. He tried every trick in the book to get me in bed; but I was not ready for that. Eventually he got tired of waiting and I caught him in bed with my best friend."

"Oh god, did your best friend know you and he were a couple?" Three asked concerned.

"Yeah, though it didn't matter to her much," Sharon said a bitterness entering her tone, "Anyway after that he told me it was my fault that he slept with her. That as his girlfriend I should have been more 'attentive to his needs'."

"Oh I would have been attentive alright... A couple of kicks to his happy sac and he would have no further need of attention down there!" Three said making Sharon burst out in a fit of laughter. "So that is why you have this crush on Steve Rogers then, I get it. Well that settles it then, we have to get you a date with Captain America."

"Don't be ridiculous." Sharon said between laughs.

"I am not being ridiculous. I say we find him, I go up and say: Hey there Steve have you seen my best friend here she is totally in love with you."

"Keep talking and you will be wearing this ice cream." Sharon threatened but her trying to keep from blushing and laughing only made the threat more comical. Then she grew serious as if the words clicked, "Wait I am your best friend?"

"Of course you are, I mean I don't have many friends at all. Also after what you told me about what your best friend did I will understand if you don't consider me your best friend. I imagine being betrayed like that you will have reservations about your friends."

"No it is fine. I just didn't think _I_ was your best friend. I mean I have friends, but now that I think about it they are not as good a friends as you. So you being my best friend just makes sense."

"Well when you put it that way." Three said taking mock offence.

"You know what I mean. Until now I did not think I would ever consider anyone my best friend after what happened."

"Oh okay well if it helps I promise never to steal your boyfriend." Three said.

"Thanks." Sharon said.

"I mean for starters I am not into blonds, so goody-two-shoes Rogers is safe." Three said.

"That does it you are wearing this ice cream." Sharon said and Three quickly jumped out of her seat on the park bench. She immediately put her hands up making placating gestures.

"Now, now, Sharon no need to threaten me with your ice cream. After all I think that is a criminal offence wasting a good ol' American ice cream. What would your boyfriend Captain America say?" Sharon started to get up and go after Three who dashed away. Instead Sharon stopped having to finish her ice cream off before it melted completely with Three waiting just out of reach to avoid ending up wearing it. When done the pair continued their walk in the park chatting away and teasing one another at times. Eventually Sharon said she had to get to work, and so they parted ways.

* * *

 **December 5** **th** **, 2012**

 **Washington D.C.**

Three kept herself busy the last five months, she resumed her work to disrupt HYDRA and unfortunately that meant going toe to toe with SHIELD as well. It was not the best circumstance considering one of her best friends worked for SHIELD and was currently playing the role of nurse down the hall from her girl-crush Steve Rogers. It also did not help that Aida and herself took it upon herself to also keep tabs on the Avengers to protect them from HYDRA. In fact at times Three felt like she was spreading herself too thin. To top it off Mace's condition was steadily getting worse, so whenever not fighting HYDRA within SHIELD, she was at the care home visiting Mace and Peggy. The doctors were saying Mace was in the final stages of his dementia only made her want to visit more. Sadly though he either had trouble remembering her or did not remember her at all. It was painful to see the confusion when she would come to see him. Only on rare occasions now did he remember her face, but she had to tell him her name.

It was on her latest visit that Mace sat in his room, and she had hoped he would remember her. It turned out to be a vain hope this time as he did not recognize her at all, and when she gently tried to remind him he got angry and threw a tray at her. The tray missed of course, but it still hurt that he threw it and was yelling at her to get out. It also reminded her of a deeply rooted fear, the fear of being forgotten; and Mace had forgotten her. Unable to take being erased from Mace's memory she left the room in tears and would have left the care home too had Peggy not been there. Instead she found herself in Peggy's room where the old woman urged her to sit down. Taking a seat across from Peggy, Three slowly calmed down and trying not to show how upset she really was.

"For a nurse you seem ill-used to this type of situation." Peggy noted, and Three could only nod.

"I just get attached I guess, and even though I know it is inevitable it still hurts to actually see it happen." Three finally said, "What is worse is I grew up afraid of being forgotten. It comes with starting life in an orphanage, I guess. But what I fear even today is being forgotten and that it what is happening now to Mace."

Peggy reached across the table taking her hand and squeezing it to reassure Three. "I know this is painful and difficult to watch, you see him slipping further and further away. However the greatest thing to remember is you have been there for him. You have made his life better, and as painful as it might be I would ask that you not stop trying. In the end when he goes to heaven and is surrounded by angels. They won't matter because he will remember the angel on earth that cared for him all the way to the end."

The words did help Three and for a bit longer pair talked until visiting time ended. Heading down to the ground floor and into the foyer she had noticed the Christmas tree before, but never paid much attention to the festive season. She had never really celebrated it much before, only a few Christmas' before did Sharon get her something, and she was embarrassed by the fact that she had not thought to get anything. She ended up having to explain to Sharon that she had never celebrated Christmas before in the orphanage, but when asked about when her father adopted her. Three had to lie a bit saying Christmas always felt a bit awkward to her even with her family. After that Sharon seemed to understand.

However now years later, Three headed for the front desk and sign-in sheet to sign that her visit had ended. That was when she noticed Beth and Iris not far away as Iris handed Beth a box saying Merry Christmas. It was a bit early, Three thought but Iris said she preferred to do things early before all the Christmas shoppers ran over each other. "So Lilith gonna share in the joy that is Christmas or be a little grinch this year?"

The question was from Iris who had come over with Beth. "I am not a grinch, I just find Christmas to be weird is all. I am not used to it."

"Well I know it was weird for you, but now you should be used to it." Iris said placing a little box next to Three, "Merry Christmas."

"You shouldn't have done that." Three said feeling bad for not getting her something.

"Well I wanted to, so deal." Iris said before heading off upstairs. Leaving Three shaking her head and saying goodbye to Beth before leaving.

* * *

 **Hours later..**

Three could not decide if this was a good idea or a bad one. Good because she was taking both Peggy's and Iris's advice. She would 'deal' with Christmas and keep trying to be there for Mace. Bad because Christmas shoppers meant bigger crowds, and Three hated being in shopping centres around a sea of people. Especially since the shopping mall had Santa Claus in the centre with a throng of kids waiting to tell him what they wanted. Three glared at big fat red suited man going 'Ho Ho Ho.' A part of her hated Christmas for this reason, The entire idea of Santa Claus was fake, a sham told to keep kids good. After all if he were real he would have come to her and the other test subjects, no instead one Christmas all she got was another painful injection. Perhaps that was why she did not celebrate this Holiday, it all seemed fake to her.

However there were elements about Christmas that were not fake, hence the reason she was here with a bag of photos she collected together and was taking to a photo shop. The Kodak shop made custom items using photos, and Three picked out and designed a photo album using photos over the last couple of years. The photos were of Mace, Peggy, Sharon, and herself, and below each she wrote a brief description stating when and where the photos were taken and who they were of. She choose a type of World War two memorabilia cover with a Spitfire on it, something Three knew Mace would love. At the end she was given a ticket and told it would take two hours to complete the album for her.

While waiting she went around the shops looking for more Christmas presents. She eventually found some perfect gifts for Peggy and Sharon. She was just getting some other minor presents for Beth, and Iris when it was time to go back and get Mace's present. The girl showed her the finished album to make sure she was satisfied with it, then asked. "Would you like it gift wrapped?"

"Sure, sounds good." Three answered and was given a card to fill out for it. Smiling Three wrote: _**'To Mace. From your Angel here on Earth, Lilith.'**_ It seemed odd writing the last part, the name was a fake; but then it wasn't. It was the name he knew her by so somehow it made the name less fake more real. Once it was wrapped, paid for, and she had turned to leave; Three was looking forward to getting out of the overpopulated shopping centre. She wanted away from the annoying Christmas music, the fake Santa and the pushy people. She had just stepped out of the shop and winced at the song 'Dashing through the Snow', when her phone rang. Juggling the bags she pulled it out looking at the name, **'Beth'**.

Three frowned wondering why she was being called then, she didn't forget anything at the home because forgetting was not an option for her. Maybe Beth needed someone to work a shift or two? Clicking the talk button Three answered. "Hello Beth, what's up?"

However the conversation took an unexpected turn. Who knew a simple phone call could cause such devastation. All Three really felt was numb as the stupid Christmas music muffled, and she felt like she was all alone. She was a spectator looking inside as everyone else continued on joyfully while she was told that in the few short hours of her going Christmas shopping Mace had passed away. The album in the bag hanging from her wrist suddenly felt like it weighed too much with the knowledge he would never see it. She just stood there unmoving as everything continued on around her making her feel like she was completely alone.

* * *

 **December 11** **th** **, 2012**

 **Washington D.C.**

 **Arlington National Cemetery**

It felt strange to attend the funeral of Mason Frederick or Mace as he had preferred to be called. Three had had plenty of loved ones and close friends die, but she had never really been in a position to be at their funerals. In some cases there simply was no funeral to be had, in others she wanted her chance to say goodbye but knew the risks were too great to show up at the funeral. Today was the first actual funeral where she attended and did not have to fear being caught because of it. Still it felt strange to be there outside in the graveyard amidst the columns of white headstones. It was not like the graveyard in China which was mostly stone, no around the stones was more grass and trees. It was simply more open spaced, Three guessed as she sat in one of the chairs lining the coffin. She wore a black suit dress with her hair pinned up out of the way, next to her sat Sharon in a similar outfit. Across from them sat Mace's sons and their families. There were others in attendance, but Three did not know them. To her they were strangers who did not bother with Mace because he had become an inconvenience to them.

Numbly she heard the priest retell Mace's life story and speaking of him with as much respect as he could. He had been an engineer before joining to fight on the front lines becoming part of the one-hundred and first. He had fought nobly until the end of the war, and was considered one of the lucky ones. He returned home, joining the SSR as one of their engineer specialists. All of this of course Three knew because Mace had told her. While she did hear the priest though she focused on the coffin in front of her that would be lowered into the ground. What was worst was the last time she saw him he threw a tray at her, not remembering or knowing her. She had not wanted that to be their last meeting, instead she wondered why she could not have seen him when he did recognize her. Why couldn't she have sat by his bedside and listened to one of his stories?

Eventually the priest stopped and offered up a prayer for the man that had passed away. At the beginning of the service each person had been given a rose, and until now Three had been unsure of why. At the end the family stepped forward each placing a rose on his coffin as they passed it in saying goodbye until it came to their turn. Three followed suit, but stopped not far from the grave rather then simply walk off with the rest of the mourners. Three seemed to lose herself in her memories of Mace for a moment as she recalled the happy memories from the years she knew him. She had not realized she was eventually standing alone, well mostly alone; until a hand touched her shoulder giving it a gentle squeeze.

"You look like you could use a drink." Sharon said, she gently tugged Three along not wanting to leave her staring at Mace's coffin. The pair walked to Sharon's car and Three got in letting Sharon take her away. Eventually Sharon pulled up to a bar and they got out and went for said drink. Thus they sat at the bar and after a long silence Three finally spoke.

"The last and final time I would see Mace, he threw a tray at me."

Sharon nodded, "I had heard, Aunt Peggy told me."

"I shouldn't have left him. I should have stayed with him." Three said taking a drink of whatever Sharon had ordered them and not really tasting it.

"There was nothing you could have done. He was not himself then, and you could not have known that would be the last time you would see him." Sharon said trying to offer up some form of comforting words. Still Three shook her head finding it hard to accept that as an excuse, "What were you doing when Beth called and told you Mace had passed on?"

"I was out Christmas shopping." This got Sharon to raise a brow when Three looked at her, so she sighed. "I know, not my cup of tea, but I figured I would make an effort. I had just picked up Mace's present when Beth called."

"See? You were trying to be part of his life, and to show him he was part of yours. You did not abandon him Lil. In the end I think that is what he will know and remember. We both will miss him, so will Aunt Peggy." Sharon said.

"How is Peggy? She wasn't at the funeral." Three asked concerned.

"She is fine, it is just difficult." Sharon said as she stared down at her drink a look of despair playing across her features.

"Sharon? What it it? What's wrong?" Three asked.

"Sorry I don't mean to think about it, it's just with Mace's funeral it is this slap to the face that one day it will be Aunt Peggy." Sharon said sending a shiver running down her back, "She is getting worse Lil, slowly, but surely. One day I am scared that when I go to visit her, she won't recognize me. One day she will be gone and I will never see her as I once did again."

The words seemed to knock the wind out of Three as she realized Peggy's fate would not be so different from Mace's. Eventually Peggy would forget them or large pieces of her memory, the thought scared Three. Especially as she thought about what she knew. Each person was different the dementia was a broad category of brain diseases effecting a persons memory primarily, but also their ability to function normally. To her perspective it was like taking an eraser to a person's memory and erasing part of who they were—that could not happen to Peggy! Not one of the founders of SHIELD, not one of the first to fight HYDRA.

* * *

 **Author's Notes:**

 **First off thank you all for the lovely reviews as always I love hearing from you guys. I had a lot of fun writing the Avengers scene from Three's perspective and am glad everyone enjoyed it.**

 **Now I had better explain the 'graphic violent scene' I warned about earlier. Basically I am sure many will recall that post credit scene at the end of Thor. Where Doctor Selvig meets with Fury in a underground facility. They are looking at the Tesseract when Loki appears in a reflection and says the same words Selvig repeats. 'I guess that is worth a look.' I kind of took that scene and ran with it. Because to me it looked like Loki was influencing Selvig to an extent.**

 **However for the graphic scene that is magnified. For starters Three is aware of his presence, and for another Loki is not really influencing her so much as outright attacking her mentally. This might not be apart of his skill set, but considering he can read people so easily and loves to mess with people. It just seems entirely possible that he would attempt something like this. For true Loki fans I hope this is not too OOC for him, after all he is the Trickster God. As for why he would do it? Well Three is a young beautiful woman that Loki is 'attracted to, and she did kind of kick his butt in the last chapter. One could take their pick on the reasons Loki could have to mentally attack her.**

 **Aside from that I wrote that scene to foreshadow something in later chapters, but I cannot say what without spoiling it. As for the other half of the chapter well I figured Three needed some down time with Sharon. Don't worry though she won't be idle long.**

 **Anyway please review away and let me know what you think of this latest chapter.**

 **Lesliezin**


	14. Sometimes it is Better Not Knowing

**Hello everyone,**

 **Here is chapter 14. Also just to let you know this is another M-rated chapter with Adult themes, so you have been warned. Please see my Author's Notes for more details.**

* * *

 **December 11** **th** **, 2012**

 **Washington D.C.**

It was quiet as Three got home and pulled into the garage, the scanner looking for any traces before she got out of the car. Aida was rather quiet knowing today was not a joyful day for Three. She came around to lean against the wall partition and looked towards the computers. Only then did Aida asked. "How was the funeral?"

Three sighed looking down at herself still in her funeral clothes and was not sure how to answer that question. In truth she was glad she got to attend at least one funeral of someone close to her, but hated that she never got the chance to see Mace one last time as himself. Instead she just stood there thinking about what happened today, her stomach knotting at the idea that Peggy would possibly one day not recognize her at all. She took down her hair and took out her colour clip revealing her black hair with a few purple highlights. Then she set both hair tie and clip on the counter by her before sighing. "It was not what I expected. None of it was..."

"I imagined that would be the case, it was the first funeral you attended." Aida said softly.

"The first, and sadly it won't be the last." Three said discouraged.

"The only sure thing in life is death. It's an unavoidable thing, and happens to everyone one day." Aida said

"Yes I understand that, but it should not take who a person is. It should not take their memories from them first. They should be who they are complete and whole until the last moment of their lives. When death comes to take them it shouldn't strip them of who they are." Three said then sighed, "It's so unfair...I cannot forget a damn thing, but Mace in the end most of his memories had been gone or scrambled. Eventually Peggy will—one day she won't remember me at all."

"Sadly there is nothing to be done. There is no cure for Dementia sufferers, and possible cures will not be suitable for many years yet." Aida said as Three came forward and flopped down into the computer chair. Again things grew silent as Three thought about Peggy's situation. Maybe she could read up and do an online course study the mind and find a cure. No that would take time no matter how quickly she learned. She groaned wondering why she had this amazing memory and Peggy's was going to slowly be taken from her.

 _'The mastermind serum would give her a perfect memory.'_ Three thought, but would it fix a damaged mind? The question made her sit up, she already knew the answer. "Two."

"Sorry Kat, what?" Aida asked.

"Two, one of the others injected with the Mastermind serum." Three said getting up and began pacing as she thought over it, "He suffered brain damage due to oxygen deprivation. The umbilical chord wrapped around his throat during the birthing process, but the serum fixed the damage. I remember because Vermonte was excited by this fact!"

"You think the serum could be used to cure Peggy." Aida stated, knowing Three's mind well.

"Think about it, it repaired Two. It gives the person a perfect memory, they forget nothing. Why wouldn't it work?!" Three asked getting excited by the idea.

"The only problem I see is HYDRA holds that serum. We would need to get it from them in order to help Peggy." Aida pointed out.

"Alright, so we take it one step at a time. We will need to access SHIELD's networks to learn the serum's location first. Then we will decide what our next step will be." Retaking her seat, Three accessed the network. Meanwhile Aida created fake protocols and access codes: scripts that let Three in, while encrypted their actions to avoid being caught poking around. The process was a lengthy one but preferable to SHIELD knowing they had a hacker in their systems. This way they could come and go as they pleased without setting up a ghost protocol to hide them from being traced.

Even then it would take hours upon hours to gain full access to the desired files hidden within. The systems today were that advanced that unless the hacker wanted to be caught, a pair of hackers or a group were required. Hence Three and Aida often had to access SHIELD together and tag team it in order to gain the information needed. After five and half hours, Three groaned in her chair at how much longer it would take. Another three and half gruelling hours to go before they could access the Mastermind files. "While I gain the access codes to proceed, go shower, change, and grab some lunch."

"I am fine Aida."

"Kat you are still in your funeral clothes, and have not eaten since you had that apple and coffee for breakfast nine hours ago. Such a diet is unhealthy, now go." Aida said as the AI continued their work, and Three got up to go do as asked. She took a quick shower and changed into a pink and grey long sleeve baseball t-shirt, skinny jeans, and pink Converse tennis shoes. She was about to head back down to the computers on the ground floor, but when she got to the second floor the door at the bottom of the stairs leading to the ground floor was locked. She tried unlocking it, then sighed.

"Aida open up."

"Lunch first, you require food." Aida said.

"Geez you are a pain," Three groaned.

"Food first then I let you return to work."

"Yes mother." Three replied as she went into the kitchen to make herself a sandwich. Making a chicken sandwich complete with an apple, and snatching some Pringles to go. She took the tray of food and started back down the stairs.

"Do you promise to eat while we continue the hack?"

"Do you promise to stop being a colossal nag?" Three countered.

"Only if you eat, and do not call me Mother."

"Fine I promise." Three said, and a second later the door unlocked. Returning to the computers she ate while they resumed their work. Finishing off her lunch, Three waited for the last access code. This file would tell her all she needed to know of the Mastermind serum and the project that created her. It was a little unnerving and scary, truth be told. There were some things that frightened her too much to ever really look into. Especially because once she learned it she simply could not unlearn it. The list was rather extensive if she thought on it, and could even picture it in her head.

 _'Things I do not want to know more about:_

 _The metal armed man_

 _If Loki still lived (She preferred the idea that he was dead)_

 _What would happen if HYDRA ever caught her alive_

 _What Daniel Whitehall did to Jiaying_

Amidst the long list was she did not really want to know more about the serum that helped make her who she was. However for Peggy she decided to brave this particular scary issue, no matter what it drudged up.

"We are in." Aida said as the file opened up for Three giving her full access to it. Medical records on the test subjects, doctors listings, personnel records for the project. Even video records of them receiving the injections. The last two videos made Three almost sick as they were the fifth injections of Four and Six. The moment Three's distress levels went up on her watch she closed the videos. "Are you alright?"

Relief flooded her as she took some deep breaths, and was hastily wiping her eyes. "Yeah, thanks. I—I was not expecting that."

"You do not speak of them much." Aida said softly.

"My first love. The man I wanted to share a kiss with, and my childhood friend who was raped in front of me. No why would I talk about that?" Three asked shakily.

"Talking helps, or so I read. Also I know there are some things you simply cannot tell Sharon." Aida said offering up as much comfort as she could.

"You are right, but we did not come here to talk about me. Let's keep looking..." Three said as she began looking at the other sub-files pertaining to other projects which involved the serum.

"I believe I have found something. Doctor Vincent Vermonte authorised the sale of a partial injection in 1985 after successfully breaking down the Mastermind serum, before Project Mastermind." Calling up the document Aida found Three leaned forward frowning.

"According to this all of the serum holds the potential to fix neurological and mental disorders, and so HYDRA agreed to outside testing via their fake company... IGH." Three said not liking where this was going.

"They sold a set of the injections under the condition that they could witness the end results. It was sold in the hopes of saving a boy from one such neurological disorder that would have otherwise killed him." Aida stated.

"Got his record... Kevin Thompson age nine when introduced to the—oh shit. HYDRA sold them a series of the fifth injection. That is the lethal dose."

"Were they intentionally trying to kill the boy?" Aida asked, disgust coming into her tone.

"Apparently, but that is not what happened. According to this the lead doctors his parents 'adjusted' the serum. Strange, instead the fifth injections caused an 'unforeseen side effect.'" Three said reading the doctor's notes and wondering what side effect it did cause. She knew the fifth injection was the most powerful dose, but it was also the least stable one by far. If this boy survived what was the price? She could not imagine his fate would be a good one. "His parents should have had the good graces to let him die, the fifth injection probably caused him more pain than anything."

"The notes are unclear, but there are some suggestion that he developed an ability to simply tell people what to do and they did it. Several teams in fact were sent on a retrieval op and it never turned out well." Aida said pulling up disturbing images from the file. It showed an home that looked like it belonged out of a horror movie. One of the men was putting a severed arm into a blender?

"I understand having that much hatred for HYDRA I remember what I did to escape them. Still that is pretty extreme." Three said as she sat back disturbed by the images.

"Should we try to locate this Kevin?" Aida asked.

"I don't think we would even know where to look Aida. Check the date, it was shortly after the injections that he developed this ability and the family disappeared. We would not even know what he looks like now. Besides what help could we offer him, we are still fighting HYDRA ourselves and if he is smart, he is already in hiding."

"I see your point." Aida said, and so they closed the file and moved onto the next, and the next. After a few moments though Aida opened one file and tried to close it before Three could have a chance to read it.

"Whoa wait a minute Aida. What was that?" Three asked.

"What was what?" The AI playing stupid was unbecoming.

"You know full well what, the file you opened and immediately closed. What was it?"

"Oh nothing of concern, just a misplaced file." Aida said, but Three knew better.

"Aida, no lying. Now c'mon I need to see all the files if I am to find the serum."

"Seeing all the files is not required." Aida said.

"Aida! No playing games now, this is important!" Three argued.

"So is protecting you." Aida argued back.

"Protecting me, from what?"

"Your emotional distress will get high again." Aida answered.

"Aida if it is about me, I have a right to know. Now what is it?"

"You were not going to receive the fifth injection." Three was confused, was this what Aida found in the file she was refusing to open? Perhaps it was best if Aida simply told her of the file and not show her.

"Alright go ahead. Why was I not going to receive the fifth injection?"

"Because according to the file, Doctor Vermonte struck a deal with Secretary Director Pierce within the hour before your escape."

"And why on earth would Pierce do this when he was the one demanding results?!" Three asked.

"According to the records you were to be transferred to another program. Project Trinity."

"What is project Trinity?" Three asked.

"The project of procreation. The coupling of one with the super soldier serum and the other with the Mastermind serum to create individuals with both. You were going to be handed over to the Winter Soldier."

The name struck no bells with Three, but whoever it was it did not sound good. So she shrugged it off downplaying the situation. The alternative was to imagine prolonged torment at the hands of HYDRA. Of being placed in some sick breeding program and Three had a very good imagination. "Winter Soldier huh? Sounds like a scary guy. What was Summer soldier taken? How about Autumn? Guess Spring Soldier sounded too much like a character out of a rhyme."

"You do not recall him?"

"No, not the name. Should I?" Three asked.

"You encountered him on May 12th,1999 at 8:47pm in Nanjing China. Reports state he chased you onto the Nanjing bridge." Aida said, and Three felt like she could not breath. _'Him?! They were going to give her to him for...'_ The idea made her feel sick, out of all the things HYDRA could do this man terrified her. Perhaps because the first time she saw him she was six years old. Suddenly she remembered Berk forcing himself on Six and Loki's mental assault, but her imagination shifted. The image of her struggling, screaming, and crying as the masked metal armed man forced her legs apart.

"KAT!" Aida yelled snapping her friend from the nightmarish scene. She heard a beeping on her arm, and remembered her distress watch as it beeped in warning. The beeping was because everything had sky rocketed and her emotional distress was out of control. Why wouldn't it be? Especially if told that you dodged the bullet. Had she not escaped she would have been dragged off and raped in order to be bred by _him!_ She would have been begging for the fifth injection by the end of it. The idea of such a terrifying person touching her, made her stomach turn. "You see this is why I didn't want to tell you."

Three suddenly wished she didn't know, she wished she was ignorant of the metal armed man. Now she knew what they called him: The Winter Soldier. She was trying to calm down but the memories of Six being raped, of Loki's mental attack, and now the idea that she would have been given to the Winter soldier as a prize made her shiver. Her breathe came out shaky as she slowly rose from her seat.

"Excuse me." Three managed before racing into the bathroom to lose the contents of her stomach. She gripped the seat cover as she retched into the toilet. When she was done she went to the sink to clean her mouth out of the nasty after taste. She looked up at herself in the mirror to see tears in her green eyes and she still shaken by it all. _'It is okay, it is never happening. I need to calm down, I need to stop thinking about what could have happened. I need to stop thinking about what Berk and the guards did to Six. I need to stop thinking of what Loki mentally did to me that WASN'T REAL! If I have my way no one is touching me EVER!'_ Three thought as the readings on the watch slowed down, and she calmed down.

When she came out of the bathroom Aida was waiting. "I am sorry I should have refused to even tell you of the file."

"It's okay Aida. Yes now I wish I did not know, but I am the one who insisted so this one is on me. You are right please do not show me the file." Three said coming back and taking a seat at the computers again. "Next time I will simply defer to your judgement."

* * *

 **December 12** **th** **, 2012**

 **Washington D.C.**

Most of the night was spent going through the files. It helped to have something else to focus on rather than think about the file Aida found. Even still she was shaky from the discovery, and it only added to her fear of the metal armed man. The closest equivalent to the Winter Soldier was the Boogie man or the monster that hid in a child's closet. However right then she did not need to be scared senseless by HYDRA's assassin, she needed a clear head and to find where they kept the serum. Sadly the further they dug they discovered that the serum or versions of it were used elsewhere. Not a complete version of the Mastermind serum, but enough of it for HYDRA to try 'outside testing'. The results were sometimes worse with the 'test subjects' becoming mentally unstable and violent, and not just towards HYDRA but anyone close. The cases showed everything recordings, photos, detailed statements, and even notes from the mentally unstable individual talking about a purple alien.

Three leaned back in her chair rubbing her forehead to try and alleviate the headache coming on. It was then Aida spoke up. "Who knew such damage could be caused by one serum. I bet Doctor Erskine never intended this when he developed the serum."

Three sighed as she recalled an earlier report she had read about the great doctor. "According to the records he set fire to his lab before fleeing Nazi Germany. He intended the mastermind serum to go up in flames along with any other research to prevent the Germans from using it. It would have been nice if the serum did go up in flames, but at least it was good of him to try."

"Indeed, such a shame his serum is being used like this."

"That isn't on him, that is on HYDRA. However there is some good to come from the serum. The first injection could be used to help damaged minds, Alzheimer's disease could become a thing of the past along with other mental disorders. It is just in the wrong hands right now, all HYDRA sees is something to be used as a weapon. Take it out of their hands and it could be used for the good of many." Three said as she leaned forward accessing another file, this time though it was a report stating that the Mastermind serum had been transferred to a location called the Fridge.

"Shit!" Three yelled rolling away from the computers.

"The serum is in the Fridge. A high security and classified detainment and storage facility. It will be impossible to get." Aida said reading from the file.

"You think? In a one hundred stories high building, only accessible via the roof. I would never get near the damn building!" Three said getting up from her chair frustrated, "We wasted all that time, and looked through files that will give me nightmares for weeks only to be stonewalled."

"Maybe not," Aida offered, "If you notice there is a pattern here. The mastermind serum was sold to outside parties for outside testing. Perhaps if HYDRA thought someone else was interested in buying the serum we could acquire it outside the Fridge."

"You mean pose as buyers and buy the serum off of HYDRA?" Three asked coming back to lean on the back of her chair.

"I know it is not ideal, but if you have moral issues with buying the serum, perhaps someone in the Shadow Network could set up the buy. From there we bust in and do what we do best." Aida offered making Three smile a little.

"You know Aida, you are the best friend a girl could ask for."

"I thought Sharon was your best friend." Aida replied.

"You both are." Three said as she opened a Skype window to get a hold of Cutter. "All right let's do it your way." Soon she called Cutter who picked up and was glad to see Three again.

"Hey there, how goes it?" Cutter asked careful not to say names and to make it as teasing as possible.

"Good, but I have a favour to ask of you. I am sending the details via our special link." Three said as she sent him a link. The link was not details but once clicked it initiated a clean slate protocol in the Skype program that blocked government agencies like SHIELD from eavesdropping. Cutter immediately clicked it and she initiated the protocol on her end as well. The only change was a flash of the screen then they were free to talk.

"Now that we got the listening monkeys out of the room, what do you need Three?"

"I need someone with ties within SHIELD, who can solidify the buy of an item for an outside party. He or she will have to be careful and very discrete."

"I think I got a guy, what is the item?"

"The Mastermind serum. The one that was used to make me who I am, more specially the first injection." Three answered calmly. Now Cutter was leaning forward concern on his face as to what she wanted the serum for, "The serum has the potential to restore a damaged mind."

"So you want it for medical purposes, you have someone specific in mind?"

"A friend, we both read about her when we were searching for answers as to who HYDRA was." Three said, thinking Cutter might remember, but he was drawing a blank. "Peggy Carter."

"Oh, now I remember. Wait wasn't she one of the founders of SHIELD? She's got to be up there in age by now." Cutter pointed out.

"And suffering from Alzheimer's." Three added.

"Three even if you get this serum, it effects the mind not the body." Cutter said gently, he was trying to tell her that saving Peggy's mind was good, but she was also of an advanced age.

"I know that Cutter. I am not asking to make her young again with some miracle serum. I just want that in her final years she be able to remember and be who she is until the end." Three said.

"Alright," Cutter nodded after a moment, "but it will take time for him to set up his credentials and he will have to meet with you to hash out the details. I will call you back when he wants to set up a meet."

"Okay, thank you Cutter." Three said and soon the call ended. "Well now we wait."

* * *

 _Three awoke in her cell and wondering why she was here. How did she get here? Nothing made sense as Three got up and went to the bars of her cell. She was alone, the others gone or dead. She felt the despair vividly, but rather than just give up she should have fought to escape. Done something other than just wait for the inevitable. Instead she thought about Four and Six those that were nearest and dearest to her. She hoped that she would be reunited with them soon. So focused on her thoughts, Three did not hear anyone enter or approach her cell. The only thing to alert her to anyone being there was the sound of the key in the lock of her cell. Opening her eyes she looked up expecting to see guards and a doctor, instead she saw the scary masked man with a metal arm._

 _Was he taking her to her fifth injection? She rose from her seat on the bed watching as the powerful and scary man entered her cell. Why was he not saying anything? He kept moving closer and she slowly backed into the wall of her cell. She started to move along the wall trying to put some distance between them when his arm shot out next to her to keep her in place. Immediately she moved the other way but was met by a metal arm. Frightened she looked up pleading for him not to hurt her, but his blue eyes were vacant and the rest of his face was still covered. Did he never take off the mask?_

 _That was when he grabbed her by the throat with his regular hand and tore off her pyjama bottoms with his metal one. In the next moment she was thrown on the bed of her cell still struggling to breathe. On hearing the bed creak with the added weight made her struggle to get up and away. As she started to scoot away she saw him undoing his belt as she realized with horror what he was going to do to her._

" _No! Please!" Three pleaded as she went to get off the bed, but a metal hand caught her leg dragging her back to him and pulling her pyjama shirt up exposing more of her body to him. She barely noticed as he gripped her hips pulling her against him as she tried to wiggle loose. Her struggling was barely noticed and a split second later Three screamed as pain tore through her. Hot tears escaped her eyes. Then he was moving inside her, every push felt like she was being torn apart. Her fists struck at him feebly trying to stop his assault, but he kept going. "Please stop! Please!"_

 _But he didn't stop instead she heard his breathing increase under the mask as he began thrusting harder and faster into her causing her to cry and scream more. It felt like something would break inside her at this rate. Then he was starting to jerking inside her and it felt like her insides were on fire as she gave one final scream. "NO!"_

* * *

 **December 19** **th** **, 2012**

 _ **Washington D.C.**_

Three awoke screaming and crying as she fought with the blankets and covers that had become tangled around her. The dream so vivid and realistic Three could have sworn her body ached as though it had actually happened. Covered in sweat, Three heard the beeping of her watch warning her of her distress as she shook like a leaf. Her logical mind fighting with her less rational mind trying to tell her it didn't happen. She looked around for the enemy she expected, but there was no Winter Soldier. She was alone and safe; still tears of relief escaped.

She laid back trying to calm her racing heart, but instead started crying even more as sobs escaped and she covered her mouth to muffle the sounds. _'It wasn't real! It wasn't real! It wasn't real!'_ Three thought shakily as she tried to calm down. Then she heard it, the chime of her phone as she got a text message. Sitting up a little on her elbow, she picked up the device to see it was Sharon. _**'Hey Lil, I am free this afternoon are you? Would you get a coffee with me. I haven't seen you since the funeral. ~Sharon'**_

Who knew a simple text could calm her? Three sniffled, glad to have something distract her from her nightmares. Ever since learning of Project Trinity she had been having terrible nightmares of the Winter Soldier. Occasionally she had nightmares of Loki, but thankfully that was all they were—nightmares not mental attacks. Regardless, both men effected her sleep too much. Sighing she texted Sharon back agreeing to meet her in an hour. She got up, showered, dressed, and headed downstairs.

Nightmares aside, the last week moved slowly for Three. Mostly it was a wait to see if Cutter's guy could actually acquire the serum or at least trick Hydra into coming out with it. She was just heading downstairs and was going to check for messages from Cutter when she noticed Aida watching something. She knew this because it always showed up on one of the computer monitors. It was a guy with a beard and glasses, he was wearing a funny robe. _"_ _President Ellis you continue to resist my attempts to educate you, sir; and now you have missed me again. You know who I am, you don't know where I am, and you will never see me coming."_

A moment later the signal was reacquired by the news network. "Aida who was that joker?"

"A terrorist that has recently become an annoyance. He has hacked the network feed for television a couple of times now. He is not disrupting our functions, but he is making government agencies jumpy. They are cracking down hard for potential leads that will lead them to this man."

"Alright, well keep me posted." Three said leaving Aida to it while she got into her car. She drove to the usual place she would meet Sharon for coffee to find her friend already there and waiting. Sharon sat at a small table in the front window, reading the paper and oblivious to Three's arrival. Thus Three ordered their drinks and came and sat down across from her. Still the woman was focused until Three caught the top of the paper and pulled it down. "Let's start with 'Hi Lil, how are you?' Then I say: 'I am fine Sharon. It is good to see you too, how are you?'"

"Sorry Lil I must have spaced out."

"Really? Where did you go? Because I hear Uranus is lovely this time of year." Three said getting Sharon to laugh.

"Cute, very funny." Sharon shook her head folding up her paper and putting it aside. Then the SHIELD agent stopped and frowned at Three's appearance. "You look tired Lil, too much partying?"

"I wish," Three laughed bitterly, "No just have too much to do and not enough time to sleep." It was partly true, but Three really did not want to explain how nightly in her dreams she was being raped by one of two men. Luckily Sharon just nodded as both drank caramel frappichinos without the whip cream. Finally Three asked. "So what have you been up to?"

"Working, Christmas shopping, reassuring my aunt you have not dropped off the planet." Sharon said.

"Oh sorry, been busy at work, and trying to keep up." Three replied.

"Aside from that I have been hearing about this Mandarin on the news." Sharon said shaking her head.

"Manadar—who?" Three asked. Sharon picked up her newspaper to show Three the terrorist from t.v on the front cover. "Oh that nutjob, sorry I caught some of his broadcast this morning."

"You really need to get more in touch with the world." Sharon sighed setting the newspaper down.

"Hey being a nurse is a near 24 hour job. It doesn't leave much room for a social life or well much else." Three replied and so Sharon sighed.

"Anyway he considers himself a 'teacher' not a terrorist, and he is trying to educate us." Sharon said making air quotations around the word teacher then rolling her eyes at the end.

"Yeah that equates to him being a nutjob. What's his deal anyway? How come no one has caught his sorry ass? What the Avengers taking a holiday or something?" Three asked.

"No one knows what his actual deal is. As for catching him, according to the news he is a slippery one. No one has been able to locate him to even call in the Avengers to arrest him." Sharon said taking a drink. _'Well that is just sad, Aida and I could probably have traced him seven times over by the time the U.S government actually steps up to the plate to do something. In the mean time he is out there hurting innocents, how many more will die while they wring their hands and do nothing?!'_ "Anyway enough about him, I did not ask to hang out to talk about some terrorist. I wanted to meet up because Aunt Peggy misses you and has gotten worried. Ever since Mace, you have gone quiet, she asks about you a lot, Lil."

"Sorry, I have been busy. Sadly over the holidays work picks up, and between that and Christmas shopping, I have barely had time to breathe." Three replied.

"Well just don't overdo it. Are you going to visit family over the holidays?" Sharon asked curious, after years of them knowing each other Sharon only knew that Three had a terrible start to life in an abusive orphanage until she was adopted by a loving father and sister. Aside from that Three tried to keep things vague as possible.

"Yeah, well I will be in New York the next couple of days, but I cannot stay with them for Christmas. The days before Christmas I am covering a few shifts so I will be here." Three lied, mostly because she knew Cutter would be contacting her soon about the guy that could get the serum, and so she needed to keep some days open to make contact with him.

"What about Christmas Day?" Sharon asked.

"I am off because I am covering Christmas Eve." Three lied.

"Well then would you come visit Aunt Peggy and I? It will be just us, and you shouldn't be alone on Christmas." Sharon pleaded hoping to get Three to agree. It really wasn't that hard as aside from Aida and a group of criminals on the other side of the planet; Three had no one else but Sharon and Peggy.

"Sure, I would love to." Three agreed.

* * *

 **December 22** **nd** **, 2012**

 **New York City**

Hours after leaving Starbucks, Cutter called Three confirming that Chen could get the serum. Three was surprised to learn it was Chen who could get it, and he agreed to meet Three and go over the details of acquiring the serum she sought. According to Cutter, Chen really missed her, so he had been setting up contacts within HYDRA for just such an occasion. Three may not have liked it, but she admired Chen's bravery. So Three found it to be no problem at all to meet Chen when and where he chose. After all it was not like she was going to go back on the deal now, that was not how the Shadow Network operated. Besides this was just a courtesy meeting to establish what Chen would need in order to acquire the serum, or at least draw Hydra out with the serum.

Three had been practising and exercising to keep fit and active when she received the call telling her when and where the meeting spot was to take place. So she showered and got dressed in skinny jeans, hiking boots, grey tank top with a matching button up shirt over it. Lastly she put on her leather motorcycle jacket, and got on her motorcycle. Putting her motorcycle helmet on she took off heading for China Town.

Since it was getting closer to Christmas, Three parked her bike a block down from the meeting place and took off her helmet leaving it with the bike. She immediately headed down the road when her phone rang. It was Cutter checking up on her. "Hey Cutter, what's up?"

" _Nothing much just making sure you got my message about the meeting place."_

"Yeah I got it. China Town at the Chinese Theatre. Thanks Cutter I appreciate this." Three said

" _No problem. Say hi to Chen for me, he has missed you. Hopefully he can get you what you need. Call me after the meeting."_

"Will do." Three said as she hung up her phone. She had just crossed the street passing in front of a parked car as she neared the Chinese Theatre. What happened next? Three was not sure she was no longer on her feet. Her head spun, her ears rang, and her lungs hurt. When she tried to move pain shot through her body making her grit her teeth. It took several times of blinking for her eyes to adjust to the scene before her. The Chinese theatre was on fire and some of it was missing, an explosion?

* * *

 **Author's Notes:**

 **First off thank you all for the lovely reviews. I had worried that I would get severe backlash for the mental attack from Loki. Either way I appreciate the reviews.**

 **As for this chapter I know I put my character through literal hell in this and the last chapter, but I hope you stick with this story. It is slowly building up to her eventually meeting Bucky, and she is bound to have some issues with the Winter Soldier.**

 **Aside from that can anyone guess the honourable mention in this chapter? Hint it is when Three and Aida are looking into the Mastermind Serum. The answer will be in the next Author's Notes next chapter.**

 **In the mean time Tony Stark might not be the only one going after the Mandarin.**

 **Anyway hope you enjoyed this chapter. Please let me know what you think via a review.**

 **Lesliezin**


	15. Making Exceptions

**Hello everyone,**

 **Well here is Chapter 15, enjoy.**

* * *

 **December 22** **nd** **, 2012**

 **New York City**

Vaguely Three looked around her still stunned by what had just happened. She realized the blast had thrown her into the windshield of the parked car she had mere seconds ago walked past. Taking in breaths Three began a hacking cough from the dust and debris in the air, and a moment later her ears popped. She could now hear cries and screams as she slowly moved towards the edge of the hood of the car. Stumbling to her feet and gripping the hood for support, she looked back to find the glass was cracked from where her body hit it instead. She checked herself over only to find she would be sore and bruised, with no serious injuries.

Regardless, she was feeling the pain as she stumbled towards the theatre. She had not been aware of her distress watch beeping until she heard Aida in her ear piece. "Kat are you okay? What is happening?"

"I—uhh." Three winced: her throat hurt as she cleared it, "An explosion at the theatre. Aida ping Chen's phone, he was inside. I need his last known GPS signal."

"Of course I will triangulate it." The line went quiet as Three was about to enter the theatre.

"Alice! Oh god, Alice!" A man called out gaining Three's attention. He was injured, but alive. His clothes badly burnt, blood obscured his right eye making it hard for him to see. His side and arm badly burnt and bleeding, if he kept moving he would injure himself even more.

"Hey! Hey!" Three rushed over gently pushing him back against the tree he was against, "You are injured. You need to stay still or you could do permanent damage."

"But my Alice is in there!" The man cried.

"I will go look for her, what does she look like?"

"S—she has blonde hair and was wearing a pink dress. We were going to go out to dinner and I was going to ask her to marry me."

"And you will, okay, but you have to stay still. I will go find her for you." Three said, once she was sure the man would not move she left him. She went up the steps, dodging chunks of scattered debris as she reached the remainder of the entrance to the Chinese theatre. There was rubble and bodies all around. Some alive, others regrettably not so lucky. Sadly the one known as Alice was not one of the lucky ones. Three came to kneel by her just inside the ruined theatre. She was trying to see if she could do anything for the girl, but glass from a shattered window had cut the poor girl to ribbons, and a large shard was sticking out of her chest. Her eyes long since vacant told Three it was too late, and even if she had been sooner the angle of the glass suggested it had hit the heart.

"I am sorry, Alice." Three whispered _'Please Chen! Please be okay!'_ Three thought as she closed the girl's eyes and rose to her feet. Looking around further that was when she spotted someone she recognized. She had seen him in photos usually beside Tony Stark. It was Stark's former bodyguard Happy Hogan. The man lay injured and unmoving amidst the rubble, as Three rushed over to him. She checked his pulse which was faint. "Happy?! Happy wake up! Look at me Happy!"

The former bodyguard's eyes opened only a little to look at the strange girl that knew his name. "Happy what happened? Who did this?"

Happy could not answer, but seemed to realize she was there to help so he turned his head and pointed at something on the ground. Three followed his gaze spotting military dog tags? Someone in the military did this? Why? Looking close Three read what little was legible on them then looked back at Happy finding him unconscious once more. Again she checked his pulse worried she would have to perform CPR and keep the heart primed until paramedics arrived with a defibrillator. Fortunately that was not the case, Happy was badly injured, but his pulse was still there.

"Kat I have triangulated Chen's last known GPS off of his phone. Use your cell phone's GPS as a tracker it should tell you where he is." Aida instructed, so Three pulled out her phone and used her GPS to follow it to his last known location.

"Okay Aida I am here, but there is nothing here! Chen! Chen where are you?!" Three said looking around confused. She was closer to the blast which did nothing to help her concern and fears. Finally she turned to find a wall with three shadows, the closest was right where Three stood. "I found him," Three said after a painful moment. All Chen had wanted since she left China was for her to come back and the guilt was painful to acknowledge as she said shakily, "Inform Cutter. Chen is dead."

* * *

After that Three quickly left. Albeit she was numbed by the events while she avoided being seen. In the distance she could hear the sirens of the responding emergency vehicles. She got back to her motorcycle and rode straight for home. Injured, sad, and angry, Three pulled out a first aid kit to deal with minor cuts and scrapes. It was while bandaging her forearm and watching the news that the networks were once again taken over. _"_ _True story about Fortune Cookies they look Chinese, they sound Chinese, but they are actually an American invention. Which is why they are hollow, full of lies, and leave a bad taste in your mouth. My disciples just destroyed another cheap American knock-off. The Chinese Theatre. Mr. President I know this must be getting frustrating, but this season of terror is drawing to a close. And do not worry the big one is coming, your graduation."_

Three was glaring at the screen of the man that claimed to be so smart but was literally the dumbest man alive. Her anger at losing a friend got the better of Three as she threw a bottle of whiskey across the room, it smashed hard against the far wall. "Aida."

"Yes Kat?" Aida asked worried.

"Remember how I said we only will ever go after HYDRA, no one else?"

"Yes, I remember."

"Well we are making an exception. Clear our schedules."

"Consider them cleared." Aida said as Three picked up her phone calling Cutter. She told him who was responsible for the bombing and who killed Chen, which was all the incentive the Shadow Network needed. Within the hour a response was given over the internet via the Shadow network. Three clicked the message that now flooded the internet like a tidal wave, it was of a shadowed figure who was cloaked in shadow and his voice was distorted. _"_ _Mandarin, You have made a grave mistake tonight. For one claiming to be a teacher, it is you who will be taught a lesson. The lesson of blood. We will take all that you own all that you possess stripping you of everything until you are nothing! In your blind attack upon the Chinese Theatre you have killed one of ours, and many others. We do not tolerate fools, and you will learn this lesson soon. Be prepared!"_

"Cutter and the team are working on the hack. They are in the television networks mainframe waiting. The moment the Mandarin takes control, Cutter will move in and tag them. They will be traced to their source. They will have done their last communication and they will find who is funding them and remove their funding permanently." Aida stated.

"Good, keep me informed I am going to the hospital to check on Happy, and to find out what Stark is going to do. No doubt Iron Man will be involved considering his friend was nearly killed." Three quickly changed into the nurse scrubs she wore and got in the car.

* * *

At the hospital Three slipped in easily. When you looked and acted like you belonged there no-one really asked the question of if you belonged there. Instead she learned Happy was on the fifth floor and immediately headed that way. Hanging out just outside the door, she heard voices inside and listened in, one of them was Tony Stark. "Hi, mind leaving that on?"

"Oh, sure." A woman replied, and a second later Three heard the television being turned on.

"Sunday nights, PBS. Downton Abby. That's his show. He thinks it's elegant." She heard the shuffle of movement, "One more thing make sure everyone wears their badges. He's a stickler for that sort of thing. Plus my guys won't let anyone in without them."

Knowing he was leaving Three moved away pretending to be examining the file in her hands as Tony Stark walked past her. Discretely she followed him down to the ground floor but kept inside when Tony was bombarded by reporters. He might have simply left with no comment, but one reporter asked when someone was going to kill this guy. What a stupid question to ask a hero, so Tony's response was both surprising and worrisome. "Is that what you want?"

"Here is a little holiday greeting. I have been wanting to send to the Mandarin. I just didn't know how to phrase it until now. My name is Tony Stark and I am not afraid of you. I know you are a coward. So I've decided that you just died, pal. I am gonna come get the body. There's no politics. There is just good old fashioned revenge. There's no Pentagon, it's just you and me. And on the off chance that you're a man, here is my home address. 10880 Malibu Point. 90265. I'll leave the door unlocked."

Then Tony took the reporter's phone off of him. "That is what you want right?" He threw the phone at one of the brick pillars then turned back to the idiot that just had to ask that damn question, "Bill me."

"Well that will complicate things." Aida said into her ear.

"He is going to have to get in line." Three said heading for the back entrance.

"Why is that?"

"Because Happy is alive. Chen isn't." Three said coldly, as she stepped into the alley she pulled on her jacket and got on her bike.

"Shouldn't we follow Stark? He did just paint a target on his back."

"Tony Stark has handled worse than some snot-nosed terrorist. He will be fine." Riding back to the house, Three began doing searches on what she read from the dog tags. It was her way of coping after Chen's death, staying focused on the task. Later she could cry over what happened. Typing in J. Taggort and the military numbers that she could read. Immediately she got his service record and read through it. "Aida pull up the service records of anyone Taggort served with."

Immediately a listing came up showing those that served with Taggort. "Anyone of these in a similar explosion? One where people were vaporized?"

"There is one. One C. Davis from Rose Hill Tennessee. He supposedly killed six people in a suicide attempt."

"Hmm sounds familiar. What about explosions supposedly caused by the Mandarin? Any military caught in them?"

"Several actually."

"List them together and find me a connection. Go through service records, family history, medical records, the whole caboodle. Everything." Three said as she turned to a monitor with the news on it. Everyone was watching Tony Stark's house. "Let's hope Stark does something more constructive than get himself killed."

After a moment Three noticed someone at Stark's house a brunette. Using tracking software, Three zoomed in on the girl and began running facial recognition software. "Hmm, Maya Hansen, a geneticist. What the hell is she doing there when Tony Stark just threatened a terrorist?"

"Not sure, old flame of Tony's perhaps?"

"Well if she is looking to rekindle the romance she is barking up the wrong tree. Tony and Pepper forever I say." Three said looking further into Maya's details. "Hmm looks like dear old Tony had a fun time in Switzerland in 1999 for the New Year's eve bash. That must be where he met her." Looking up a more detailed record of her that was when Three noted the rather pathetic encryption on the scientist's data. "Oh now my interest it peaked. Someone doesn't want me looking..."

The last was done in a sing song as she began decrypting the data. Aida giggled, "Someone really doesn't want you looking they are trying to dismantle our security and send an electrical virus to surge our computers."

"Oh how very naughty! Aida would you like to teach them their first lesson?"

"Of course!" Aida said as she not only hacked their systems finding them, but also sent her own electrical virus to surge their computer's. "They are in for a shock, pun completely intended."

Three smiled as she unlocked Maya's file. "Okay says here she works for a group called AIM, a type of brain group, Advanced Idea Mechanics."

Unfortunately further digging would have to wait as Three looked to the news again to find Tony Stark's home under attack by three helicopters. "Son of a bitch!"

"So much for Stark being able to handle some snot-nosed terrorists." Aida said. The pair watched as most of Tony's home fell below into the sea, and the one surviving helicopter flew off. The pair watched intently as a quick flash had to be slowed down to reveal Tony Stark had escaped and according to his trajectory he was heading for Tennessee.

"Aida can you ping Tony's phone?"

"Unfortunately he does not appear to be carrying it."

"What about Pepper? Or this Maya Hansen?"

"Both appear to have phones pinging them now."

"Good keep a trace on them. Meantime have Cutter and crew be waiting to intercept the Mandarin's next transmission." Three said as she kept looking further into this AIM group. The further she dug the more encryptions she found. Someone up high did not want this information coming to light. _'We do not always get what we want assholes! Chen was a friend and I wanted his help to acquire the first injection, now he is dead. Deal with the disappointment!'_ Three thought as she broke into even more files.

* * *

 **December 23** **rd** **, 2012**

 **New York City**

It was not until the next morning that the news feed was disrupted once more, Three was operating on her second pot of coffee as was Cutter and his people. The group were certainly dedicated and motivated to make the Mandarin pay for his vindictive actions. After all Chen was a dragon of the Shadow Network, one of its leader, and a good friend. So when the feed was disrupted Cutter and crew did not hesitate to establish a trace on the signal and also piggy back it.

Three stopped what she was doing to watch the prick she was going to kill. Only this time he had a man on the ground at his feet. _"_ _Mr. President. Only two lessons remain. I intend to finish this before Christmas morning. Meet Thomas Richards, good strong name good strong job. Thomas here is an accountant for Roxxon Oil Corporation, and I am sure he is a really good guy. I am going to shoot him in the head, live on your televisions in thirty seconds. The number for this telephone is in your cell phone. Exciting isn't it?"_

" _Three should we disrupt this bastard?"_ Cutter asked.

"No he might shoot the guy if we do."

"He might shoot him anyway." Aida pointed out.

" _America, if your president calls me in the next half minute, Tom lives. Go."_

" _He does have access to the president's cell phone. We can cut him off."_ Cutter said.

"If we do that the President will be denied the option of calling, and we become responsible for this accountant's life." Three said, not liking it anymore than them. Revenge was all well and good, but not when it involved an innocent.

" _Alright let's see what happens."_ Cutter said, _"_ _The president is calling him."_ Three watched as the Mandarin's phone began ringing. However regardless of what President Ellis tried to do the result was no better, as the Mandarin shot the accountant anyway.

" _Son of a bitch!"_ Cutter replied as Three glared at the screen.

" _There is just one lesson left President Ellis, so run away, hide, kiss your children goodbye. Because nothing not your army, not your red white and blue attack dog can save you! I will see you soon."_ _'Not before I see you first, and nothing will save you from me!'_ Three thought as the hack ended.

" _We are tracing them back to their hidey hole now."_ Cutter said, _"_ _What do you want us to do?"_

"He mentioned one lesson left," Three said thinking her cold calculating mind taking the reigns, "Meaning they will hack the network again. Cutter now that you have an origin point for the signal, you should be able to back track and find the money. Find out who is funding this nutjob, integrate into their systems and gain control without them noticing."

" _Alright then what?"_ Cutter asked.

"Then when the Mandarin tries to give his final lesson we teach him and any that follows that we are the ones not to be fucked with! When he goes on television again I want you to cut him off, do not allow them to transmit. More than that I want you to rip them apart! Take all their funding, all their assets, then gut their computers like a trout. Leaving them with absolutely nothing. Find their benefactor and dump the truth online. Lastly you make sure the Mandarin and everyone knows who did it for Chen."

" _For Chen. Understood."_ Cutter said as he and the others got to work on doing as Three asked. Meanwhile Three turned back to her screen thinking, considering.

"It doesn't make sense."

"What doesn't?" Aida asked.

"The Mandarin, he could have taken anyone to shoot live on t.v. Why did he take some lowly accountant just doing his job? Why not a politician? Or someone more important? There is more to this..." Three said as she did a search into Roxxon Oil Corporation. Then she shook her head thinking further on the issue. "Aida where is Pepper Potts?"

"According to her phone and Maya Hansen's they are together. Not sure why, considering Maya is one of Stark's exes. Their phones ping them at a ritzy hotel outside of New York."

"I don't like it, something is off." Three said, resuming her earlier search into Hansen. The search that had held so much encryption that it was sadly ridiculous. "This feels more like the encryption program used by the military." Eventually she broke down the encryptions and noted a data log. The data log held a back entrance into a military database? _'Hmmm because it is used by the military.'_ Three thought as she frowned and entered the database. "Ah we must be on the right track. Minutes ago this database was accessed by Col. James Rhodes."

"Rhodey accessed the data bank?" Aida asked surprised.

"Let's see what he saw." Three said gaining access. Immediately they got a video recording.

" _What would you regard as the defining moment of your life?"_

"Aida can you run voice recognition, find out who that is?" Three asked, immediately the AI ran the voice through looking for a match.

" _Well uh I think that would be the day I decided not to let my injury beat me."_ The man speaking was Chad Davis, according to the information in the bottom corner of the screen. _'Injury?'_ Three looked up the medical records discovering that he and J. Taggort both suffered injuries in Pakistan. _'Interesting.'_ Next Rhodey accessed another video of one Ellen Brandt who was missing an arm in her video. Followed by an image of a blonde haired man who was the owner of the voice Aida was running through voice recognition.

" _Okay so the injections are administered periodically. Addiction will not be tolerated, and those who cannot regulate will be cut from the program."_

"I have ID'd him as one Aldrich Killian, he is also Maya Hansen's boss." Aida said.

"Shit!" Three said getting up to go suit up. If Pepper was with this woman than she was in danger. There were just one too many connections to be sheer coincidence. Maya working for Killian and his involvement with two men that were killed in Mandarin attacks screamed a warning like a neon sign!

"Wait, there is more Rhodey accessed." Aida said and so Three turned to watch the video. _"_ _Once misfits, cripples...You are the next iteration of Human Evolution. Alright everyone before we start. I promise you, looking back on your life; there will be nothing as bitter as the memory of that glorious risk you prudently elected to forego."_

As Killian spoke the test subjects for some type of experiment were prepared this included Davis and Taggort. _"_ _Today is your glory. Let's begin."_ That was when they were being injected with something, some kind of serum. The one known as Ellen Brandt began to regrow her arm in a very creepy way. However the man next to her was not taking the injection so well as he began glowing and screaming. Killian immediately turned. _"_ _We gotta get out of here! We gotta get out of here! Get her out! Get them out of here!"_

Now it showed a close-up of the man rejecting whatever he was given, then he exploded. "That was the bomb. Tennessee, the theatre. Their bodies were rejecting whatever serum that was."

"Extremis, is what the data logs claim it to be. The successful candidates who's body accepts it become a type of super soldier who regenerates."

"It is still faulty with dangerous consequences for those injected and those too close. Copy the files when the Shadow network screw up the Mandarin's speech, dump the files online." Three said heading for her suit. She needed to head for Pepper before Hansen betrayed her. Taking her suit and gear she grabbed a case of special explosive tip rounds hoping if she ran into any Extremis test subjects they would do the trick. Getting into her car she drove for Pepper's last known GPS signal.

* * *

Three had suited up and grabbed her gear as she stopped just down the road from the hotel. Creeping through the brush, Three got closer to the signal until she reached the room. Pulling one of her guns she noticed the door open, and stepped inside. A waiter was on the ground, Three knelt down to check him only to find the injuries sustained from a broken neck. "Shit!"

Three rose and moved around the hotel room then sighed as she looked at the coffee table, Pepper Potts' phone sat there. "Damn it! Aida, Hansen made off with Potts. Her phone was left. Can you track Hansen? I am sure she wouldn't leave her phone."

"Tracking now." Aida said, "It looks like Potts is being taken to Miami." Three sighed and immediately headed out the door and as before made her way back to her car. As she was driving Aida continued to keep her updated on their activities as well as the Mandarin's. She only stopped once to get changed before resuming her drive down to Florida so that no one would notice the suit.

Eventually she got to the mansion the signal was generating from, but all was quiet. She had parked some ways out and made the trek through the woods surrounding the mansion. She got up onto a hill overlooking the mansion and was using her rifle to see the area. It was definitely guarded by private security, the guards carried automatics. However there was no real activity that Three could see. For hours she sat waiting looking through her scope for any signs of activity. "God where is he? Is Tony taking a nap or what?!"

That was when she spotted something smash through one of the windows. "About time he showed." Three said not realizing it was his suit coming to him.

"Kat, Killian is just leaving the mansion. I am using satellite to track his movements." Aida said.

"Good girl, it looks like Iron Man finally decided to show." Three said as she took aim at some of the guards patrolling the perimeter. After shooting some of them she spotted Stark and could hear the announcement.

" _All personnel. Stark is loose and somewhere in the compound. Repeat. Stark is loose and somewhere in the compound."_ Meanwhile it looked like Stark was trying to take off, but couldn't, then again he looked like he had gotten run over a couple of times. Aside from him she saw Iron Patriot take off, but wondered why Rhodey would be flying away. Eventually Stark and Rhodey rejoined inside the house begging the question what was Rhodey doing there? Instead Three shook her head taking out some more guards before putting a special round into her rifle and shooting it at the wall by the window where Tony and Rhodey were in. It was a transmitter that would allow her to listen in.

" _I never thought people had been hurt. They lied to me."_

" _This is the Mandarin?"_ Rhodey asked, peeking through her rifle scope she saw the 'Mandarin' in a chair, Rhodey had a gun trained on him while Tony stood back in his suit.

" _Yeah, I know. It's...it's embarrassing."_ Tony replied confusing Three.

" _Hi Trevor. Trevor Slattery. I know I am short in person. A bit smaller. Everyone says that. But hey if you are here to arrest me, there's some people I would like to roll on."_ The Mandarin now had a British accent. Who the hell was this guy?

" _Here's how it works Meryl Streep. You tell him where Pepper is, and he will stop doing it."_ Tony replied not in the mood.

" _Doing what?"_ Rhodey put the hot barrel to Trevor's ear causing him pain, _"_ _Oh I get it! Ow that hurt! I get it! I get it! I don't know about any Pepper, but I do know about the plan."_

" _Spill."_ Tony said.

" _You know what they did with my suit?"_ Rhodey asked. _'So they stole the Iron Patriot suit.'_

" _What? No. But I do know it's happening off of the coast. Something to do with a big boat. I can take you there."_ Then he yelled out making her jump as he chanted. _"_ _Ole ole ole."_ Was this moron watching a game? Three could not really see the television at her angle.

" _Tony I swear to god. I am going to blow his face off."_ Rhodey said. _'Please do he sounds like a complete idiot!'_ Three thought shaking her head as she and Aida listened in.

" _Oh and this next bit may include the Vice president as well. Is that important?"_

" _Somewhat."_ Tony said.

" _Yeah, a little bit."_ Rhodey added.

" _So?"_ Tony asked after a moment, as the pair started to talk between themselves.

" _What are we going to do? I mean we don't have any transport. Right."_ Rhodey asked, then a beer was opened.

" _Hey Ringo. Didn't you say something about a 'lovely speedboat'?"_ Tony asked. Three clicked a button on her rifle turning off transmitter and sighed. She got up and compacted her rifle, then headed back for her car. Three hopped in after putting her rifle away.

"Okay Aida thoughts?"

"Cutter found that whoever is funding the Mandarin has deep pockets. He thinks it is an elaborate inside job." Aida supplied.

"It doesn't make sense, the last message stated a last lesson for President Ellis, not the vice president." Three said thinking, then tapped her fingers against the steering wheel. "Aida can you plot the trajectory of the Iron Patriot from here?"

"According to projections he is heading for the secure landing strip for Air Force One."

"Okay, ping the vice president's phone, where is he?" Three asked, she waited a few minutes then Aida answered.

"The vice president is currently at home." Aida said rattling off the address and that it was in the opposite direction.

"Opposite directions." Three stated, "You said Cutter found the benefactor to have very deep pockets?"

"Yes, what are you thinking?" Aida asked.

"I am thinking that the benefactor is the vice president, and the next phase is to put him in the President's seat. After all why give everyone this big bad enemy that turns out to be an idiot actor? They needed a patsy, it's misdirection for their true goals. They take out Ellis, the vice president gets promoted and they get unlimited funding for Extremis. Then they would be able to fix the flaws in the formula."

"It makes sense." Aida agreed, "What is our next step?"

"Thus far the 'Mandarin' has been all about display. They are going to use the Iron Patriot suit to kidnap Ellis. They won't kill him, not when they want it public. Our best bet is to find the big boat off the coast."

"There are probably a number of big boats off the coast." Aida said, then Three chuckled.

"Morons, Killian is a moron. He showed his hand too early. The earlier transmission. The Roxxon accountant. Look for an oil tanker off the coast. Bet you a hundred bucks there is one."

"There is one, but it's impounded and damaged." Three nodded.

"Perfect that's our next stop then. I need a speeder boat." Three said driving for the coast.

"I have a listing of those registered as owning speeder boats."

"Give me the closest."

"It is owned by one Jacob Granger, his rich mother and father bought it for him." Aida said texting the address and such to her.

"Well I am sure if I ask nicely he will let me burrow it." Three said heading for the address. The young man in question lived at a nice beach side house with his speeder boat docked with a bunch of other rich people's boats. Adjusting the colour clip, Three went blonde and got out of her car. Purposely she unbuttoned the lower half of her shirt and tied the ends together to show off her mid-drift.

Aida must have been watching her via satellite for the AI asked. _"_ _Is that really necessary?"_

"I need him distracted before I borrow his boat, guys love their eye candy." Three replied annoyed, but plastered a sweet smile on her face as she came to his door. Knocking a young man answered.

"Hi, could you help me I am lost. I am suppose to be at this party, but the directions are so confusing." Three said as the guy was obviously checking her out.

"Sure babe, but there is already a little party going on here." Jacob answered.

"Really? I don't want to party crash." Three said sweetly.

"No no, you are more than invited." He answered, "Come on in."

Coming inside his house she knew there was no real party and knew Jacob was checking her out. Once the door was closed, Three turned back to her host. Discreetly she pulled out a syringe. "I thought you said you were having a party."

"Oh there is, you're the party sweetheart." Three had to force the gag down as he grabbed her and pressed her to the wall, his body pressing to hers. She fought the shiver she felt and forced a smile onto her face as she wrapped her arms about his neck. A second later she was relieved to have jabbed him with the syringe injecting the sedative and knocking him out, because he had grabbed her breasts which heightened her fear. She shivered shaken, and was glad he would have a nasty hangover when he woke.

"God! I swear the next guy that touches me, I am going to kill him!" Three growled out before searching the house for his boat keys. Finding them she quickly left the house and grabbed her gear from the car. Leaving her car down the road, she got in and prepared the boat. Riding out a ways she stopped only to suit and gear up. Then she headed out for the oil tanker.

* * *

 **December 23** **rd** **, 2012**

 **Roxxon Oil Rig**

Under the cover of darkness, Three was suited and geared up when she boarded the impounded damaged oil tanker. She found herself a high perch in on one of the old platforms above. Taking a special transmitter round she shot it so she could hear what happened in the command room where obviously Killian was. Now it was a waiting game as Three kept hidden and saw them stringing Ellis up in the Iron Patriot suit. Whatever was happening they were preparing to make their move. "Aida looks like Killian is going to make his play. Is Cutter and the others ready to intercept the transmission?"

"Yeah we are," Cutter answered.

"I took the liberty of patching them in." Aida said.

"Good," Three said as she looked around via the scope on her rifle.

Someone came over the PA. _"_ _Broadcasting commencing shortly. Take final positions."_

"You heard them, you know what to do." Three said as Cutter and the others immediately disrupted the feed before it could even go out.

Via the transmitter Three could heard Killian. _"_ _Okay that is good. Now give me cameras A through E and we will do a full tech rehearsal."_ A moment later Killian gasped. _"_ _What the hell is this?!"_

" _There will be no rehearsal. We have warned you."_ The distorted voice was Cutter's as he cut into their transmission. Purposely Cutter showed the money, the resources, all of it being taken away by the Shadow Network, then she heard the sound of computers and electronics being fried as they sent an electrical surge to destroy the Mandarin's equipment. Three was grinning as Killian began cursing.

The joy was short lived as gun fire erupted announcing that Stark and Rhodey had arrived. "My god can't those two do anything quietly?!" Three asked as she scoped in on the pair, "For one who used to making weapons, Stark sucks balls at shooting!"

Three groaned as she took in the number of opponents the pair faced, and was taking aim at the closest when Aida stopped her. "Inbound, it looks like they are getting back up and you won't have to see Stark suck balls at shooting a gun again."

Soon the suits controlled by Jarvis were attacking Extremis heat signatures, and causing explosions that rocked the tanker. "Really Stark needs a new hobby."

As she started shooting Extremis experiment subjects. The next explosion almost sent Three off the platform she was on. Luckily she caught the edge and was pulling herself back up onto the platform. "Damn it Stark! Friendly right here trying to help!"

Not that Stark or anyone heard her. The explosions were too loud and he was nowhere near her. Keeping up the target practice she also tried to cover Stark and Rhodey from her vantage point, but there was a lot of obstacles in the way that did not always make that possible. Currently Tony had entered one of buildings further down so he was not visible. Rhodey however was and was trying to get to the strung up President. More than once Jarvis was simply outnumbered as he attempted to protect Rhodey from the super human Extremis subjects. Fortunately the explosive rounds were doing just the trick. He slid down onto one of the shipping containers to face off against three of the crazy experiments. However normal rounds were not working and so Three shot one of them knocking him off the end of container.

She would have shot the other two, but noticed one of the Iron Man suits was being attacked and heading straight for the President on a collision course. So she took aim at the subject trying to dismantle that suit and shot him off of the suit. Luckily Jarvis narrowly missed Ellis, however now she had Ellis and one of the suits looking in her direction. She looked back up in time to see Rhodey using the shipping container to swing in like Tarzan and grab Ellis' bound arm. The container landed on more of the oil containers causing a massive explosion. She could not see much in the next moment, but as the flames died down she saw Rhodey and the president on the opposite platform.

However Rhodey did not see another subject about to attack him instead he was talking to the President. So Three took aim and shot the one that would have killed Rhodey, both men looked at the downed Extremis subject, then her way. Whatever they thought of the mystery sniper they did not linger on it for long as Rhodey got his suit back, and was going to take the President to safety.

"Alright they are away, now where is—oh shit!" Three said as she soon found Pepper dangling precariously from a damaged crane, and Tony reaching for her. Sadly one of the explosions of the tanker knocked Pepper off the crane, and Tony missed her hand by inches. Both Tony and Three got to watch Pepper fall to her death into the flames below. For a moment Three was stunned, then focused on Tony. As much as Tony was in pain someone else on the walk-way would give him no time to mourn.

Three watched as Tony began fighting Killian, but also worked to help Jarvis take down the other Extremis patients and keep them from helping Killian. As the pair fought they got closer and closer to where Three was, but now she was busy shooting the others trying to help Killian. "These assholes just keep coming!"

"Stark is running out of suits, the Mark 42 in inbound but.."

"It keeps falling apart?" Three supplied as she looked through her scope, and sure enough it did just that before it would have reached Tony. _'Typical!'_ For some reason instinct told her to use a transmitter round to hear what was going on and shot it at the platform they were on. Next Three began to take careful aim of Killian's head with an explosive round.

" _Whatever."_ Tony said.

" _You really didn't deserve her, Tony. It's a pity. I was so close to having her perfect."_ Killian jumped down onto the platform with Tony and Three was a hair's breath from pulling the trigger.

" _Okay, okay, wait, wait, wait! Slow down! Slow down! You're right. I don't deserve her!"_ Tony said, _"_ _Here's where your wrong. She was already perfect."_ Before Killian could react Tony used the suit to encase him. _"_ _Jarvis, do me a favour and blow Mark 42."_

" _No..."_ Killian started to yell as the mask went over his face, and Tony used the platform supports to slide down below. The explosion that followed was taking out the entire platform, and Three was on it!

"Shit! Time to go!" Three yelled out as she jumped from the end of the platform, and quickly shot the grappling hook at the other platforms. Hitting the mark, Three began to swing over one of the large shipping containers and hit the release so she rolled on the container. Looking back now most of the tanker was a flaming mess, and she looked through her scope trying to find Tony amidst the wreckage. At first she did not see him as she searched around via her scope. "C'mon where are you Stark?"

Then she heard someone yell even if the words were lost on her.

Three turned in the direction in time to see... Pepper? She had to blink a couple of times as she saw the woman she thought had died in a sports bra with a pipe she used to hit Killian. "Wow! Tony all I can say is NEVER piss her off."

Watching through the scope, she saw one of the suits attack Pepper and luckily miss her. Though seeing what Pepper did was amazing. She used Tony's knee as a launch pad and smashed her fist through the suit, so she could use the arm. Then backhanded a charred Killian across the platform. "Whoa! Get 'em Potts."

Pepper kicked something at Killian, an explosive cylinder? And use the repulsor arm to blast it and him into tiny pieces. The scene left Three stunned. "Correction, Tony you ever piss her off, I will kick your ass."

Three smiled as she watched the pair talking, then hug. The scene was followed by more explosions making Three jump a little. She aimed her rifle upwards looking at the surviving suits as they detonated? He was destroying his own suits? Three again trained the rifle on them to see what was going on. The pair had not released each other, but Pepper was smiling as they watched the expensive fire works display.

Finally Three compacted her rifle and put it on her back before standing and admiring the display too. "Wow makes me wonder what he does for the fourth of July."

" _Probably best not to ask."_ Aida added.

"Yeah, well we are done here. Time to get gone." Three said climbing down from the containers to the ground. Once she landed she headed for the speeder boat she borrowed and headed for shore. By now it was Christmas Eve, and she had some things to take care of before heading back to Washington and the two Carter ladies.

* * *

 **December 24** **th** **, 2012**

 **New York City**

With the Mandarin destroyed, Three returned to New York and caught up on some much needed sleep. Thankfully her nightmares did not intrude, but she did have a good cry before and after she had slept. Chen was dead and with her brief reprieve over, guilt and sadness came into play hard. Fortunately exhaustion was a strong factor and as much as she mourned she also slept well into the afternoon before showering and dressing. Again she headed out to do some last minute shopping, then headed for the hospital. Three donned the nurse's outfit complete with name tag before entering the hospital. By then it was the late hours and past midnight making it technically Christmas day. The hospital was all but quiet as she moved through to the fifth floor where Happy was.

The poor guy still had not woken up and the guards outside the room had dosed off in their chairs. It would make things easier as Three moved passed them and quietly opened the door. Moving into the room she came around to the counter by his bed and set down the present. Due to some concerns Tony might have, Three did not bother wrapping the gift. Instead they were bound together by ribbon with a bow and tag on top. Downton Abby series one through three, along with Christmas at Downton Abbey, and Three even got one not due out yet 'A Journey to the Highlands.' The tag on top simply said. _**'Heard you like Downton Abbey. Merry Christmas Happy!'**_

Moving around the bed she kissed his forehead wishing him a Merry Christmas before quietly leaving. Once outside though she sighed if Tony came in the security detail would be in trouble. Gently she nudged the guards foot, making him jolt awake. "You two are suppose to be awake. What would happen if Mr. Stark caught you both napping?"

"Sorry, please don't tell him." The guard sat up as he looked to his companion and nudged him awake.

"I won't, and I know it is easy to fall asleep when you are just sitting here." Three said, "Might I recommend one of you goes and gets coffee from the break room? It might help. That way at least you are both awake and if Mr. Stark comes by you won't be fired."

"Right, right. Where is the break room?"

"This way." Three said remembering where it was from her earlier visit. She led him into the break room where two other nurses were. One was a brunette, the other a coloured lady. Both looked up surprised to see the two, so Three spoke first. "This is one of the security detail asked to watch the patient Happy Hogan in room 197. I told him it was okay to get himself and the other guard some coffee. Is that okay?"

"Yeah sure." One of the nurse's said then looked at her more closely, "Sorry I have never seen you before, are you new?"

"No, no I work for Nurse's Express, a temp service."

"Oh right! Sorry at times I just can't keep track. I am Christine Palmer, and this is Claire Temple." The nurse Christine said, while Claire waved at her.

"I am Lilith Donners, and it's no problem, they shuffle us around so much some remember me others don't. It also depends what shifts I am covering. This is one of the first night shifts I have gotten here." Three said shrugging nonchalantly. The whole time the guard was getting coffee, and now finally came up ready to head back to his post.

"Thanks." He said.

"No problem." Three said as he headed down the hall back towards Happy's room, "Well you ladies have a good night, and Merry Christmas. I have a few last errands and am suppose to have been done a while ago."

"Okay see you around, and Merry Christmas to you too." Claire said as Three left the break room. Tapping her ear piece as she moved down the hall, Three headed for another room. The room of one Brandon O'Connor. The door was open as she leaned in the door recognizing the young man from the Chinese theatre. His head partially covered in bandages and covering his left eye.

"Aida?"

"I have called up Mr. O'Connor's records. Works at a book store on seventh has an apartment not far from there. His Facebook page states he and Alice Lennings were dating since 2010." The knowledge only made Three sigh as she watched the sleeping man.

"The funds taken from the Mandarin?" Three asked.

"Cutter wishes to know what should be done with it."

"Pay off O'Connor's medical bills, apartment rent, and all other utility bills. Also give him a large amount in his bank account." Three said.

"Alright, and the rest?" Aida asked.

"Do the same for anyone that was caught in a 'Mandarin attack'." Three said still watching the young man. "Also pay for the funerals of those that died in the attacks. I don't want the families to pay a cent. That... that includes Chen's."

"Understood, also Cutter says they are almost done. Everything they got on the Mandarin is now on the net. The Vice President and Trevor Slattery are in cuffs now." Three nodded as she considered everything Aida had told her. There was not much else to be said or done, and it was Christmas. "Shouldn't you be heading back to Washington?"

The question from Aida made Three chuckle a little. "Yeah otherwise two Carter women are going to kick my ass."

"Well then best get going. It is a long drive, and you don't want to be late." Aida said.

"Alright, but Aida keep a monitor. I never want Extremis coming into play again. Someone toys with it, I wanna put a bullet in their head."

"I will." Aida said as Three turned away and left the hospital. She changed back into civilian clothes back at the Hideout, grabbed a few things, then headed straight for Washington stopping only once to refuel and grab some coffee.

* * *

 **December 25** **th** **, 2012**

 **Washington D.C.**

Later that Christmas afternoon, Three peeked in Peggy Carter's room at the care home to find Sharon already sitting by her bed. The two were in deep conversation and so she just watched them for a few minutes until both felt they were being watched and looked to the door and at her.

"There you are, Lil." Sharon said getting up as Three came into the room holding some presents. "We thought you forgot about us."

"No, never. I was just busy and it took me a bit to get back." Three said as Sharon retook her seat and she sat opposite. The trio talked for a bit then came time to give each other presents. In all honesty Three felt a bit awkward with gift giving since she had never gotten to do it before. She handed Peggy the gift she had bought for her, and the old woman opened it. It was heart shaped and had the Union Jack on the front with just enough space for the name 'Peggy' to be engraved on it. Inside were a picture of herself and Sharon small enough to be fitted inside.

"Awe that is beautiful!" Peggy said admiring the locket.

"Merry Christmas Peggy." Three said giving her a hug, and helping her put the locket on. Next was the present she got for Sharon. Three had to hold back a giggle as Sharon opened her gift then frowned at her. It was a Captain America ten inch action figure. Three giggled a little at the 'gag' gift as Sharon shook her head.

"Really? Not even on Christmas can you let it go?" Sharon asked.

"Open it." Three said, and Sharon rolled her eyes taking the action figure out of the box. "Now look behind the shield."

Sharon did and gasped as she found a custom made charm bracelet wrapped around the doll's arm behind the shield. It held five charms on it, the first was a small locket with Sharon's birthstone on it and their pictures in it. The second was an ice cream cone, the third was a small plate with a rose and next to it the name 'Sharon', the fourth was a small American flag, and the fifth a small gold teddy bear.

"Awe Lil it's beautiful!" Sharon said as she took it off the figure's arm and put it on admiring it. What neither one realized was both pieces of jewellery held a micro tracker so Three could always find them. It was her way of keeping them safe should HYDRA ever catch on to her and try to use them.

Finally the two women handed her their own present, and Three unwrapped it and smiled. It was a lovely frame of an ice skater in a blue glittering outfit, the bottom of the frame was white glittery snow. While towards the top was a dark blue sky with glittering stars. The picture inside was a group photo of her, Mace, Sharon, and Peggy all smiling at Three.

"Sharon mentioned you like ice skating." Peggy pointed out, and Three nodded.

"I do, thank you, it is beautiful." Three said giving them both a hug.

"Mace may not be here, but I am sure he is happy." Peggy offered.

"Yeah," Three said then looked down at the bag she brought the presents in. Reaching down she pulled out Mace's present. This had to be the saddest Christmas ever, she had lost two good friends. "I don't know what to do with his present though."

"Keep it, as a reminder of him." Sharon said, "He would want you to remember him too." Three smiled and nodded even though she needed no reminders to remember. She always remembered, and that would include celebrating Christmas with the Carter women.

* * *

 **Author's Notes:**

 **First off thank you for the lovely review from Penstride, and good guess. In truth I had forgotten about teasing Thanos as the 'purple alien' mentioned. In short that means there are two honourable mentions in this chapter.**

 **The other mention is Kevin Thompson a.k.a Killgrave or the Purple man for those Jessica Jones fans. He was the one that tells people what to do and they would go and do it no matter what. Hence the whole arm in a blender thing. Also kudos to David Tenant he made an excellent bad guy in the Netflix show Jessica Jones.**

 **As for this chapter I hope you all like this chapter as Three in indirectly involved in Iron Man 3. While she was not directly spotted by the main characters her presence did not go completely unnoticed, and most likely SHIELD will hear about it.**

 **Aside from that what did you all think? Any favourite parts? You know I love hearing from you guys good or bad. Please leave a review.**

 **Lesliezin**


	16. On the Same Trail

**Hello everyone,**

 **Sorry for the delay. I had forgotten to mention in my last Author's Notes that my husband and I would be in the USA visiting my family, and that I would be unable to post a new chapter. Unfortunately when we got back my father-in-law was going on holiday, and our cat got a nasty eye infection so we spent recovering from jetlag mostly at the vets. So it has been a very busy four weeks.**

 **Anyway I'm back and here is the next chapter.**

* * *

 **February 22** **nd** **, 2013**

 **New York City**

The start of the new year was a quiet one for Three, mostly because HYDRA kept a low profile. Or perhaps they were plotting something and keeping it under wraps. Either way activity dropped like a lead balloon, which only drove Three stir crazy. After Chen's death, Cutter and the group distanced themselves from Three. She understood why, and they agreed to always help her; but the distance was still felt. With little to do and the fact her Shadow Network friends were distancing themselves, Three had plenty of opportunity to wonder why HYDRA had gone so quiet lately. Perhaps they knew of her helping Tony Stark? Or that she had helped save President Ellis' life? Not that she would get a medal or anything for it. However another issue soon appeared, a group of hackers to be precise, that called themselves Hacktivists. They were not from the Shadow Network, but shortly after Three began her war with HYDRA she had to cover the trails of some hackers to save them from getting killed.

Too much digging on their part almost gained HYDRA's full attention, and had she and Aida not intervened those hackers would have ended up having 'accidents'. Nevertheless the group had not warranted such attention in years, and their methods were changing. Either that or this was a new group with a new name: The Rising Tide. Thus far, the group had not stirred up too much trouble, and while Three even gained 'membership'. She only gave minor details and sprigs of information; just enough to look like a member, but it was mostly to monitor them.

It was a fun way to pass the time when HYDRA was playing dead, or at least she thought they were playing dead. Sadly she and Aida did not have access to all the files, they may be in SHIELD's systems but that did not mean they had free reign. Nevertheless Three and Aida were alerted when an explosion happened in Los Angeles, California. The explosion matched the temperature of an Extremis subject blowing up at over three-hundred degrees centigrade. What really got her attention was it was recorded by one of its key members. Username: Skye.

Three had just finished showering and dressing that morning and grabbed a cinnamon bun to go with her coffee when Aida accessed the latest recording from the Rising Tide. _"_ _The secret is out. For decades your organisation stayed in the shadows, hiding the truth. But now we know. They are amongst us. Heroes."_ The monitor showed images of the Avengers, _"_ _And Monsters."_ The images changed to images of the Chitari and the devastation of New York, _"_ _The world is full of wonders."_ That was when images of the explosion in Los Angeles was recorded with a hooded man rescuing a woman. _"_ _We can't explain everything we see, but our eyes are open. So what now? There are no more shadows for you to hide in. Something impossible just happened. What are you going to do about it?"_

"Aida?" Three asked, "When was this?"

"The explosion was an hour ago. Already SHIELD mobilizes to get to the bottom of this." Aida said

"Shit! Any HYDRA?"

"None that I can tell yet, but they will not tolerate the Rising Tide for long."

"Alright, book me a ticket fast as you can." Three said pushing her mouth full of cinnamon bun as she rushed back upstairs to pack. By the time she came back down, the ticket was printed out, and Three threw her stuff in the back of her car. In under the hour she boarded a direct flight to Los Angeles which would take a little over five hours sadly. SHIELD did not have to fly via regular transportation, so they had a signifiant head start. The only upside was Aida booked her in first class so she could get on and off the plane faster, and customs was not an issue since she was not leaving the country.

Three also brought her laptop with her to keep in contact with the Rising Tide. Fortunately no new messages was recorded by the one codenamed Skye. As a secondary precaution, Three tried to run a security protocol to mask the Rising Tide members including Skye. Over half way to California Aida texted Three. **'** _ **SHIELD team inbound. They will be arriving about the same time as you. You will have to hurry!'**_ Three sighed, texting her back and saying 'Thanks' as she took note of a slight problem. Skye had made a mistake in her last transmission, one not even Three could hide the hacker from. She transmitted from the same location, a routing point not ghost protected and her phone had the same signatures as her previous Rising Tide posts.

 _'Shit! So it'll be a race.'_ Three thought, as she texted Aida the news she discovered. Once the plane touched down, Three was off as quickly as possible. She collected her rent car and was en-route to the routing location Skye transmitted from. The location being a back alley by a diner. In order to keep up the normal appearance, Three wore her usual casual wear, but choose to go blonde with sunglasses. Under a denim jacket she packed one of her guns just in case.

Getting out of her car, she clicked the ear piece she wore. "Aida I am at the routing location, got anything?"

"Be careful! SHIELD agents are in your vicinity. If you can, best to get Skye and run." Aida said as Three headed for the alley. Looking around carefully, she spotted no agents. That was until she almost came around the corner and had to stop and back up. Peeking her eyes went wide at the familiar face, but it was impossible. Shock registered as she stared wide eyed at Phil Coulson, and another man that was pulling a young brunette from the van, no doubt this was the hacker designated 'Skye'. Quietly Three snapped a quick picture as Skye was pushed against her van and handcuffed. Sending the image to Aida she waited only a moment for a response.

"Agent Grant Ward, he is HYDRA. How is Agent Coulson alive? You said Sharon told you he was dead." Aida asked.

"I don't know but it looks like Coulson might be playing for the bad guys now. They got the hacker." Three said reaching into her coat. Whatever HYDRA did to Coulson he may not be the same man he was.

"Wait! Do not do anything rash. Coulson is SHIELD."

"You mean he _was_ SHIELD, that doesn't mean he still is." Three said.

"If you kill him, you might regret it."

"He is with a HYDRA agent, Aida." Three said worried, "And they have our hacker. Who knows what they will do to her."

"I am not saying let them go completely. Put a tracker on one of them or the van. They will most likely confiscate it."

"And if they kill Skye?" Three asked.

"I don't think they will, Kat. Some years back we were taught not all HYDRA agents are bad. Coulson was and may still be a good man, but if you kill him now we will never know." Aida said as Three sighed releasing hold of her gun.

"Fine you win." Three said annoyed, she waited by a news stand not far away pretending to look at the paper. As the van pulled from the alley way she pretended to cross the street behind the van pressing a clear tab to the back door that would track it's movements.

"What now?" Aida asked.

"Now you find out how a dead man is still living while I take a look at the bomb site." Three said as she got into the car.

"Kat that place will be crawling with SHIELD agents."

"Who says they are going to spot me?" Three asked as she drove off.

* * *

Aida had been right, the place did have SHIELD cars on site. Which meant most likely the bomb site was under tight investigation as well. Three got out of the car glad the area had not been cordoned off completely. However that was not the only way to get information, SHIELD may have the tech, but Three knew a lot of streets had cameras. ATM's, intersections, even stores had security footage. While much of it would probably be useless Three also knew how to look. Three touched her ear piece. "Aida, the hooded hero was of course wearing a hoodie. Over that was a vest, and tan cargo pants. Can you check the footage before the blast on Marengo Street? Look for someone wearing those clothes."

She waited a moment pretending to look in the shop windows, until Aida got back to her. "There was a man with a boy wearing similar clothes. Shop on your right two down."

Three headed for the shop still pretending to be window shopping. "Can you ID this man?"

"Running his face now." Aida answered, as Three stopped in front of the shop which was a toy store.

"Looks like the boy wanted one of the heroes of New York." Three said smiling at the figures.

"You know the little girl you saved in the battle wants an action figure of you." Aida pointed out making Three shake her head as she smiled at the idea. "Found him, Mike Peterson. Local, wife left after he was laid off due to injury at work. Just him and his son Ace. Thus far SHIELD doesn't know of him, but that could quickly change now that they have the hacker."

"Yeah I know limited time and all. Not to mention a resurrected Coulson, I hope he doesn't eat brains or anything." Three said as she looked towards the building the explosion happened in. "What about the woman rescued?"

"Checking records from the hospital where she was admitted." Aida said, a moment later the AI responded, "Doctor Debbie Jenkins. Supposedly worked in a Self empowerment Centre."

"Why do you say supposedly?" Three asked.

"Because she is a rather good geneticist and last time I checked those types are not needed at centres like this. Psychiatrists sure Geneticist not so much." Aida said.

"So if I was able to get upstairs, I doubt I would find anything like a support centre. More than likely a secret lab." Three sighed annoyed, "Alright time to reprise my role as a nurse."

"Why not try extracting the information via threats? She is obviously up to no good." Aida pointed out.

"Because SHIELD is in play and we need to handle this discretely. Once she is out of hospital she is fair game, but for now we need to play this one carefully." Three said heading back to her car, "Mean time keep digging I need to know if Coulson is still SHIELD or not."

"You mean you need to know whether to shoot him or not." Aida surmised as Three drove for the hospital. This time pretending to be a nurse was a little more tricky as the lay-out was different. However finding the floor and Debbie was not as hard as originally thought. From there is was all a matter of distracting the nurse that was at the desk, and getting Debbie's chart.

"Aida could you cause a diversion?" Three asked, the AI knew what Three needed and so wrung the front desk. From there the nurse got into a argument with Aida who claimed that some test results had been misplaced and one of the doctor's wanted them. It was in the distraction Three got the chart and headed for Debbie's room. Entering the red head was in bed and Three smiled at her.

"Hello, I am Lilith. I am just here to check your blood pressure. How are you feeling?"

"I am good, a little sore is all." Debbie said.

"Ah okay," Three checked her chart, "Says here you were given some pain relievers this morning. We can give you some more in an hour if you like?"

"Yes thank you." Debbie said as Three discreetly placed a smaller listening device on the side of the bed. Then took her blood pressure playing the role of nurse well and even made light conversation. "So how are you doing? I know some patients cannot stand hospitals."

"Hospitals aren't so bad. Why do you get a lot of complaints?"

"Oh yes if not about the service, it's about the horrid food, if not about the food, it's about the temperature. The list is endless." Three replied laughing a little as she shook her head and wrote down the blood pressure. "Well I will let you be, and when an hour is up just press the button and one of us will be by to give you something for the pain."

"Okay, thanks." Debbie said as Three left and returned the chart. The nurse at the front grumbling about the doctor's incompetence. Leaving the hospital, Three headed for the motel to shower and change clothes. She checked her computer to find the hacker's van location was at a hidden airstrip. Next she was checking for anything from Debbie's room. A nurse occasionally, but little else making Three sigh as she leaned back in the chair.

"Kat, I have found some information. I had to gain Clearance level seven, but Coulson survived his near death experience." Aida said.

"Oh so not zombie Coulson then? Good."

"His new assignment is authorized by Nick Fury, so definitely still SHIELD." Aida continued, "He spent recovery time in Tahiti, and has only recently returned to active duty."

"Can you get me a crew roster? I need to know who is with him." Three said. A second later a list appeared on her screen.

 _ **Agent Phil Coulson- SHIELD**_

 _ **Agent Melinda May- SHIELD**_

 _ **Agent Grant Ward- HYDRA**_

 _ **Agent Jemma Simmons- SHIELD**_

 _ **Agent Leopold Fitz- SHIELD**_

"Well that makes it easy, but why is there only one HYDRA agent amongst SHIELD agents?"

"Perhaps because he is designated as a Specialist and both Fitz and Simmons are not combat ready. Also May is designated as only a pilot." Aida supplied.

"Oh that just makes me feel a whole lot better." Three said sarcastically, when she got no response Three asked. "Aida?"

"The listening device in Debbie's hospital room has picked up something of great interest." Aida stated, so Three clicked the button to listen.

" _-you're him."_ Debbie was saying.

" _I'm glad your okay."_ A man's voice replied.

" _Yeah. Thank you. They are beautiful."_ The man must have brought a get well present. However the sound of someone leaving and the door clicking also meant that Debbie's voice changed from nice to annoyed fast. _"_ _What the hell are you doing here?"_

" _I don't know where to go, Doctor. Everything is getting... I know what is right. I do. But no one will listen to me. I volunteered because you said things would change."_ The man said, now Three could guess who it was Mike Peterson.

" _You said you could keep it together. Our first subject lost it walked into the lab with a freaking bomb..."_ Debbie said.

" _I'm not like him."_

" _Well tell that to your foreman in the ICU"_ Three frowned as she called up local news reports and found where Mike visited his old place of work.

" _I saved you!"_

" _You exposed me! You exposed the program. The people who gave me this technology, they are very serious, and they do not want to be revealed. Mike Peterson needs to disappear."_ Three sighed, once Debbie was released from hospital she was going to have a long extensive chat with the doctor, one that Debbie would not enjoy.

" _You're right. I'm not him anymore. I'm someone else now."_

" _Please! You're juiced, Mike! And you're losing it just like the last guy. Oh god, this is a disaster."_ Crap that did not sound good, if Extremis was involved than Mike would go boom at some point and take innocent people with him.

" _No. It's an origin story."_ Three was not sure what happened but that was where the conversation ended even though no door opened or closed. So she closed the sound feed. "Great so some kind of lab experiment has gone wrong, probably involving Extremis. We also have a hacker possibly in danger, a resurrected Coulson running around, and an ill-equipped SHIELD team running around with a HYDRA specialist. Thoughts?"

"We follow Skye's van." Aida suggested.

"The van is at a secure SHIELD location, it-"

"It has recently returned to the alley." Aida finished for Three.

"And you were going to tell me this when?" Three asked as she checked the tracker's location, it had indeed returned to the alley by the diner.

"I uh, just did." Aida added, making Three snort and shake her head. Grabbing her keys she headed out to her rental car. Her gear was already in the trunk, and she drove for the diner once more. Pulling up not far away, Three was about to get out of the car when she spotted the van leaving the alley way. _'Odd did SHILED let her go?'_ Curiosity had Three discretely following the van at a distance until it stopped at Union Station. However from there it just sat, making Three uneasy as she parked away from it. To look less conspicuous she got out of the car and came to stand at a newspaper stand. She pretended to be interested in the magazines as she watched the van.

Three would have stayed there all day, but a very familiar face walked right by her with some fellow agents and a HYDRA lackey. _'Maybe Skye escaped?'_ Three thought until Coulson spoke into a megaphone. "Mr. Peterson. Good morning. We're not a threat, we're here to help. But you're in danger and we need to take you in."

 _'Oh this is going to end well.'_ Three thought as the group waited, so Three headed for the station's double doors knowing where Mike would run. Sure enough as she reached the doors there was a crash as the van door flew across the walk way. Slipping inside she knew trying to engage them would be hazardous Mike was unstable and a group of SHIELD agents in tow would only complicate things. Instead she watched Mike, Skye, and Ace move past her into the station where she followed at a distance.

However that was when Skye kicked a complete stranger between the legs. "You're right, he is a little bitch!"

It was enough to start a fight and Three was suddenly glad she had kept her distance. Skye ran off trying to escape as Mike fought the guys, the last one used a partition pole which only bent it and angered Mike. _'Good distance.'_ Three thought as the man flew into the air. Some people's fight or flight instinct took over as they were quickly leaving the station, but a number of them stayed curious about the outcome of the situation. It was good and bad, good because she could blend in more easily and be another nameless face in the crowd. Bad because she could not find Skye amidst the throng of people.

Pretending to rush for the exit, Three also looked around acting the confused woman pretty well and spotting Skye. However Mike also spotted her and caught her near the door she was going to escape through. A shot rang out missing the pair: the assassin was dressed like a cop totting a shotgun. _'Amateur! Cops do not tote shotguns around everywhere they go. At most they only carry around a 9mm Beretta! Dumb-ass!'_ Three thought as Mike and Skye escaped and the cop left to go around.

"Aida we have a wanna-be assassin. I am guessing he is not alone, and was sent to permanently silence Mike. Idiots like this do not travel alone, I need a digital trace. Most likely dear ol' Debbie alerted her benefactors and thus a sad excuse for a hitman was sent."

"I need a phone to ping, can you give me a location?"

"He is heading up following Mike and Skye. Upper levels of the train station. If all three had phones it is the one furthest from the other two." Three said.

"Got it. There is only one phone which he will probably use to confirm execution of target. Setting up digital trace. Let's see call history, nope. Hmm contacts?... it has two contact numbers. One of the phones belonging to that number is not far from you. Parking lot on your left. Second row, third car." Aida said as Three turned and headed that way still pretending to be freaked out by what was happening. The woman in the car sitting in the driver's seat was too calm. She certainly had the right car at least. As she rushed by she planted one of the clear, sticky, trackers on it. Then doubled back once she went around the corner. Later she could track the woman, but she also wanted to see if she could do anything for her fellow hacker.

She got back into the station in time to see Coulson talking Peterson down. The cops were keeping civilians away as Three spotted Skye amongst them. Then someone shot him, actually as Three looked up she knew exactly who shot him and wanted to hunt the HYDRA specialist down. However the shot seemed to be non-lethal as another young woman with her hair tied back rushed forward to check Mike's vitals. _'Okay maybe there is hope for Ward yet.'_ Three stayed just long enough to see the paramedics coming in and to memorise the face she saw. Most likely she would see them again, even if they did not see her.

"Tracker is on the move." Aida stated gaining Three's full attention as she left the station.

"Alright heading out."

* * *

 **February 23** **rd** **, 2013**

 **Los Angeles California**

It was just past midnight at the cheap motel, Debbie was glad to had been released from hospital without anyone really noticing her. Sure she had some minor injuries and bruises, but it could have been a lot worse. At least the situation was dealt with, by now Mike Peterson was dead and she would most likely be reallocated to do research elsewhere. However when she came into the cheap smelly motel room, she had expected to see two assassins reporting the situation handled. She expected them to give her a new assignment from their benefactor. Instead the sight made her try to leave. There was only one assassin a woman tied and gagged to a chair. From the looks of things she had taken quite the beating.

Immediately Debbie turned around to leave and was stopped by a person behind her. Normally Debbie was not a fighter, but when the person in front of you is the same height and build; well even Debbie makes mistakes. The doctor went to throw a punch at the person only to have her fist caught. In the momentum the figure moved aside twisting Debbie's arm out so that she slammed face first into the door. Then the red haired doctor's head was yanked back by her hair. "Scream and I slit your throat! Now are you going to play nice?"

Debbie swallowed a sob as she weakly nodded. "Good because your friend here did not want to play nice. I was in the process of 'forcing her to play nice.'"

"What do you want?" Debbie asked as fear caused her heart to pound in her chest.

"Information." Debbie saw a device raised out of the corner of her eye, and a button clicked. _"_ _You exposed me! You exposed the program. The people who gave me this technology, they are very serious, and they do not want to be revealed. Mike Peterson needs to disappear."_ Debbie gasped at the recording – wondering how it got there. "I had to deal with Extremis before which was one of the ingredients used on Mr. Peterson. I had a friend die over it! So when I say I am not pleased to know idiots are tampering with this crap, you can be assured your benefactors will know the full extend of how pissed off I am!"

Debbie winced as the figure twisted her arm at an odd angle. "Please! I don't know who they are. They just wanted this product tested."

"Tested at the cost of lives that is also something I won't tolerate!" With that Debbie was yanked from the door and shoved to the ground in front of the tied up assassin. "So let me explain how this is gonna work. Either of you scream I kill you," The figure now clearly seen wearing a type of ninja suit said as she removed the gag from the assassin's mouth, "One of you gets to live if you tell me something useful. The other gets to be an...example."

Both women looked at each other, but the assassin seemed calm as ever. When neither one said anything the 'ninja' sighed. "No? Well then I guess you both get to be examples."

She raised her gun, and Debbie knew it was time to talk unless she wanted to die. "Wait! Okay okay. The ones that gave me the tech wanted super soldiers. The Centipede programme it used serum derived from several different locations. Some from Doctor Erskine's research, some from Gamma radiation, and yes also from Extremis. It also used alien technology from the alien invasion in New York."

"Starting to be helpful, but not quit there." The ninja said gesturing for her to continue.

"I—I don't know who the benefactors are, only that they wanted it tested in secret. I was approached by an outside party, I never met them in person. No one does, they always operate through others. That is all I know, please!" Debbie said hoping it was enough.

"Traitorous bitch! When they find out-" The assassin started to say, but the ninja didn't even look at the assassin as she raised her gun and shot the bound woman. Debbie jumped as a scream left her lips and quickly covered her mouth as she cried. The ninja knelt in front of her.

"You will only get one warning, the next time I see you playing with crap you know nothing about I come for your head! Got it?! Walk away from your benefactors because you really do not want to be on that sinking ship with them. Let her be a reminder and an example to you! I find out you are working on Centipede again, you die!" As the ninja said the last sentence she pointed to the dead assassin. Then rose and left the motel room as if nothing had happened. Once the ninja was gone Debbie broke down crying as she breathed in a shaky breathe of relief, she was alive!

* * *

"Are you sure leaving her alive was a good idea?" Aida asked as Three got into her car and drove off.

"Nope, but this way we can watch her and try to catch her bosses." Three said. When she had hold of Debbie she injected a micro transmitter into Debbie's skin. However the doctor appeared to be too scared to notice the simple quick injection. Either way Three was certain she had sent a very clear message to them, and by them she was certain they were HYDRA. Always HYDRA tried to find that missing link, the means of recreating Doctor Erskine's work; and when that failed they looked to other routes. Gamma radiation, the Mastermind serum, Extremis, all that and more were because they wanted super soldiers. All the evidence pointed at HYDRA even if they were using outside experimentation.

Three eventually sighed as she pulled to a stop. "How is the hacker?"

"I have discovered her to be safe, Coulson is taking her on as a consultant."

"So she isn't in any danger?" Three asked double checking.

"No she is not. However with a HYDRA specialist aboard that could quickly change." Aida pointed out.

"One step at a time. We can't get to him right now, so we will have to wait for another opportunity to eliminate the HYDRA threat."

"What about Coulson's team?" Aida asked.

"They are not HYDRA, they're SHIELD. Same rule applies as always, the moment we get the chance we kill the HYDRA agent and try not to harm Coulson's team." Three answered simply. She returned to her hotel and changed into normal clothes then packed up eager to be out of the area. Eventually she was on a flight back to New York, with Aida giving her updates.

* * *

 **Author's Notes:**

 **Well first thank you all for the lovely reviews. Also I know this chapter might be a little shorter than previous ones, but I hope you will still enjoy it. I will again resume near weekly chapters soon enough.**

 **Onto this Chapter...**

 **For those Agents of SHIELD fans out there you may recognise this as the very first episode of that show. With Three playing in the background right under Coulson's nose. As always I will want to know what you guys think of this chapter. I let my husband read this one since he is a big fan of Agents of SHIELD he loves the whole 'Zombie Coulson' jokes. But what about you the readers? A** **ny favourite parts?**

 **Lesliezin**


	17. Ladies' Night

**Hello everyone,**

 **Well here is the next chapter. Just a fair warning this one is a bit longer than the last two. It is also more of a funny chapter since Three does not get the chance to enjoy herself often. Anyway please enjoy and for further details please see the Author's notes.**

* * *

 **March 8** **th** **, 2013**

 **Washington D.C.**

The next couple of weeks after Los Angeles were rather quiet, even with Aida in SHIELD's systems. As Coulson's team were on what was called the 'Bus': a very big SHIELD plane, Three could only track their movements, not follow them. So the idea of freeing them of a potential HYDRA threat was shelved as Three had Aida look into other possible Extremis leads. She also asked the Shadow Network to do the same, a request they were eager to do since Chen was killed by the volatile serum. Since Los Angeles, Three was convinced Extremis was HYDRA's winning card, and the reason they were so quiet lately.

It was getting frustrating as nothing new turned up, and Three was told she was 'working too hard'. Perhaps she was, but relaxing when you know your enemy is gearing up, was not something Three could do. After the Mandarin's attacks, and Chen's death, keeping busy helped to an extent. Partly because she was avoiding another issue – Chen's death had hit home. The other members of the Shadow Network still wanted to help, but Three could feel it; they had distanced themselves. She couldn't really blame them. Everyone around her tended to end up dead. The losses at Christmas time also made Three realize that at some point both Peggy and Sharon would find out the truth. They were both smart women, and they would learn the truth. When that would happen it would just be her and Aida, and the Carter ladies would want nothing to do with her.

Which was why she was behaving like a recluse: it was though she was trying to stave off the inevitable. She kept making excuses and finding new jobs to do. She even took up fixing up an classic car as a side hobby. Finally the 'busy at work' excuse wore thin for both Carters, and Three visited Peggy at the home. Sadly it was on a day Sharon was at work, so when Three received a phone call from Sharon she knew ignoring it was not a option.

"Hey Sharon, what's up?" Three said as she answered the phone.

" _Finally I get a hold of you. Are you avoiding me now?"_ Sharon asked concerned.

"What? No, no I am not. Why?"

" _Because Aunt Peggy said you visited yesterday, but left before I got there."_

"Oh I am sorry I was on a lunch break, so I decided to peek in on Peggy since I have not had a free moment in a while." Three said.

" _What about in two days on March 10_ _th_ _?"_ Sharon asked. Three silently considered, but knew staying away was not an option.

"What did you have in mind?"

" _A friend of mine at work is having a bachelorette party. I was told I could invite a friend—you're it!"_ Three cringed she had never been to such a party and had no idea what to expect.

"Oh I don't know Sharon, I mean it seems a little rude to crash someone else's bachelorette party." Three said feigning worry.

" _Good thing I am inviting you then, and not taking no for an answer."_ Sharon answered smugly. _'Damn it!'_ Three thought, then sighed.

"Alright, but I have never been to one of these bachelorette parties. What can I expect? Is there a dress code? Do I bring a gift for the lady celebrating?" Three asked.

" _Well I am told everyone will be dressing up in party dresses. As for a gift, don't worry about it. Lastly what to expect, I think I will leave that one a surprise."_ Sharon teased.

"Oh that is just cruelty right there, leaving it as a surprise. Mean Sharon."

" _Hey I learned from the best."_ Sharon replied making Three laugh.

"Alright where is this bachelorette party gonna be?"

" _The Henley Park Hotel, Anna has one of their entertainment rooms booked."_ Sharon explained. _'Great.'_ Three thought. _"_ _Anyway, no backing out, got it? I will see you there, otherwise I will hunt you down."_

"Yes ma'am." Three said as if taking orders from a drill sergeant. The next couple of days was business as usual except now she was looking for a nice party dress too. In the end she choose a lovely black lace slip dress with side slits that would hug her body. She picked black high heels, and a matching long sleeved short black lace covered jacket.

Two nights later, and here Three was all dressed up: applying make-up, and pinning her hair up to in a loose bun that allowed strands to fall free and the colour clip in place. She frowned at herself in the mirror in her room thinking she was probably overdoing it. Looking down at the high heels she groaned, she hated high heels as it felt like they were made solely to throw a person's balance off. Heading downstairs after grabbing her purse, Three came into the computer area to check for updates. Sadly no activity came up, and Three sighed as she straightened up from her leaning against the table.

"Looking good Kat, I do hope you have fun." Aida said as Three checked her purse.

"Yeah I hope so too, and I hope it is not a huge party. I don't need to run risk of a panic attack." Three said heading for her car.

"I am sure you will be fine. I will contact you if there are any new developments." Aida said as Three got in and drove to the hotel for the bachelorette party. As she pulled up and parked, she saw Sharon was already there and waiting. The blond choose a lovely blue slip dress with blue sequins, her hair was also lightly pinned up, and she wore a long sleeved navy short jacket. Sharon smiled at her as she got out of the car.

"Glad you showed, otherwise I would have tattled on you to Aunt Peggy."

"Yeah that would have been bad." Three replied, her head shaking from amusement. Already some twenty or so girls, all dressed to impress, led by the soon-to-be-bride were there. Joining them, they entered the smart lobby and were led by one of the employees down the beautiful halls towards the back of the hotel. It eventually opened out into a large area with a large room across the way. Outside the room there was a sign saying. **'Anna's bachelorette Party.'**

To the left, in the open area was another bar with more seating while to the right led to a pool. Three was quietly looking for the escape routes, as the girls filed into the party room. Inside, the room was decorated in hot pink. The tables ahead and to the left held party favours and hot pink table cloths. Straight ahead was a large table with a long cake. Three had to do a double take as she looked at the cake. What kind of decoration was that on it? It took her a moment to realize it was a large penis and below it said: 'Congratulation Anna! This is as big as you will get.' Three shook her head not thinking she could view cake the same way EVER again. Next to the cake was wine glasses and bottles.

"I think I will skip having cake." Three mumbled to Sharon who now looked at the cake's decoration: her face the epitome of shocked. Both laughed a little as all Sharon could say was 'Wow!' Both turned towards the tables and saw beyond it was a dance floor, and beyond that was a small stage. To the left on a separate stage a DJ was starting up the music.

"Sharon!" Another blonde came up greeting Sharon and hugged her.

"Lilith this is Cathy. She has set all this up and is the maid of honour. Cathy this is Lilith, the nurse from Nurses Express I told you about." The blonde smiled at Three and shook her hand.

"A pleasure to finally meet you, Lilith. I hope you are looking forward to a fun evening."

"I am thank you, I just hope I am not intruding I don't really know the bride-to-be or anything." Three replied trying to be as nice as possible, and Cathy laughed.

"Oh don't worry about that Hun. Sharon talks about you a lot, you are going to be amongst friends here." Cathy said smiling then seemed to remember something. "Oh before I forget the Karaoke machine will by turned on at eight o'clock, and we will begin the contest."

"C—c—contest?" Three asked worried and confused, but Cathy got distracted by another girl coming in, so Three turned to Sharon. "What contest?"

"Oh that... well I did say this would be a surprise." Sharon said smugly.

"Sharon!" Three replied annoyed.

"One of the fun events this evening is a Karaoke contest sung by two person teams. We are one of those teams." Three looked towards the stage and felt herself go pale.

"Oh hell no!" Three said.

"Oh hell yes!" Sharon replied as Three looked back at her.

"Sharon I cannot sing."

"Sure you can."

"No I sound horrible, you know that mewling whine sound cats make? Well cats make that noise when I sing because their ears are bleeding." Three said trying to make out that her singing would make all their ears bleed.

"Oh don't be such a drama queen, you will be fine. Now c'mon we have time to get a little drunk to loosen up those vocal chords." Three groaned but followed Sharon to the table to get a drink. A bunch of other girls were there laughing about the cake.

"It is not as good as the real thing." One girl teased, and Three shivered at the decoration of the bachelorette cake. Honestly in what universe was that a good cake decoration? Three quickly turned away vowing not to have any of the crudely decorated cake, as it was that cake would haunt her. Finding their seats, Three frowned at the small party favours bag in front of her. Hopefully what was inside was not as crude as the cake—she was wrong. Opening the bag Three pulled out a plastic straw the end shaped like a penis. Holding it up she looked to Sharon who wrinkled her nose. "Ye—ah I forgot Anna and Cathy are both a little over the top."

"If you ever get married Sharon and have a bachelorette party, I am hiding." Three said honestly.

"Lil if that day ever happens _you_ will be my maid of honour and be planning my bachelorette party. Also if you do anything like this I will hit you." Sharon said. Three had to smile at the idea that Sharon would want her to be the maid of honour, but by god she wished she had found a lead on HYDRA to follow. They continued looking through the party favours until Sharon laughed. "Hey Lil we could play cards."

Looking up Sharon held up a deck of naked men playing cards, both burst out laughing and Three could not help it. "Got a King of penis'?"

"God where did they get these things?" Sharon asked setting down the card deck.

"I _really_ do not want to know." Three said then looked at the next favour she pulled out of the bag, then held it up. "Do you think this will grow a tall dark and handsome guy? I have very specific standards."

What she held up was a small kit that said 'Grow a lover', Sharon laughed and shook her head. "Getting your hopes a little high there, Lil."

The two continued making fun of the favours and were drinking the wine as the DJ played music and some of the party goers got on the dance floor. Eventually eight o'clock rolled around and the karaoke contest started making Three very nervous, she had never sung before, never mind in front of people. She downed a few more glasses of wine hoping it would help because frankly with this party she was nearing a panic attack. The wine helped a little, but still she was nervous at least it was her and Sharon singing the song together, otherwise yeah definitely a panic attack would have happened. Fortunately some of the other girls went first, some were so drunk they were slurring and singing off key.

Sadly the pair were eventually called up by the DJ, and Sharon tugged on her up on stage. It was fairly easy to figure out how this worked the karaoke machine gave the lyrics in certain colours. Sharon was told to sing the blue printed lyrics, Three the red, and if they were purple both of them sang together. The first song they were to sing was 'Call Me Maybe' by Carly Rae Jespen.

Sharon started since the lyrics were in blue, and Three was a bit surprised that Sharon could really sing so well.

"I threw a wish in the well.

Don't ask me I'll never tell.

I looked at you as it fell.

And now you're in my way."

I'd trade my soul for a wish.  
Pennies and dimes for a kiss.  
I wasn't looking for this.  
But now you're in my way."

Your stare was holding  
Ripped jeans, skin was showin'  
Hot night, wind was blowin'  
Where you think you're going baby?"

This next verse was purple and both sang in perfect key except for when they would giggle or laugh at the absurdity of what they were doing. At least Three was not singing solo yet.

"Hey, I just met you and this is crazy  
But here's my number, so call me maybe  
It's hard to look right at you baby  
But here's my number, so call me maybe  
Hey I just met you and this is crazy  
But here's my number, so call me maybe  
And all the other boys try to chase me  
But here's my number, so call me maybe."

Sadly Three's luck gave out the next verse was in red, and Three didn't get a chance to think she just sang trying to imagine the room empty.

"You took your time with the call  
I took no time with the fall  
You gave me nothing at all  
But still you're in my way  
I beg and borrow and steal  
At first sight and it's real  
I didn't know I would feel it  
But it's in my way

Your stare was holding  
Ripped jeans, skin was showin'  
Hot night, wind was blowin'  
Where you think you're going baby?"

 _'Thank god it is going back to purple!'_ Three thought as the two began singing.

"Hey, I just met you and this is crazy  
But here's my number, so call me maybe  
It's hard to look right at you baby  
But here's my number, so call me maybe  
Hey I just met you and this is crazy  
But here's my number, so call me maybe  
And all the other boys try to chase me  
But here's my number, so call me maybe

Before you came into my life  
I missed you so bad  
I missed you so bad  
I missed you so so bad  
Before you came into my life  
I missed you so bad  
And you should know that  
I missed you so so bad."

Three wanted to groan as the lyrics change to blue and she dreaded that it would eventually turn red as Sharon sang the next two lines.

"It's hard to look right at you baby  
But here's my number, so call me maybe."

Fortunately the lyrics went back to purple instead.

"Hey, I just met you and this is crazy  
But here's my number, so call me maybe  
And all the other boys try to chase me  
But here's my number, so call me maybe

Before you came into my life  
I missed you so bad  
I missed you so bad  
I missed you so so bad  
Before you came into my life  
I missed you so bad  
And you should know that  
So call me maybe"

Three released a shaky breath glad that the song was over and would be glad to be off stage once more. At least the other girls were cheering not booing, but then again they had not booed anyone off stage. This crowd was pretty relaxed and just interested in having fun. The second song they were made to sing was 'Love Story' by Taylor Swift, but after singing the first song the second one came easier. The first versus' were sung by Sharon, the second by Three, and the chorus was always sung together. Thankfully they only had to sing those two songs, grabbing a glass of wine Three wanted out of the room for a moment and away from the overwhelming crowd.

Sharon followed her out wanting air as well and so they chatted outside the party room. Even there the music came out as someone sang another song by Taylor Swift: 'You belong with me.' By then nine o'clock was fast approaching as Three and Sharon hung out.

"Excuse me, I am here for Anna's bachelorette party?" A man stated, Three turned to see a police officer and automatically assumed that there was a noise complaint.

"Sorry are they being too loud?" Three asked concerned.

"No," The guy chuckled, "No I am the entertainment." Three looked at Sharon who was giggling behind her glass at her confused friend.

"Entertainment? Umm okay well they are in there." Three gestured to the room the party was held in. Then looked to Sharon who burst out laughing the minute he was gone.

"Oh naughty Cathy, Anna is going to have one hell of a surprise!"

"Do I want to know what is going on now? Or can I just be blissfully unaware?" Three asked.

"Probably best to go with option two." Sharon said, as a cheer was heard inside, and the DJ took over music once more. The song 'He could be the one' by Hannah Montana started playing.

"Okay Sharon how old are your colleagues because they are listening to Hannah Montana now." Three asked as Sharon shook her head.

"Normally they are in their twenties to early thirties, tonight no older than nineteen." Three laughed at that than decided she needed another glass of wine.

"Be right back." Three said re-entering the party room to get them both a glass. Getting to the table she grabbed their wine and turned only to see a sight she could have gone her whole life without. The cop was stripped down and had Anna in a chair in some fluffy handcuffs and was dancing around her on stage. Three squeezed her eyes shut wishing to forget the sight she just saw as she came out to Sharon who was shaking with laughter.

"I tried to warn you not to go back in there, but was too late."

"Oh I never want to see another naked man again." Three groaned handing Sharon a glass and taking a swig of her own, "This stuff is not strong enough to wash away that sight. I am going to need stronger stuff."

Sharon was still laughing at her friend's poor timing, and it took a moment for her to stop. The loud cheer made Three look back towards the door, and it was sheer perfect timing that Three said. "Sounds like they found the prize."

She heard Sharon choke a bit on her drink at those words, and looked to find Sharon covering her mouth. The poor blonde had gone to take a swig of wine when Three made the comment, one couldn't really laugh with a mouth full of wine. Instead Three laughed a little at her friend's predicament and ended up hit in the arm. Rather than risk the dangers of entering the party room again, both women opted for the bar where an older grey haired man with a moustache and thick coke bottle glasses was working. "What can I get you ladies?"

"Something a lot stronger than wine." Three replied still trying to purge the image of the stripper. Sharon rested a hand on her shoulder as she spoke to the bartender.

"My friend here has seen horrors beyond compare."

"Ha! Haven't we all?" The bartender replied, as he turned to get them their drinks.

"Very funny." Three replied to Sharon.

"Oh c'mon so you saw the stripper." Sharon said trying to shrug it off, but Three shivered, "You act as if it is the first time you saw a guy naked." This got Three blushing as the bartender got them some drinks. However now Sharon was watching her closely. "My god it was the first guy you saw wasn't it?"

It was not really, actually she saw Loki when he mentally attacked her in her head, but Three was not about to mention the evil Asgardian. Three's expression must have given something away to Sharon because now she was concerned. "Lil? What is it?"

"It-" Three was trying to decide what she could say and what she couldn't. Talking about what happened after the Battle of New York was out of the question but maybe she could mention the other terrible memory. "You know about my being raised in an orphanage before my family adopted me."

"Yeah you said it was a horrible place." _'No doubt considering it was actually a HYDRA facility not an orphanage.'_ Three thought.

"Well my childhood friend, the one I lost. She was there," Three said taking a drink to wet her throat. "She was really pretty, like could have been a super model when older pretty. Sadly some of the workers noticed including this vile man named Berk. One night he came into the rooms where we were kept and—I tried to get to her. Saw enough though that I really never want to see again."

"Jesus, Lil. What happened to the bastard?"

"He paid for his crimes, but too little too late. My friend was never the same after that, and neither was I." Three said taking another drink.

"No I imagine you wouldn't be, that must have been...traumatic." Sharon said as she caught the bartender's eye. "A triple for both of us. She needs it."

"Wow perhaps I should tell you a sob story about my cat being hit by an ice cream truck." Three said, but when Sharon looked at her she saw that her friend was joking.

"Don't push your luck, Donners." Sharon said using her 'last' name for the first time.

"Heh worth a try." Sharon playfully shoved her as the two began giggling. They eventually got through the triple and were savouring their third drink rather than downing it. The two kept joking around as they talked at the bar. The bartender had gone in the back to take care of something leaving them alone for a moment as the music changed to the song 'According to you' by Orianthi. That was when a couple of guys came up offering to buy them drinks. At first Three was flattered as was Sharon, both men were good looking. The one even though he wore glasses was especially handsome, however they should have waited for Three to be a bit more drunk for her not to notice.

The smile faded at what she saw and she quickly spoke up. "I am sorry we are waiting for our boyfriends."

"Oh! That is a shame. Well have fun." The two men backed off and walked away.

"Wow that was rather cold, Lil." Sharon said about to take a drink from her glass, but Three grabbed her arm making her set the drink down as she continued watching the two guys enter the bachelorette party room. "What?"

"Don't drink it! I saw in the guy's glasses the reflection. They slipped something in our drinks." Three replied, now Sharon looked down at her drink like it was poison. Finally her gaze followed Three's as some more guys followed the first two into the party room. Sharon got up first.

"Call the cops. Now."

"Wait what are you doing?!" Three asked catching her arm, "Eight guys went in there, and we've been drinking!" Three said not wanting to let Sharon go in alone. Were they HYDRA? Who were they? She did not recognise them!

"Lil they are in for a surprise those girls in there a lot of them are trained government agents like myself. You are a nurse, now call the cops. They will be dealt with soon enough." Sharon said heading for the room. Three pulled out her phone, but also pulled out what looked like a pen. Calling Aida, she put the pen in Sharon's drink. "Aida I need you to tell me the contents of this drink."

" _Mostly barley, water, and yeast. Most common ingredients of whiskey. However Rohypnol is not a common ingredient. It is a drug most commonly used in date rape."_

"Aida call the cops and inform them they will need multiple ambulances." Three said rising from her seat.

" _Why? What is going on?"_ Aida asked confused by what was going on.

"Because I am going to put some men in critical condition!" Three growled out as she entered the party room. Most of the girls were still partying and watching the stripper, but Three had perfect memory and even tipsy nine were missing—including Sharon! Fortunately Sharon was wearing the charm bracelet Three got her for Christmas which had a tracker. "Aida I need a trace on Sharon, now!"

" _According to the bracelet she was taken through the back. Behind the curtain left of you straight ahead."_ Three moved towards the long table again, and moved to the left past it to the curtain. Going through the door, Three entered another hallway. The hall went right and left as Three looked around.

"Which way?"

" _Left, then hang a right. It leads to an back alley."_ Immediately Three ran down the hall hating her heels even more as she moved. As she rounded the corner there were two guys dragging another unconscious girl down the hall. Both stopped short when they saw her. _"_ _I also just got footage from the hotel lobby security cameras. They are not HYDRA."_

"Then I will just break their limbs." Three said too pissed off by whatever they were attempting. The SHIELD agents at this party might be drunk and oblivious and she might be pretty damn tipsy, but these bastards just made the biggest mistake of their lives. Unfortunately for them, these guys were not taking her very seriously as only one of them let go of the girl and headed for her, but the other just laughed a little and kept dragging the other girl.

The guy swung intending to knock her out which was a pathetic attempt at a punch. Instead she ducked under caught his arm. She kicked him in the side of the knee sending him on his knees. From there she snapped his arm back as she kicked him in the elbow. The sharp crack of his arm breaking was followed by screams before she slammed his head into the wall breaking the wall more than his fat head. Now she was being taken more seriously, his friend let go of the unconscious girl and pulled a knife.

"It is funny that you think that little prick of a knife is going to save your sorry ass!" Three said moving towards him as he lunged at her. A sharp kick to between his legs sent him off balance as she easily avoided the knife. However even on his knees the man tried to swing out with the knife, which she caught his wrist. Being smaller she gave a sharp twist breaking his wrist, then clocking him. Turning she continued her way to the alley.

Getting towards the end of the hall she heard the scuffle and rushed out. At first she looked right, then left to find Sharon was a little battered with a blow to the head, but still fighting three guys. Two of them were holding her. "Just tase her already!" One of them called out.

The third guy came up with a long rod that held a tazer. Rushing forward full tilt she ran into the guy before he could taze Sharon. "Lil!"

Pain ripped through her wrist as she landed wrong. On the ground she struggled with the guy that now tried to use the rod on her. Luckily she used the heel of her high heel on his groin then elbowed him in the head. He lost his hold on the tazer, and she grabbed it. Rolling away she tasered him. The second guy released Sharon to attack Three, while Sharon now had more of a fighting chance. Sadly this was not one of those moments Three was at her top game, she had been drinking and was in a dress and high heels. The guy had managed to punch her, but that was it as it only broke her lip and pissed her off more. She used the tazer rode to hit him multiple times as she dodged his next set of blows. Meanwhile Sharon kicked the last guy holding her between the legs then in the face breaking his nose and knocking him out cold. She soon whirled on the another guy who come from around the corner punching him in the stomach, then kicking his legs out from under him, then she kicked him in the head.

After beating the guy that punched her senseless with the electrical rod, Three turned in time to see Sharon facing off against yet another man that came from around the corner on the right with a friend. The friend was coming for Three, and was about to pull a gun. The electrical rod was used to stop him from reaching the gun, then she used the full force to kick him in the knee causing a sickening crack as she broke his leg. From there she grabbed his arm twisted it around then yanked hard breaking his arm. Lastly she slammed his head into the brick wall breaking his nose and knocking him out.

Finally she turned back to see Sharon dodging blows and decided to take the guy by surprise. She casually picked up the taser and walked up behind him. Using the tazer rode between his legs, when he fell onto his knees she beaned him in the back of the head. Sharon sighed as she relaxed her fighting stance. "You know I had him."

"Yeah I know." Three said with a faint smile.

* * *

 **March 11** **th** **, 2013**

 **Washington D.C.**

It was not long before the sound of emergency vehicles came and with it police and ambulances. The men were arrested but also being sent to the hospital for their injuries. As far as Three was concerned they could count themselves lucky to be alive. Apparently according to the cops interviewing them, these men were slave traffickers that crashed bachelorette parties drugging drinks and kidnapping the poor unsuspecting girls to take them outside the U.S for sale on the slave market. Suddenly the idea of killing the bastards held a great deal of appeal, Three had a low tolerance for scum like this. However her rules of only killing HYDRA applied, and so she would not do it.

Instead Three leaned against the wall of the hotel next to Sharon as a paramedic checked the blow she received to the head. Sadly when she caught the men dragging some of her friends into the back hall she gave chase and attacked. She did not see one of the other men until he blind sided her. Another paramedic checked Three's wrist from when she landed wrong, it was sprained but not seriously damaged. In hindsight it was probably best that she was injured, no injury would raise questions with Sharon and her colleagues. If she had fought these men and not received a scratch well they would raise a brow asking where she was trained. This blunder was proving to be of benefit.

Still Sharon frowned at Three, there was never any mention that she could fight after all. When the cops interviewing them stepped away Sharon just had to ask. "Where on earth did you learn to fight?"

"My father... well my adopted father. Before I came to the states he wanted me able to defend myself. Said American boys do not take no for an answer. Fists and feet they might take the hint." Three said, another partial lie, but Takai did teach her quit a bit regardless.

Sharon laughed and shook her head. "You know according to Aunt Peggy once upon a time they did take no for an answer?"

"Really? I am shocked they knew what the word 'No' meant?" Three teased as they started laughing, then sighed. After a moment Three just had to asked. "So are all bachelorette parties like this?"

"Ah no, usually there is no fighting slave traffickers."

"Well.. it was more fun than singing karaoke." Three said making Sharon shake her head, "FYI I am never doing that again."

"You know you lied right? You didn't cause cat's ears to bleed with your singing." Sharon pointed out. Finally, the cops came back to inform them that later they would need to come to the station to give a statement. However by then the hour was late, as it was Aida had to set up a fake address and fake information to make sure no one figured out Lilith Donners was a fake name. Bidding the cops goodbye, the paramedics came up wanting to take Sharon to hospital as she might have suffered a concussion. "No I can't go to hospital."

"Sharon it is standard procedure." Three argued.

"Excuse us for a moment," Sharon said to the paramedics before looking at Three. Once they were alone Sharon sighed. "I am on assignment if I go to hospital I could blow my cover."

"Okay I know you said you are a government agent, but how are you on-"

"I am posing as a nurse named Kate. If I do not return tonight than my cover may be blown." Sharon explained.

"Than why did we go to this party?" Three asked.

"It was only suppose to be for three or so hours, and I would be back before he gets back." Sharon looked around worried someone would hear her.

"He? And who prey tell is this he?" Three asked amused as Sharon rolled her eyes. Sharon mumbled out a name and Three frowned as she honestly did not hear it. "Who?"

"Steve Rogers." Sharon mumbled a little louder, and Three groaned. "You see the problem, I cannot go to hospital and leave the post as it is I am pushing it. If he sees my injuries I am not even sure how I will explain them."

For a moment Three frowned thinking, then straightened. "He thinks you're a nurse named Kate?"

"Yes."

"Okay. I got it. You were at work when police brought in some injured criminals for treatment. They were hyped up on drugs and broke free. In their attempt to escape, I was attacked you tried to help and we got our asses kicked before the cops pulled the assailants off of us." Three suggested stunning Sharon, "You received a concussion, but wanted to go home and I have agreed to twenty-four hour observation at home. Standard procedure for an incident like that would mean a few days paid time off."

"Brilliant idea, but we are not exactly wearing scrubs." Sharon pointed out. Three looked down at the black lacy slip dress she was in, then smiled.

"Don't worry about that, just follow my lead." Three gestured to the paramedics to get their attention. "My friend would prefer to simply go home. I am a nurse from Nurses Express, and I will be observing her, if her systems worsen I will bring her to hospital."

"Oh okay." The paramedic said as he realized he was speaking to a nurse. Once they walked away Three noticed the look on Sharon's face. "Unless your life hangs in the balance they cannot force you to go to hospital. They will not risk a lawsuit by forcing care. Besides they know I will know what I am doing."

Sharon relaxed a little. "So what now?"

"Now you follow me." Three said leading Sharon to her car. Pulling her car keys out she opened the trunk and handed Sharon a bag. "I keep extra scrubs in case of accidents. I do work a lot in care homes, and with the sick. Do you have any idea how many times I have been hurled on?"

"That is something I do not want to know." Sharon replied honestly, but the logic for carrying scrubs in her trunk now suddenly made sense.

"Well if you are playing nurse around Captain America best to get into the role. Start carrying a set of scrubs in your trunk." Three replied, sadly the actual truth Three carried scrubs was because more than once she had to infiltrate a hospital, so now it was habitual to carry the items in her car. "Besides if he asks just tell him what I said, it can get to be a very messy job."

"I will keep that in mind." Sharon said as they headed back into the hotel and changed in the bathroom into the scrubs. They cleaned off the excess make-up, and because Sharon could possibly have a concussion Three insisted they leave Sharon's car and she drive. It did annoy Sharon, but Three was not taking any chances. Half way to Sharon's apartment, Three took a detour as she realized they were both hungry. So Three stopped at a late night pizza place and got them a pizza. A pizza and a movie would be a good start to keeping Sharon awake for the first twelve hours. After that they headed for Sharon's apartment. "Alright now keep in mind my cover name is Kate, if you-"

"If I call you Sharon it will blow your cover. I got it, Miss Super-spy." Three replied, as the pair got out of the car, grabbed the pizza, and came into the building. It was by now late, and the building was quiet as they ascended the stairs heading for 'Kate's apartment'. They did not see Steve Rogers, and Three figured due to the late hour they wouldn't. It was as Sharon was trying to unlock the door that someone came up behind them and Three turned not expecting to see the man himself behind them.

The confused look on Rogers' face as he noticed the two 'nurses' in the hall made Three speak up. "Hey Kate is this your neighbour?"

Sharon froze and looked up at Rogers. "Oh yes, that is Steve."

"Evening ladies." Steve greeted them as Three smiled at him shyly. However he seemed to be taking note of their injuries and wondering just what the hell they had been doing. "Rough night?"

"Cops brought in some gang members that needed medical treatment." Three replied.

"They got loose, and well... usually our job is never this violent. It was just poor luck on our part." Sharon added. The explanation made Rogers' frown disappear, and instead he looked concerned.

"Are you ladies alright?" Steve asked.

"Nothing some aspirin won't fix." Sharon said trying to downplay it.

"Kate! Don't lie, you could have a concussion." Three said sharply, then looked to Steve. "It is why I am here, she requires twenty-four observation. First twelve hours awake to ensure she will be fine. We both just wanted to go home after the incident rather than stay in hospital."

"Well as long as you will be alright." Steve said worried, "What about you, miss?"

"Lilith, my name is Lilith but everybody just calls me Lil. I work with Kate, but having said that it is probably obvious. Sorry."

"It is alright, so you were caught in the attack too huh?" Steve asked shyly but was no less concerned.

"Yeah creep ran into me and I landed wrong. Minor sprain, could have been worse." Three said indicating her bandaged wrist, then decided to make Sharon sound even more impressive, "I have Kate to thank for that she saw me go down and saw the guy was going to attack me. Charged the guy and sadly got knocked upside the head for her trouble."

Sharon started blushing as Steve looked her over more carefully. "It was nothing really." Sharon mumbled.

"Nothing she says." Three rolled her eyes and shook her head as Sharon went back to fighting with the lock, and she held the pizza.

"It sounds like you were very brave Kate." Steve replied smiling at her shyly. Three looked between the two shy blondes and found she could not help it. "Awe Kate why have you not asked this handsome guy out?"

"Lil!" Sharon gasped looking back and turning red, but the blush on Steve's cheeks was just so priceless.

"Oh god Kate I know you are shy, but c'mon you are going to stand there and honestly not ask him out?" Three asked making her friend blush an even deeper red. "Unless he is not single. Are you single?"

Again Steve was blushing as Three looked back at him hopeful, "I uhh, I am ma'am."

"Oh good, maybe you can save Kate from the woes of being eternally single." Three said making Kate hide behind her blonde hair as her cheeks went crimson. Finally she unlocked the locks on her door and opened it. Three found herself all but shoved into the apartment.

"Get inside and not another embarrassing word!" Sharon said, then closed the door to speak privately with Steve. "I am so sorry. Lil can be so..." Sharon seemed to be searching for the word so Three called through the door.

"Helpful!"

"I was going to say annoying!" Sharon called back then blushed at Steve who was chuckling.

"It is alright. I had a friend that once tried to help me with my single life too." Steve said smiling, then straightened, "Are you alright? That is a nasty bump."

"Yeah I just need to take it easy." Sharon replied. There was a long silence as the pair stood there then Steve cleared his throat.

"Well I um had best let you rest and recover. Let me know if you need anything." Steve said.

"Thank you, I will." Sharon said, and as the handle turned Three backed up to allow Sharon into her apartment. Three set the pizza on the coffee table, and sat back grinning like the Cheshire cat. The next thing a pillow flew at her which she caught with a laugh. "Damn it Lil did you have to do that?"

"Apparently I did, you need to make a move before some other ditzy girl does."

"I am undercover!" Sharon whispered trying to maintain a professional atmosphere.

"So? This is Steve Rogers we are talking about, the guy of your dreams. And you are not going to do a thing? Really?" Three asked. The question made Sharon blush even more as she considered it.

"Well after that incident, how am I ever going to face him again?" Sharon asked.

"Easy, you're adorable and he would be an idiot not to see that." Three said. After a moment of laughing at the incident, Three noticed Sharon wince as she touched her head. Getting up Three went into the kitchen and got some frozen peas out of the freezer. She wrapped them in a towel and came back out with it.

"What are you doing?" Sharon asked.

"Getting you a compress for your head, it will help with the swelling." Three replied handing her the frozen peas wrapped in a towel. Once Sharon pressed the peas to her head, Three asked. "Now we need to keep you awake. On the way here you mentioned a movie to go with this pizza."

"I did," Sharon said, "There should be some diet cokes in the fridge too." Heading back into the kitchen Three got them some drinks then came back out and set them down.

"So what are we watching?"

"Thirteen hunky dwarves, a hobbit, and a wizard go off to fight a dragon in Middle Earth." Sharon answered, "I bought the movie earlier today." Sharon pointed to the DVD on the counter by the television.

"Really thirteen hunky dwarves huh? You sure you won't be distracted by the gorgeous hunk down the hall?" Three asked and got hit with a pillow again for her trouble. Getting up she put the DVD on and sat back down by Sharon. Eating pizza and drinking diet coke they started watching the Hobbit on the couch. Finally Three sighed, "Alright you lied, you said thirteen hunky dwarves. I only spy three 'hunky' dwarves."

"Dwarves are hunky."

"Yes but the term hunky also implies they're attractive. Hence only three of them fit the bill, and I ain't into blondes." Three argued.

"Oh poor you." Sharon teased.

"Yes poor me, although I can't decide which one is hotter Thorin Oakenshield or Kili. Man it is so hard to decide, I mean I love the boyish charm Kili is giving but I also find moody guys like Thorin to be totally hot." Three said making Sharon roll her eyes.

"Well I like Fili he is adorable."

"And blonde just like-"

"Don't-" Sharon tried to stop her, but Three kept talking.

"Mr. hot muscles at then end of the hall."

"You are never letting that go are you?" Sharon asked.

"Nope!" The word popped as she said it. For a while longer they watched the movie in silence until Sharon just had to ask.

"How can you not be into blondes? What about Thor?"

"Thor? He is okay, but c'mon I like tall dark, handsome, charming, and mysterious." Three said, then remembered Four. She often wondered what he would look like when he was older. He was handsome and dark haired in his teenage years not overly muscled but toned. It was this imagined image of what he would look like that made up her preferences of today. However while she would look she doubted any type of relationship were possible. Certainly not with HYDRA around, but also because of other fears and factors. She shook her head hating to admit or even consider that maybe Loki was right. Instead she enjoyed watching Kili as he smiled that boyish smile as he watched an elf maid in Rivendell. Then noticed Dwalin glaring at him for checking out the elf maid.

" _Can't say I fancy elf maids myself. They are all high cheekbones and creamy skin. Not enough facial hair for me."_ Kili said, _"_ _Although...that one there is not bad."_ He added indicating the elf behind him.

" _That is not an elf maid."_ Dwalin said as they showed a male elf holding a harp, and the other dwarves began to laugh at Kili's expense. Three had to laugh a little too wondering how could Kili not have seen the obvious masculine features? Then she sighed, Two would have loved this film.

"What is it?" Sharon asked noticing her friend's expression.

"Nothing just uh one of the other orphans at the foster home. He talked about seeing Middle Earth...he umm had this crazy notion that it was real and when we would get out of the foster home he wanted to go there." Three admitted laughing a little at the idea. "Silly right?"

"No, it's not silly." Sharon said, "I would love to actually see Middle Earth."

Three laughed, "Oh seeing the hunky Dwarves sure."

"Plus the dreamy Elves."

"The Hobbits are cute too." Three added.

"Plus actually seeing a dragon."

"That is if he doesn't charbroil us. Actually I would love to see Rivendell and explore." Three pointed out.

"Nah the Shire." Sharon said, from there they talked about all the places they would visit if they could in Middle Earth, as the movie went on showing amazing scenes of the countryside as the company of Oakenshield travelled towards Erebor. Eventually the movie drew to the end, and Three wished it would go on forever much like their friendship. However all good things came to an end, and one day the friendship she had developed with Sharon over the years would also come to an end. Four hours after the incident and they had another eight to go, so they watched more movies and Three kept Sharon awake. At the end of the third movie, though Sharon noticed her expression. "Lil? Is something wrong?"

Three swallowed hard and opened her mouth to answer, but what could she say? How could she explain that she had lied to Sharon this entire time? Tell her of the danger she was in by knowing the truth? The truth was there was no easy way to confess to Sharon the truth without destroying that friendship. She knew she should, but that would mean she would be alone again; that there would be no actual people in her life. It would be just her and Aida, and she knew that to avoid the pain later on she would never want to seek out human contact again. So for now she would be selfish, and forced a smile onto her face. "I am fine, just wanting to see the next Hobbit film is all."

Sharon was not buying it, she could tell; but she could also tell that this was one of those moments Sharon was not going to harp on the issue. Still Sharon looked worried at her before sighing. "You know if something is wrong, you can tell me. You can tell me anything Lil, you know that right?"

"Of course," Three said and felt like she was swallowing barbed wire.

"Okay, well the twelve hours are up. I think I will be fine." Sharon said, but Three shook her head.

"It means _you_ can sleep, but I have to keep watch over you in case." Three said responsibly.

"Lil you don't-"

"No I do otherwise I could be charged with medical negligence." Three replied, and Sharon sighed, "Don't worry go get some sleep. I can make myself some coffee and watch some more movies."

After a long moment Sharon sighed then headed for her bedroom accepting that her friend would not leave her and risk the possible concussion causing further harm. Left alone Three made coffee, and watched even more films while also checking on Sharon regularly. By now it was just after twelve in the afternoon, and Three was fighting sleep. The knock at the door woke her, and she shot to her feet to go see who it was. Looking through the peep hole she smiled as she opened the door to find Steve Rogers there with a vase of flowers. He seemed a bit surprised to see her and not 'Kate', so Three took this moment to joke with him. "Those had better be for the blonde that lives here."

Steve laughed a little. "Guilty as charged. A get well present. Is she okay?"

"Yes she is just sleeping." Lil answered.

"Should she be sleeping?" Steve asked concerned.

"Well usually depending on how severe a concussion sleep is to be avoided anywhere from eight to eighteen hours. Sharon was lucky the blow was not too severe. Hence twelve hours she had to stay awake. After that she can sleep, but someone has to watch her for a total of twenty-four hours. If the concussion had been worse forty-eight hours would have been recommended."

"Ah," Steve said nodding in understanding.

"Would you like to come in? I mean I am sure when Kate wakes up she will want to thank you for the flowers herself, and as long as you are not adverse to really strong coffee you are welcome to a mug." Three offered.

"No I should get going." Steve said as he handed her the flowers, and she set them on the side table, "Can you let her know that I hope she feels better soon, and to take care?"

"Sure I can," Then Three had a thought, "Actually can I see your phone?" Steve gave her a funny look as he handed her his phone and she programmed in a number to the contacts.

"You're giving me your number?" Steve asked confused as Three shook her head.

"Actually I am giving you Kate's number. I know she would love to thank you for the flowers by going out to dinner with you." Three said handing Steve back his phone surprised.

"I will keep that in mind." Steve said smiling down at his phone, then looked back up at her. "Thanks, and it was a pleasure to meet you ma'am."

"Just Lil is fine, otherwise I might just keep calling you Captain America." Steve laughed at that, guessing she had seen him in the history books or exhibits.

"Just Steve is fine, and I hope to see you around." He replied and bid her a good afternoon. Saying bye to Steve, Three put the vase of flowers on the counter so that Sharon would notice them right away when she woke, then returned to watching movies until Sharon woke up.

* * *

 **Hours later...**

"Afternoon sleeping beauty." Three greeted Sharon who came out and got a cup of coffee, "Now I need you to tell me the truth. Is your vision blurred? Are you dizzy? Can you tell me where we are, and what we were doing before you got hit in the head?"

"Why are you asking these questions?" Sharon asked still groggy from sleep.

"I need to make sure you are doing okay." Three stated and Sharon sighed.

"My vision is fine, I don't feel dizzy, and we are in my apartment." Sharon said as she started drinking her coffee.

"Good, now what were we doing before you got hit?" Three asked.

"We were at Anna's bachelorette party." Sharon answered, then did a double-take as she spotted the flowers. "Where did these come from?"

"Oh that would be Romeo from the down the hall. He said to tell you he hopes you feel better soon, and to take care. I gave him your phone number by the way." Three said nonchalantly as she drank her coffee, then her watched beeped twenty-four hours was officially up and judging by Sharon's responses she was in the clear. Looking back at Sharon she stared blushing at the flowers Steve had bought for her. The blonde was too stunned to register Three's last comment, and Three just sat there smiling at her friend's expression.

As cute as it was to see her friend so speechless, Three was beyond tired and the coffee was no longer working to keep her awake. "Well as fun as it is to see you staring at the flowers Captain America got you. I need to get home and perform a crash landing on my bed."

Sharon blinked and looked at her friend, she must have seen how tired Three was. "Don't be ridiculous you can crash land in my room, it'd be better than risking a car crash because you're exhausted."

Three shrugged thinking that was probably the safest route, and she was too tired to argue the point. "Alright I won't say no, thanks."

Going into the room, Three climbed onto the bed and within seconds was out like a light. She slept the rest of the day away, and later that night after both grabbed a bite to eat; she bid Sharon a goodnight and headed back to her hideout.

* * *

 **Author's Notes:**

 **Well first off thank you for all the lovely reviews.**

 **Lonesome Road asked if I was going to include the shows. While I do try to acknowledge the Netflix shows and Agents of SHIELD in one form or another, I am afraid trying to include all the shows is a very tall order. Agents of SHIELD is easier to do because of Three's heavy involvement to rid SHIELD of HYDRA. However Netflix is a bit more down to street level crime-fighting. I do make honourable mentions to try and include ones such as Daredevil and Jessica Jones. However trying to put Three in with their shows too would feel likes her fingers are in too many pies. At least I was able have the brief cameo of Stick in one of the first chapters and there was also the mention of Kilgrave when Three researched the Mastermind serum.**

 **While Three might not be meeting Matt Murdock or any of the other Defenders any time soon, they do exist and are acknowledge in some form in this story.**

 **As for this chapter, I thought it was past time for Three to have a fun chapter. Well mostly fun. The bachelorette party was actually based off of a personal experience. Of course there was no slave traffickers in my experience just a really over the top bachelorette party. Before you ask: Yes there was a Penis cake. Please don't ask me why because I have no idea why they had it. Nor do I know why they had the crazy party favours bag... the grow a lover did not grow that big. Also I really did try to hide when it came to the karaoke team contest.**

 **As for the songs mentioned in this chapter here is the list of them and the artists that sing them. I highly recommend these songs.**

 **Call Me Maybe by Carly Rae Jespen**

 **Love Story by Taylor Swift**

 **You Belong with me by Taylor Swift**

 **He Could be the One by Hannah Montana**

 **According to You by Orianthi**

 **That aside I also must ask if anyone can guess the Stan Lee cameo in this chapter? I figured Stan Lee is in every Marvel movie, so it only seemed right that he should have a scene somewhere in this story. Why not here?**

 **Well that is everything I can think of that I wanted to mention for this chapter. Aside from the question of where Stan Lee is, what did you think of this chapter? What did you think of Three meeting Steve Rogers?**

 **Please let me know in the reviews.**

 **Lesliezin**


	18. Too Close to Home

**Hello everyone,**

 **Well here is chapter 18, please enjoy.**

* * *

 **July 16** **th** **, 2013**

 **New York City**

In the days following the botched bachelorette party, Three gave a statement to the police to keep things on the level. No one looked too hard at her involvement, as concern centred around prosecuting the group of slave traffickers. With Aida's help, and some adjustments, the men were looking at very long jail sentences. As an added precaution when they would get out, they would be watched closely. Lastly if they ever went back to slave trafficking, Three vowed to not be so merciful when she would hunt them down. Regardless the incident was soon forgotten by most, and Three focused on other matters. Four months breezed by rather quickly after that.

Three did not see Steve Rogers after that day back in March, but still saw both Sharon and Peggy between her own missions. Still HYDRA were so quiet it was creepy. Coulson's team bounced around the world like a damn pinball; making it hard to keep up with their activities. In all it left Three on pick off detail, she would pick off those within HYDRA that the algorithm found. Thus Katseye remained at the top of the most wanted list. However, another issue cropped up, one that Aida found while tracking Coulson's movement. This issue was hitting way too close to Three's home, or more importantly, the Shadow Network's home.

A week before one of the Rising Tide members hacked a Chinese SHIELD feed. At first Three and Aida wrote it off as nothing out of the ordinary and went about their business. That was until some of the information leaked was about a man named Chan Yo Yin who lived in Hong Kong. Now Coulson's next destination was Hong Kong because Chan came up missing. This was too close to home: the Shadow Network was a group of hackers, but if there was even a chance SHIELD could mistaken them for the Rising Tide then the results would be disastrous.

After what happened to Chen, Three knew it was time to come home and deal with a potential risk on the Shadow Network's doorstep. As before she asked Aida to book a flight while she contacted Cutter to let him know she was coming home. Before long she was in flight and checking the updates Aida provided. Sadly none of this was good, as they looked into the Chinese feed that had been hacked, who hacked it, and what he got out of it. Miles Lyndon was the hacker, and according to his accounts he was paid a lot by an eco-research lab. _'Okay that makes no sense why would a ecological lab want this information?'_ Next she did some digging on the lab itself trying to find out why they wanted this Chan Yo Yin person.

What she found out was not good, it was a lab alright, just not the type you wanted to be involved with. Especially when Doctor Debbie Jenkins' name cropped up, so much for her little threat back in LA. Three got the address and all the relevant information as the plane was making its descent. Luckily this time she was ahead of Coulson, as they had stopped to find the hacker that had gotten the information. Once off the plane and through customs it was Cutter that met her, and Cutter alone. The fact that the others weren't there spoke volumes.

"Hey Cutter, it's good to see you." Three said in Mandarin as if she were speaking it everyday.

"It's good to see you too, Three." Cutter said, then sighed. "The others would have come-"

"You do not need to explain, I know why they didn't and it's okay. It is better this way. Safer." Three said not wanting to hear him say the words.

"Three they-"

"Cutter, just don't." Three said moving past him. She wanted to complete this mission and get back to New York. It was simply better for everyone if she did just that. Stepping outside she breathed a relieved sigh, she really did miss China. Cutter came to stand next to her, and led her to his car. From there Three told him to drop her off at a motel where she was booked to stay. Again it was mostly to protect those surviving members of the Shadow Network. Cutter however seemed annoyed by her insistence that she keep her distance.

Dropped off at the motel, she got ready to do what she did best. Aida was soon remotely patched in since her mainframe was still in New York. It was decided that they would first begin by hacking into the buildings computers to find out what they could. However outside hacking required an inside link to the building's computers. Luckily, the building schematics were easier to acquire. Being patched into the Shadow Network, Three video chatted with the group.

"According to the schematics the building has five floors. The first four are for research, but the fifth uses the most power." Shado pointed out.

"Strange considering it is supposedly maintenance." Cutter said

"That is to cover up the truth, the fifth floor must be the prize." Doc added.

"Agreed," Three said looking over the schematics. "There! It looks like there is a tunnel access that's my window into the building. I can gain access to the computers, you guys can access everything."

"You had best hurry before SHIELD moves in." Cutter advised, "Otherwise the window will close."

"Yeah I know, just be ready." Three said as she closed the window and went to get ready. By now it was nightfall, and Coulson's team would be arriving meaning the window was quickly closing. For travel purposes Cutter lent her one of his motorcycles.

Pulling to a stop a block from the 'Eco lab', Three got off her bike in the alley way and waited to hear from the Shadow network. "You guys there?"

"Yes we are here, the tunnels are a block away down a side alley. A type of maintenance access and possible an emergency exit." Shado answered.

"Right," Three said moving quickly, due to the area being a business location there were not a lot of people. In fact the area was a rather quiet place, however when SHIELD would arrive that would quickly change. Heading down the side alley Shado spoke of, Three got to the door and noted the key pad. "Okay I got a key pad. Give me a sec."

Three pulled out a pouch from her backpack and took out an aerosol can to spray on the keys. Immediately it showed the numbers dialled to access the door. "Okay 2, 3, 5, 7, 9, 0. With 3 and 9 being pressed twice."

"One sec." Shado said typing into the computer, "Okay most likely the combination is 3, 9, 0, 2, 5, 7, 9, 3." Typing the numbers in as suggested the door unlocked. "Now get moving SHIELD will be there and they won't bother trying to enter the key code. They will just blow the damn lock."

Three sighed as she slipped inside and moved along the narrow hall way. Thus far it was quiet, but that would change as Three noted the security of the building. Yeah no ecological research lab needed this type of high security system. Entering she had to have tripped a sensor or something. _'Shit!'_ Three cursed as she heard someone up ahead. Obviously they would come to see who it was in the tunnels.

Rushing forward she used the tight corridor to her advantage, as she kicked off one side then the other to allow her to knee the guard in the face. The distinct crunch told her she broke the guy's nose, but he was not alone. Fortunately both men were a bit surprised by the attack, and this second guy was not as tall as the first. In fact when the second guy pulled a gun to aim at her she sidestepped, grabbing his wrist and twisted. Breaking his wrist she used the momentary pain to pull him by the arm and slam him face first into the wall. As he slid down the wall she hit him hard in the back of the head. The first guy who's nose she broke was trying to get up, so she kicked him in the face also knocking him out.

"Three? Are you done playing?" Shado asked, trying to tease her.

"Hey the guards wanted to play first, they just don't know how rough I can be."

"Funny – because SHIELD is outside! I recommend leaving quickly. Some are heading for the maintenance door, two teams."

"Great!" Three replied annoyed, "You know I really wish Coulson would be late at times."

"You have encountered him before?" Shado asked worried.

"Yeah though he would probably want to shoot me, I knocked him out." Three replied as she moved quickly. Leaving the tunnels she noticed the first floor was being cleared. "Looks like someone is cleaning house."

"Perhaps they were tipped off and are not sticking around. If you want to avoid the ones packing up, there is a staircase to your right. The next closest computer's are on the second floor, possibly offices or a security centre." Taking Shado's advice she headed upstairs for the security room, and peeked out of the room at the hall.

"Shado where is SHIELD now?"

"Roof and tunnels." Three sighed as she spotted the security guard in the hall, and most likely there was more. This one had his back to her as she silently snuck up on him and knocked him out as quietly as possible. Moving quickly down the hall she followed Shado's directions. "Right, follow the hall down then make a left."

A second guard rounded the corner and was momentarily shocked to see her there. "Hold!" He said reaching for his gun as she rushed him. Jumping up she wrapped her legs around his neck forcing him off his feet and to the floor with her landing above him and punching him. Another guard heard him and was coming to help as she rolled towards him and kicked his feet out from under him. From there she knocked him out with a haymaker.

Rising to her feet she continued on until she reached the security room. Immediately she plugged in a special flash drive to give Shado and the group access.

"Alright we are in," Cutter said and she could hear them typing away.

"Copy the files but leave the information intact." Three instructed.

"Leave the information? Wait have you lost your mind?" Cutter asked.

"SHIELD is in the building, if we delete it after copying the information they will know we were here. Besides they are after the same thing we are." Three pointed out.

"Three you are on their most wanted list, and you want to help them out?!" Doc asked.

"I am on HYDRA's most wanted list." Three corrected, "And I will deal with them in time. For now though you want Extremis destroyed for Chen, right? Well SHIELD might inadvertently help us, but they cannot do that if we do not leave them breadcrumbs to follow."

"Alright I see your point, copy the files but leave it intact for SHIELD." Shado said. Three went to the door to peek out when Cutter said the last phrase anyone ever wanted to hear in a dangerous situation.

"Uh-oh!"

"What? What is going on?" Three asked.

"Well now that you have given us access it looks like there is a mad psycho with pyrotechnics upstairs trying to melt the SHIELD team, and you have about... thirty seconds to get out because a couple are coming to use the computers." Cutter said.

Pulling the card, Three quickly dashed out of the room and down the other hall just in time to avoid two from Coulson's team. Skye, and Ward; though Skye had to ask as they stopped by the guards Three had knocked out. "Who knocked out these two?"

"No idea, but we don't have time for this. C'mon." Ward said as the entered the security room.

"Three you need to go now before one of the SHIELD teams spots you. We have the information now." Shado said, "There is a fire escape on the south side of the building. Turn around head down the hall then make a right, follow it to the end then go left. At the end of that hall by the window is the fire escape."

"Alright," Three sighed as she headed that way. As she moved down that way she was glad most of the security detail were already having nap time: courtesy of Ward.

"Wow big time crazy!" Doc said making Three pause.

"What is it now?"

"Red haired lady doctor is now a scorch mark, Chan has totally lost it."

"Red haired doctor? Run facial recognition on the recorded footage. Is it Debbie Jenkins?" Three asked as she moved.

"Uhh yeah, you know her?"

"She is the one I warned back in LA about her using Extremis. Sounds like I do not need to pay her a second visit. Saves me the trouble of killing her myself!" Three said annoyed, but also glad the stupid doctor paid for her mistakes. She had told the doctor that if she paid her a visit for a second time, Debbie would be a dead woman.

"Shit! Move it Three!" Cutter said as Three climbed out the window onto the fire escape. Whatever they were seeing was not a good thing, so Three barrelled down the stair case as if being chased. Fortunately she was close enough to the bottom that she jumped to the top of a large dumpster then jumped to the ground. When she looked up the roof looked like it was on fire, at least from her location.

"What happened?"

"The SHIELD team injected flame boy with some kind of serum and he went up like a Roman candle, they vented the blast upwards." Shado said.

"Well then I wasn't in any danger." Three said as she relaxed.

"We weren't taking chances, not with you. Not after the Mandarin killed Chen." Cutter said.

"Right well I better get out of here before more SHIELD arrives to cordon off the area. I'll head back to the motel." Three said quickly leaving and heading for Cutter's motorcycle. She had to take back alleys and hop some walls, but she got there unnoticed and took off before anyone discovered her. Getting back to the motel she showered and changed her clothes. By then Shado forwarded everything they took from the computer's at the Ecological lab. Both she and Aida looked over the details, and the footage.

Three was still looking over it when a knock came to her door. She was not expecting anyone so she grabbed one of her wrist daggers and put it on ready to fight if the wrong person was on the other side of the door. However as she looked through the peep hole she sighed and opened the door to reveal Shado. Letting the young woman in, Three closed the door guessing this time the others were keeping their distance.

"Why did you not stay with us?" Shado asked jumping right into the conversation as Three shut the door, "You did not need to stay in a motel."

"I figured it was for the best," Three answered.

"The best hurts." Shado replied angry.

"Tell that to Chen, he would still be here if I had not asked for help in getting the first injection."

"Chen wanted you to come home. He thought if he got in close with HYDRA and could help you. You could come home." Shado pointed out, "We all wanted you to come home and give up this war."

"You mean I am suppose to forget and bury my head in the sand. Two things I simply cannot do Shado!"

"Of course you can! It is easy!" Shado argued.

"Not for me! I can remember everything, I never forget! I can tell you what I ate three months ago on February 9th. FYI it was a cheese burger and seasoned potato wedges. I can tell you every detail of the first time I was injected with the Mastermind serum. I can also tell you in gruesome disturbing detail what it was like to watch my childhood friend be raped in the cell across from me. I still hear her screams. I can tell you how many times I was told that I and the other test subjects did not exist and no one would remember us. Still want me to bury my head in the sand?"

Shado looked down as though suddenly regretting even suggesting Three walk away from this. So Three swallowed hard before continuing. "It is not just that, if HYDRA finds out I survived they will never stop. Last time they sent the Winter Soldier and I jumped off the Nanjing Bridge, next time I won't be so lucky. Next time they would kill all of you, and I would wish I were dead because they would want me alive."

"It—it's not fair!" Shado finally said.

"Hey my life has been one nightmare after another. Fair does not even factor into the equation." Three said trying to make light of the situation, but there was no real lightness to be had.

"Three we are not blaming you for Chen, we already know who was responsible. You do not need to keep your distance with us."

"Actually I do, I think you already know that. That is why only Cutter was at the airport to meet me, that is why you came here alone. You knew for a long time the dangers of being around me, Chen's death was the wake up call. You already know what has to happen. I will always be grateful for your help, but you and the others need to keep me at a distance."

For a while Shado stood there considering Three's words before nodding her head, and that was when she held a long silver case up between them. Three had not noticed it before but Shado had brought it with her. "Chen managed to get this, took some wrangling, but he got it."

"What is it?" Three asked, but Shado simply opened the case revealing a very familiar looking Katana.

"Chen, he was going to give it to you as a welcome home present." Shado said as Three carefully picked up the katana. She unsheathed it partially to see the engraving at the top of the blade just under the _Habaki_ or blade collar. The engravings proved it, this was her father's sword. Takai Osaka was clearly engraved on the blade, besides she also recognised the other distinct markings of the sword she had seen before. The clear indications that it was not just any katana but an extremely rare type called a _Schemoto_. Three could still remember Takai talking about the varying types of katana swords, it was enough to know the difference, and know this was indeed Takai's. How Chen got it was beyond her, but he clearly went through a lot of trouble to get it.

"My father's sword... how?" Three asked still seeking an answer.

"Chen didn't go into detail, but it took him several months to get it." Shado said.

"Thank you, I never thought I would see this sword ever again." Three said still amazed Chen got it for her, but also upset that she would never get the chance to thank him herself.

"He would want me to give it to you, even though it is not as a welcome home present." Shado said making Three look at her old friend. Both knew this would change nothing so she set the case on the bed and faced Three. "Goodbye Three. If you need anything let us know."

Without much else being said Shado left, and Three sat down on edge of the bed still holding her father's katana. Hugging the sheathed sword to her Three felt drained, and almost jumped when Aida spoke up. "That sounded like a difficult conversation to have, are you okay?"

"Yeah," Three sighed.

"She sounded hurt." Aida pointed out, the AI at times loved pointing out the obvious and Three sighed.

"Yeah."

"Well don't you-"

"Aida, I would rather not talk about it." Three said pinching the bridge of her nose, after setting the katana back in the travel case Shado had left.

"Very well do you want me to book a ticket back to New York?" Aida asked after a moment.

"Yeah, but not tomorrow. Make it for the day after. I should visit my father and sister's graves."

"You did not mention a father and sister before."

"They are not blood related," Three explained, "They are my adopted family the ones HYDRA killed."

"Oh apologies, you do not talk about before much." Aida pointed out.

"Yeah I am sure you can guess why. Anyway I am gonna get some sleep." Three said as she closed down the laptop and got ready for bed. Soon she was out like a light, but as usual her nightmares loved to mess up her sleep patterns.

* * *

 **July 17** **th** **, 2013**

 **Nanjing China**

It was a lengthy drive from Hong Kong to Nanjing but worth it. It had been years since Three had visited Takai and Amaya's graves. So it seemed awkward to be standing there putting flowers down, it was also surprising to have Aida's voice in her ear asking more questions. The AI wanted to 'come along' in the digital sense, which Three agreed to mainly because she felt even more alone now. Cutter, Shado, Doc, and Mei were finally accepting the situation and keeping their distance. This time when she would leave China to return to New York there would be no goodbye party to see her leave at the airport. Just a long flight back, followed by radio silence from the Shadow Network.

"So this is where your adopted family are buried?" Aida asked in her ear, the AI probably watched her via satellite.

"Yeah."

"What were they like?"

"Two of the most amazing people one could ever hope to meet. Takai was strict and stern but also loving, I could not ask for a better father." Three said, "He also did the best stir-fry EVER."

"And Amaya?"

"The best sister ever. We used to go ice skating together. She being the little daredevil always wanted to do the impossible moves professional ice skaters did. I thought she would be insanely jealous when I simply watched the videos of those ice skaters and could go out and do those moves perfectly. More than one she would smack my arm and call me a know it all." Three said laughing a little at the memory.

"Did they know about the mastermind serum and HYDRA?"

"Yeah they knew, but did not care. At the time I was naïve to think I was free of HYDRA, and they paid for that." Three said looking over the two graves and thinking back to when she had been happy with them. As usual with a picture perfect memory she recalled perfectly Amaya and her in the Ice rink. Her sister trying to perform a triple Axel only to crash to the floor, and Three was helping her up.

"Kat?" Aida asked snapping Three from the memory.

"Yeah?"

"I was asking about your real parents? Did you know them?"

"My file had a lot of blanks, Aida. No name, no birth date, no parents. According to the records for Project Mastermind HYDRA took infants from hospitals, and some of us were donated. I never dug much further after that, it is not like the knowledge would change anything. Besides I like to think my real parents were just some poor hapless couple that were told their baby died. Better that than Two's parents donating me because they did not want me. The saying ignorance is bliss comes to mind."

For a long time Aida was quiet as though processing what Three had just told her, so she figured the AI was done asking questions at least for now. Instead Three stayed there for a bit longer knowing it would be a long time before she would visit again. Eventually she rose to her feet knowing she would have to drive back, and get ready for tomorrow. She had a early flight back to New York after all.

* * *

 **July 18** **th** **, 2013**

 **Hong Kong China**

The journey to the airport and flight back were very lonely, as predicted no one was there to say goodbye to her this time. Instead Three received a text from Cutter saying he wished her well and to have a safe flight. During the flight she tried to sleep, but was restless as Aida informed Three that Coulson's team had left China the day before and were heading off to Pennsylvania. Guessing it had nothing to do with Extremis, Three was not too worried about it. Instead she got back to her 'home' slash hideout, and flopped into the computer chair on the ground floor.

She would have been content to relax, but then she sadly noticed the uneasy silence. Aida was very quiet. Three frowned as she sat up straight and waited to hear Aida ask something, but the AI didn't. "Aida? You there?"

No response came as Three looked around worried. "Aida?" Still no response as Three reached for a gun wondering who had infiltrated the system. Had HYDRA finally caught up to her, her heart rate picked up fearing the worse had happened to the AI. "AIDA?!"

The panicked cry was followed by Three's distress watch beeping.

"I am here, Kat. Apologies, I was doing research..."

"Researching on what? How to be quiet?" Three teased once the initial fear wore off and she holstered her gun.

"It was meant to be a surprise, but now..." Aida trailed off worried, "I remembered our conversation at the graveyard. So I dug into the information for the test subjects."

"Awe Aida you did not need to do that." Three said relaxing in the chair once more.

"But I wanted to as your friend. I wanted to show that you are not alone, and I won't leave you." Aida promised

"That is sweet Aida," Three said smiling at the AIs actions, then sighed, "Find anything?"

"I—I did," Aida said sounding hesitant, "I found out who your parents are."

"Oh you sound worried Aida. What is it?" Three asked leaning forward.

"They are HYDRA." Aida said after a long moment of silence, "I am sorry." Three felt like a weight had been added to her chest crushing her airways. For so long she thought her parents to be this kind loving couple that simply had their baby stolen. The truth though was a lot more painful and hard to swallow. Regardless she was not mad at Aida, the AI was simply trying to be a good friend. No if anything she felt blind rage at the sorry excuse for her 'real' parents. Again the AI went silent knowing these facts would upset Three. For a long couple of minutes Three did everything to keep calm, to not break anything or scream.

Releasing a shaky breath Three got her anger under control as Aida apologised again. "It's okay Aida. You didn't know."

"I have their names if you want to know who they are." Aida offered.

"No, I do not want to know who they are. They are monsters nothing more." Three said rising from her seat. She needed to hit something, the punching bag in the practice area would work. However she paused in her step and turned back to the computers where Aida was held. "All I want to know is who kills them, so that I might thank them. Will you tell me who kills them?"

"Of course, Kat." Aida replied, from there it did not matter that Three was tired, or suffering from jet lag. However, regardless of how tired she was the rage would not subside. She headed for the practice area to vent her anger as she imagined getting a hold of the two HYDRA agents that did not want her, that donated her to be nothing more than a lab rat.

* * *

 **October 19** **th** **, 2013**

 **New York City**

Bang! Bang! Bang!

Three emptied the clip down range in the basement of her hideout, then slapped another clip in too hard, glaring at the targets. There were three targets: one had a picture of Alexander Pierce, the other simply said 'Mom, and the third said 'dad'. Saying she focused on either practising or hunting down HYDRA agents like they were animals was an understatement. Sadly when you are considered a psychopath that 'kills at random' SHIELD agents often get pissed off when you shoot the man or woman next to them. To Three it didn't really matter she had been SHIELDs most wanted for years now. What bothered her most was she could not simply kill Pierce without pissing off Nick Fury, and she would not be able to touch Grant Ward without pissing off Coulson. Talk about dilemma, so she emptied the clip into the picture on the target of Pierce wishing she was shooting the bastard.

During her constant practising and attacks she barely saw Peggy or Sharon, and was only vaguely aware of an incident in England involving Thor. As far as Three knew, Coulson and his team were still there running clean up detail, so Three didn't need to worry about who she would run into and who she wouldn't. Though if she thought avoiding the two Carter women would end well she was mistaken. As it was she was trying to figure out what she should do, she had been their friend for years now. Pretending to be a nurse from a temp agency, amongst other things; eventually the lies would catch up to her and then neither one would have a thing to do with her.

In hindsight she thought she was simply putting off the inevitable, that eventually she would be all alone. Thus it was at the moment between clip changing, that Aida spoke up. "Kat, Sharon is calling."

Three sighed as she loaded another clip into the gun and was about to ignore it. "You need to stop ignoring her, Kat."

Guessing Aida would nag her, she put the gun down and picked up the phone off the table. The picture of Sharon smiling on her phone, made Three answer. "Hello?"

"You know I hate it when I call and call and call only to be ignored. What is wrong with you? Peggy has been asking after you for weeks! Weeks Lilith! Don't tell me it's work either, I am not buying that excuse!" Sharon said.

"I—I am sorry." Three said suddenly feeling a lot worse for trying to hide away. Her voice felt raw and small. "I-"

"I don't want excuses, Lilith! I want an explanation. Aunt Peggy will want an explanation, she is getting worse Lil! You should know better than to keep away." Three looked down at the table ashamed, but Sharon must have heard the shaky breathe or something. "Lil? What is going on with you?"

"Nothing... just some problems." Three said not wanting to lie anymore. She hated lying to Sharon and Peggy.

"It doesn't sound like nothing, Lil." Sharon said after a quiet moment she sighed, "I am off work tomorrow. I will be in the park. Please show up, don't disappear on us again."

"Okay." Three said as Sharon hung up, and Three leaned over the table. Ejecting the clip, Three put the gun away and went upstairs. After shooting a gun, gun powder residue often clings to the skin and clothes. So she then showered and changed before heading down to the car. She would need to take the lengthy drive to Washington, so that she could be there tomorrow to meet Sharon. As was common now Aida simply transferred to the Washington location.

The drive down gave Three plenty of time to think, as she wondered what she would do? Coming clean was not an option, if she told Sharon she was Kateye the SHIELD agent would want to arrest her. If she told Sharon about HYDRA, then her friend would be in danger and most likely get killed like Monroe. The only other options was to lie more, make up reasons why she had to leave and could not see either of them again. However could she do it? Lie to them both and disappear from their lives completely? The very idea made Three's stomach turn and twist in unpleasant ways.

Arriving in Washington, Three did not eat much that night or sleep much either. Instead the next day when she arrived at the park, Sharon immediately noticed her friend looked thinner and tired. So Sharon's anger diminished some as she sat by Three on the park bench.

"Hey Sharon." Three said her voice raw from disuse and sounding small.

"Hey Lil," Sharon said looking her friend over carefully, "Care to explain to me why you look like something the cat dragged in?"

"Sorry, just been dealing with a problem."

"Yeah you said that on the phone. I was hoping for a bit more of an explanation." Sharon said annoyed again. Again silence reigned as some joggers went by, and a moment later someone on a bike. Three knew Sharon was waiting for her to explain, so Three knew it was time for another half truth.

"I—I found out who my parents were."

The news floored Sharon as Three never mentioned her real parents, and the SHIELD agent swallowed hard assuming the worst. "They sought you out?"

"Sort of... kind of wished they had died of some horrible disease. They're cruel malicious people that deserve whatever terrible fate befalls them. If I never see them I will die happy." Three said hating the ones that had donated her. A pair of arms wrapped around Three as she was pulled into Sharon's side.

While Sharon guessed that these real parents didn't want Lilith, and the only reason they had come looking for her friend was to cause Lilith even more pain and trauma. It was just like the Oprah show. A moment later Sharon heard Lilith release a shaky breath and the soft sob. Gently she rubbed Lilith's back trying to comfort her friend.

"Sorry." Lilith said, and Sharon was not sure what she was apologizing for. Was she apologizing for staying away? Apologizing for crying? It really didn't matter to Sharon now as the two stayed like that until Lilith calmed down. Now knowing her friend was dealing with this issue, made Sharon more sympathetic.

"It's okay, but Lil?" Sharon asked and waiting for her friend to look up. "Don't ever stay away again, or bottle up the problem like this. Next time you come to me, and you let me be there for you. No more staying away, alright?" When her friend nodded, Sharon relaxed a little. Then she spotted a Ice cream stall. "C'mon. You look like you could use an ice cream. Later we can get some hard alcohol."

After the ice cream in the park, the pair went and visited Peggy. At first Three waited in the hall as Sharon explained the current upsetting situation to Peggy. After that though, Peggy was welcoming and not angry at all with Three. Again she had chickened out of leaving their lives. In the end she returned to normal visits with Peggy and Sharon. Sadly she did notice Peggy forgetting more easily, or would repeat herself at times. Peggy's dementia was getting worse—a lot worse.

* * *

 **Author's Notes:**

 **Well first off thank you all for the lovely reviews. I am glad you liked the last chapter. BTW 22cjwolf22 you're correct Stan Lee did cameo as the bartender.**

 **As for this chapter this mainly pertains to a certain episode of Agents of SHIELD. Season one episode five 'Girl in a Flower Dress'. However that is not all that happens in this chapter. We also get a bit more knowledge on how HYDRA 'procured' Three for the Mastermind project.**

 **However there is one other slightly obscure thing to note. Because this is an obscure reference I will just come out with it. For those Netflix lovers if they watched Defenders they might have caught onto the katana Three received. Namely in the second episode of this series Colleen Wing speaks of a very specific type of katana. A ' _Schemoto'_ (I think that is how it is spelt, though am not 100% sure on it. It was mainly guess work on the spelling.) Anyway Colleen mentioned this rare katana and how only so many were made. Since Takai was a warrior for the Chaste it only made sense that he too would wield a similar weapon to the man killed in episode one. As said this is a obscure reference to the shows, but I do make them whenever I can.**

 **Aside from that please let me know what you think of this latest chapter and some of the new revelations made. I always love hearing from you guys.**

 **Lesliezin**


	19. A Bold Yet Dangerous Move

**Hello everyone,**

 **Here is chapter 19, enjoy.**

* * *

 **November 9** **th** **, 2013**

 **New York City**

Over the next month Three was visiting Peggy a lot more alongside Sharon. When not there she had started looking into running tests on her own blood to try to find and recreate the Mastermind serum. Sadly after so many years the serum was well integrated into her blood making deriving it from that source impossible. The actual serum was held in the secure SHIELD facility called the Fridge, so she had few other options. A lot of time and effort went into trying to recreate the serum to save Peggy, this left Aida to monitor for HYDRA, keep tabs on Coulson and his team, and look into the data in search of those responsible for the Centipede program.

Being tapped into SHIELD's network made things easier, half the work could be done by SHIELD and all the AI had to do was monitor communications. Which was how Aida discovered that a prison break had occurred thanks to the efforts of Centipede soldiers. Three of them broke into the Havenworth Federal Penitentiary to break out one Edison Po. "Kat. I believe I found a lead on the Centipede program that uses Extremis."

Three stopped her lab work, swinging by the computers to see what the AI had found. The footage was disturbing to say the least. Three super soldiers busted into the prison to break out one inmate. Finally Three sighed as she straightened. "How is SHIELD responding?"

"Coulson's team is being sent to spearhead operations, SHIELD wants these soldiers and Po found ASAP. They are sick of this program cropping up like weeds in a garden." Aida replied. "They are also sending some help with his team. Mike Peterson you may recall—"

"He was the one in LA that was part of the Centipede program. Coulson's team saved him." Three said remembering perfectly. "Any possible leads?"

"Ran facial recognition on the Centipede soldiers, but only one was a clear image. Brian Hayward, military, was stationed in Afghanistan for three years. It looks like he was snapped up to join the Centipede program when he got back because he had nothing once he got home."

"Any relatives?"

"A sister, Laura lives in Cleveland, Ohio and is attending the college there. Coulson's team is already en route there. I also located some other intel overlooked by SHIELD. It's the footage from the facility in Hong Kong. The Shadow Network recorded the details. I ran the picture of a woman that was with Debbie Jenkins moments before her fiery death. Not much to go on, but the woman in question loves flowery dresses. Also I found her in California."

"Los Angeles? Where the Centipede program started?"

"Close, but no: Oakland." Aida stated, "I figured you would want to get out ahead of this before you have to tiptoe around SHIELD. I am booking your ticket now." Aida said.

"Good, I'll go pack." With that Three packed her bags then headed for the airport. Before too long she was flying to California once more. It was in California at the baggage carousal that Aida text alerted her. _**'Heads up, Coulson's team is on their way. Better hurry.'**_

 _'So much for beating SHIELD to the punch.'_ Three sighed as she quickly went to the nearest car rental place and rented a car. She then called Aida putting the AI on speaker phone as she drove. "Where am I heading Aida?"

" _According to what I have found, SHIELD tricked Hayward's sister into calling him. Traces put the call at an old factory. Sending you the GPS location now."_ The location suggested an hours drive at most.

"How far out is Coulson's team?"

" _Two hours at most."_

"You know at some point someone will have to tell Coulson having his own plane is cheating." Three said as she drove for the location.

" _You could try telling him that although he may still be sore you knocked him out."_ Aida pointed out.

"Location of factory?"

" _In the city, dingy part of town. There are some good vantage points in the surrounding buildings."_ Aida offered.

"Oh! That sounds nice, plus then I do not need to tip toe around Coulson's team when they show. Suggestions?"

" _There is a building across the street from the factory. You would have a bird's eye view, and may even be able to provide covering fire for Coulson's team."_

"Alright, sounds like I am playing bodyguard today." Parking around behind the building she would be in, Three changed into her own gear. She scouted the building determining the best place to lay in wait, and got set up. However the warehouse looked empty making Three wonder if they got the information right. She frowned as she looked through the scope. "Aida you sure this is the place? It looks empty."

" _I am certain. Coulson traced the call here."_ _'Then why is it empty?'_ Three wondered, something wasn't right.

"Too easy..." Three muttered

" _What?"_

"This is too easy. The trace, everything it is just too easy." Three said frowning.

" _Coulson doesn't seem to think so, his team is now on site."_ Aida replied and after a few minutes she spotted them. Watching them through the scope she noticed Coulson's frown, he was probably thinking the same thing she was. _"_ _Hold on they are dialling Hayward's number."_

Immediately both Coulson and Peterson turned to face a shipping container, and it clicked. "Crap!" Three cursed just before the soldier burst from the container. Before Three could take a shot, the Centipede soldier shoved the container at Coulson and Peterson blocking her view. So she turned her scope to locate May and Ward, that was when another burst out of the container behind them. Again Three groaned, annoyed that she could not take a shot. They were all moving around too fast for her to get a clear shot.

She was so focused that she did not see the third one attack Coulson, or the fourth coming to attack May. Finally there was a lull in the fighting as all four Centipede soldiers focused on Peterson. "Gotcha!" With that Three fired, and a second later a bullet made one of the Centipede Soldiers' head go pop. Most everybody froze realizing a sniper was in play, except for the closest soldier attacking Mike, who stabbed him with a bit of re-barb. When two of them saw their comrade injure Mike they turned back to fight the others. However a second shot rang out taking with it another Centipede Soldier. At that point Mike despite his injury managed to knock the one he was fighting down—hard. Thus the fourth one ran rather than risk getting shot, and once he hit the shadows Three could not take the shot.

Sticking around was not an option after that, as someone would come to investigate the shooter. Compacting her rifle and putting it on her back, Three ran for her car needing to disappear before anyone saw her. Fleeing the scene, Three pulled over once several blocks away. She pulled over to change. "Aida can you patch us in to Coulson's communications?"

" _I can do one better, Fury has some communication sensors I have subtly changed them to eavesdrop."_

"Good. Obviously my presence was felt and I need to know how they plan to proceed." Three said. Then she drove to a nearby hotel and was soon checking in. There she ordered some room service and set up her laptop. She plugged in her earphones to listen in private as Aida began patching her in.

" _...Centipede also designed the eye implant?"_ Coulson asked.

" _These guys are serious multitaskers."_ A girl said, the voice sounded familiar and was probably Skye.

" _Who is Akela Amador?"_ Mike asked.

" _Former SHIELD agent. The first person we encountered with this eye technology. A good agent that was forced to do some bad things."_ Coulson answered.

" _We helped her."_ Another woman with a English accent answered.

" _Kind of a pattern with you guys."_ Mike said groaning, _"_ _So then those soldiers at the warehouse were forced to attack us? Through that eye thing?"_

" _They were getting orders. When the tide turned in our favour, Centipede flipped Hayward's kill switch, told the others to run. Well the others not shot in the head."_ Coulson said.

" _Yeah speaking of that who did that?"_ Mike asked.

" _Another player someone that doesn't like Centipede."_ Coulson answered, _"_ _I will consult SHIELD HQ ask if they sent in a black ops team."_

" _Black ops?"_ Skye asked.

" _Ones sent in as a type of secret backup, though why only one? It doesn't make sense."_ Coulson sighed, _"_ _Regardless, can you track their eye feed like before find their location?"_

" _Nope they've upgraded since Amador. Their feed is untraceable now."_ Skye replied.

" _Their technology keeps advancing at a disturbingly rapid pace. They must have endless manpower, resources."_ Coulson said.

" _And someone with a fat wallet."_ Skye added.

 _'That would be HYDRA.'_ Three thought.

" _Po's the strategist. Raina's their recruiter. Perhaps this Clairvoyant is the money."_ The other girl, Jemma? Perhaps suggested.

" _That makes sense. If I could see the future, I'd go to Las Vegas."_ Scottish accent, Fitz?

" _Whoever's behind them may or may not be psychic, but they are one step ahead of us every time. Anything?"_

" _Nothing area was clear, all we got was some spent rounds. Whoever the shooter was did not want to stick around."_ Ward answered, obviously he had just come back with May from investigating the warehouse Three had been in. _"_ _High calibre round, explosive tip. They knew what they were doing."_

" _Oh wait!"_ Jemma said and the sound of plastic was rustled, _"_ _Sir I think I know who was shooting."_

" _Oh no not this again Jemma. We have been over this, there is no eye-witness proof!"_ Fitz groaned.

" _Enough!"_ Coulson said annoyed, _"_ _Go ahead Jemma let's hear this crazy theory."_

" _Well sir. According to the SHIELD recovery team in Miami after Iron Man fought the terrorist the Mandarin. Shell casings were recovered from the scene. Not only that but Col. James Rhodes report suggests that there was a sniper on site shooting at the Extremis injectees."_ Jemma said, _"_ _I read the ballistics report and results, and one of the leading researchers believe it is Katseye!"_

" _You mean that psycho that kills SHIELD agents?"_ Ward asked.

" _Indeed. If I am right this round will match one of the ones recovered from that earlier fight."_ Jemma said sounding excited. _'Smart girl.'_ Three thought surprised.

" _That still doesn't prove it was Katseye. Besides she targets SHIELD agents. If it were her why did she not kill Coulson, May or Ward?"_ Fitz replied.

" _Because she doesn't always kill SHIELD agents."_ Coulson answered, shocking the group, _"_ _I met her once. She killed the scientist a team and I were suppose to be protecting. She killed him and five agents, but left two others and myself alive."_

" _You actually met her?"_ Jemma asked excited.

" _Kind of. She knocked me out."_ Coulson said sounding embarrassed and so wanted to change the subject, _"_ _How long will it take to know if the cartridges were the same?"_ The conversation was continuing as Three considered what she should do.

"Aida, you feeling bold today?" Three asked.

"Sure, nothing wrong with being a little bold."

"Open a text based channel to the bus. I am going to try communicating with them."

"Are you sure that is wise?"

"No, but if we pool our resources we might actually shut Centipede down." Three said as Aida started to do as she asked.

" _Only a moment...there!"_ Jemma said, _"_ _Oh my, the cartridges are the same, sir."_

" _Same sniper, different day."_ Ward said, _"_ _If it is Katseye why is she targeting Centipede soldiers?"_

 _ **'Because they are toying with something that killed a friend.'**_ Three answered via a text message that would have shown up on the main computer screen in the lab.

" _OH!"_ Jemma gasped.

" _I didn't do it I swear!"_ Skye said.

 _ **'Sorry, but if I didn't stop you you would not stop arguing about it. As adorable as Fitz and Simmons are, you have more pressing matters.'**_

" _Aww, she thinks we're adorable Fitz."_ Jemma said.

" _You tapped our communications. What do you want?"_ Coulson asked.

 _ **'Same thing as you. To stop the Centipede program, a friend died because of Extremis and now you have a group toying with that crap.'**_

" _Yeah? Well I had a friend too. Her name was Monroe, remember her?"_

 _ **'Yes, but before you go accusing me of killing her. Ask yourself this question. Why did I spare her before only to kill her later? Why did I remove her body from the warehouse? Why her? When I left an entire SHIELD strike team to burn.'**_ The message was followed by a long pause.

" _You didn't kill her."_ Coulson said shocked, _"_ _Then who? Why do you only target certain agents?"_

 _ **'I would answer, but I do not want to be responsible for your death too. Monroe was getting close too close to the truth. That is why she died. If I tell you, they will come after you and your team.'**_

" _You're saying SHIELD is compromised?"_

 _ **'I am saying I cannot answer those questions. Not now. However as a show of faith might I recommend something?'**_

" _Sure, go ahead."_

 _ **'If what you were saying about the eye thingy is true, it means the soldiers were not the only ones watching the fight. Someone had the feed from their eyes. So if they saw you, so to did the ones controlling them. It would be easy to run facial recognition on any of you fighting in the warehouse. This includes Mike Peterson. Or if this Raina person saw Mike it would not be hard to ID him. I suggest a protection detail especially since he was injured.'**_

" _I am fine, I will be okay."_ Mike replied.

 _ **'Super soldier or not Mike, a re-barb to the gut would mean recovery time even for Captain America. Besides I would guess those controlling Centipede would want you back since well you were one of their test subjects.'**_

" _And what do you want from us?"_

 _ **'A type of truce? Cease fire? Perhaps even a type of collaboration? We are after the same people. Besides I am tired of tip-toeing around you guys. I can continue to tip-toe if you insist, but as you said Centipede is always ahead of you.'**_

" _I would need to consult with HQ before I can agree to anything. Even then it will only be temporary."_ Coulson said after a lengthy moment.

 _ **'Very well, I will tap back in in an hour to get the verdict. Yay, we help each other out. Nay I leave your communications and you never hear from me again. Either way I am going after Centipede.'**_

" _Fair enough."_ Coulson said, and Three cut the communications.

* * *

 **November 9** **th** **, 2013**

 **Oakland California**

This was turning into one of the longest hour ever, as Three ate and took a quick shower. When the hour passed Three expected a no answer from Coulson, however when she tapped back into their systems she was surprised. _"_ _...trade. Ace for his father. They've set a time and a place."_

" _Bloody savages!"_ Fitz added.

 _ **'What is going on?'**_ Three typed knowing they would see it.

" _Looks like Katseye's back. She wants to know what is going on."_ Skye said

" _Situation has change. You were right to warn us of a protection detail, sadly they have Mr. Peterson's son."_ Coulson explained.

" _They want to experiment on him. Determine how he still has his abilities."_ Jemma added.

" _And we're going to let them? We've fought these guys before."_ Ward pointed out.

" _We don't have a choice. The instructions they gave Mr. Peterson were very specific. I called HQ told them to stand down."_ Coulson said obviously not willing to risk Mike's son.

" _Stand down?"_ Melinda finally spoke up.

" _So we take them alone."_ Ward stated.

" _We should at least have a hostage rescue unit in support of this."_

" _They said they would murder my son."_ Mike said, and Three winced at the scared tone of his voice. _"_ _If we make one wrong move..."_

" _Any electronics, any coms, any signs of surveillance, and they'll terminate the arrangement."_ Coulson added, then paused. _"_ _I notice our listening guest is rather quiet. You wanted to collaborate, so start."_

 _ **'Unfortunately I see no way to avoid the trade, if we do not play ball they will do as they threatened to. Perhaps once the trade is complete, once Ace is out of harms way I can help Mike escape. Where is the trade suppose to take place?'**_

" _On a bridge a mile from us under construction and currently closed."_ Coulson said without a second thought.

 _ **'Damn! Bridges means limited buildings because they are usually over water. Getting a clear shot might be difficult especially with construction. They chose the location well. Plus no coms means I won't know what your team is doing, if or when you will want my help. Wait...there may be a way to communicate to me via a signal. A flashlight: one flash for go two for no.'**_ Three looked up the bridge where the trade would happen and forwarded the specs to Coulson. _**'This the bridge?'**_

" _Yes,"_ Coulson said.

" _Wait a minute, you are going to trust this psychopath to help us?"_ Ward asked.

 _ **'I don't harm kids, and believe me if I target someone it is for a very good reason, Ward.'**_ Three wondered if her underlying warning was noticed by the specialist. What was left unsaid was she knew exactly who he was and to tread carefully.

" _We don't have a lot of options here. I cannot have a bunch of SHIELD agents there, and Katseye is virtually an unknown factor. One they won't be expecting."_ Coulson said.

 _ **'You know you can just call me Kat. It's shorter and less silly.'**_ Three pointed out.

" _Fair enough, Kat."_ Coulson said. From there they worked out a plan for how the trade would go down. Three agreed to be on the roof of the building opposite Ward. _**'Alright now just so you know, I will not take any shots until Ace is safely with your team. So until then Mike you will be on your own.'**_

" _That is fine by me thank you."_

 _ **'Now I know you will still be recovering, but once Ace is safe I will start shooting the Centipede Soldiers, that will be the time to run. Okay?'**_

" _Yeah I understand."_ Mike said.

" _Then we're agreed."_ Coulson stated.

 _ **'See you there.'**_ Three typed before ending the communication. Both she and Aida were kind of surprised to be collaborating with Coulson's team, and it took everything for Three not to want to shoot Ward outright. If this was to work she needed Coulson to trust her at least a little. She immediately prepared and left for the location. Eventually she was on the rooftop of a building overlooking the bridge.

"Are you sure about this Kat? Trusting Coulson not to betray you." Aida finally asked.

"They have bigger problems Aida. Besides Coulson is SHIELD we can trust him."

"But Ward is not."

"Which is why we are on this building. The range on his rifle will not reach us anymore then mine will reach him." Three said calmly. She watched through her scope as Coulson and Peterson moved to meet Raina and the super soldier she had not killed. Her view was partially obstructed by a construction sign. Making her worry about what was happening, she saw Mike rush forward but could not fully see Raina. "C'mon guys what's happening?"

A moment later Mike was running back with his son? Wait where was Coulson? "Aida tell me what is happening!"

"According to satellite, they are taking Coulson. He is unconscious." Aida replied.

"Shit! Meaning I start shooting they'll kill him." Three said as she watched through her scope. It looked like they were getting into the car, but why were they not driving off? It was a deception tactic! "Aida patch me in to their coms now!"

"They will hear your voice," Aida warned

"Then use a filter!" Immediately she was patched in, but by then Mike was already running back to save Coulson. "Stop him! The car isn't moving because-"

A loud explosion came and Mike was caught in the blast, a moment later another explosion came as the car blew up. From there a helicopter rose up from the side of the bridge. Three knew what would happen and hit the deck as shots rang just above her, and then at the other roof top where Ward was. "Shit!" Three cursed as she got up and looked over at the direction the helicopter and had flown off in.

* * *

 **November 12** **th** **, 2013**

 **California**

Thirty-six hours since Coulson was kidnapped Three broke contact with his team rather than risk further becoming a target herself. When it was discovered that Coulson had enlisted her help Victoria Hand was called in to locate Coulson and catch her. Hence Three began searching and digging herself. She started by travelling in the direction the helicopter took, but she needed more than to travel in that direction. She frowned as she drove, and Aida updated her. "Anything Aida?"

" _Still tapped into the bus. Victoria Hand loves to throw her weight around."_

"And sounds like a complete idiot." Three concluded.

" _No one said everyone in SHIELD was smart."_

Anything on facial recognition?"

" _Nothing."_ Aida replied.

"That means they are not where cameras are. The helicopter is private; meaning untraceable. There is a lot of dead locations... we need to narrow it down." Three said thinking about what they did and didn't know.

" _Unfortunately narrowing is hard without a lead. I do have something though on Po, his personnel record says he prefers solitude."_

"Doesn't everybody?" Three asked.

" _Yes but I narrowed the field and found him at a small gas station. The direction he and his entourage headed into the desert. There is only one thing out that way. An old bomb test sight from the 1940s._ "

"Give me a GPS and I'll head that way." Three said.

" _Also just to let you know Coulson's team took down a dealer in Chitari metals. Someone called Vanchandt, and Skye was kicked from the bus by Hand throwing her weight around."_ Aida pointed out

"Where is Skye now?" Three asked.

" _She is actually only ten minutes from you."_ Aida answered, " _At an internet cafe."_

"Put her on GPS so I can locate her."

" _Are you sure that is wise?"_

"Relax I am not physically going to approach her. I am not that stupid." Pulling up outside the internet cafe she watched Skye leave and followed at a distance as she headed for a newspaper stand. She watched her for a moment as she prepared an off network phone for the hacker who then headed inside a clothes shop. Coming to stand outside the store Three waited as she adjust her colour clip and sunglasses. "Let me know when she is leaving the Cliche shopping store."

After a few minutes Aida spoke up. _"She is leaving now."_

Immediately Three headed towards the entrance and looked to be walking past it purposely bumping into Skye. "Oh! Sorry."

Continuing on her way, Skye did not even know that Three had slipped a cell phone into her bag. Doubling back to her car Three called it shocking the hacker. _"Hello?"_

"Hey there Skye. This is Kat remember me?" Three asked.

" _Yeah...you—you bumped into me and slipped me the phone."_ Skye said surprised.

"Yeah sorry about that. Look I am here to help. I am following up on a lead, but obviously you have one a stuck up SHIELD agent doesn't want to listen to. What do you need?"

" _First off how come my bracelet isn't shutting off this phone?"_

"It's what I call an off network phone. Specially set up by me, no bills no contracts, it locks onto local networks and piggy backs the system. Because it's not network accessed, SHIELDs little gadget watch cannot stop the signal." Three explained.

" _Cool! Um okay I am trying to access Vanchandt's accounts find the money to locate Centipede."_

"You think Vanchandt is key." Three said.

" _Yeah. What about your end?"_

"Running facial recognition, but the ones called Raina and Po are not showing up. They are off the grid." Three said.

" _Can you shut off my bracelet?"_ Skye asked.

"Unfortunately that is out of my hands, but I can point you in the right direction. They took Coulson off the grid, so look for land purchased that is out in the boonies. It's your best bet. Right now SHIELD is chasing it's tail thanks to Hand."

" _What about you?"_

"I am following up my own lead. We will meet in the middle no doubt." Three said still heading for the desert. Hanging up Three continued driving until she reached the location on her GPS. She parked some distance away and geared up. Pulling her sniper rifle, she peered through the scope, but at first saw nothing. After a moment she was about to say to Aida there was nothing, then someone grabbed her. Lifted off her feet she came face to face with a Centipede soldier.

 _'So much for there being nothing!'_ Three thought gasping and trying to breathe as he was crushing her airways. Instinctively she kicked him between the legs making him drop her. On her back, grounded she gasped for air, then realized her opponent was not going to let her catch her breathe. Kicking him with both feet between the legs he doubled over, and with that she did a back flip kicking him in the face. Knocking him back beyond arms length, Three flicked her wrists, bringing out her wrist daggers and entering a fighting stance.

A second later she was dodging the soldiers swings, but regardless of not wanting to kill him she knew it was kill or be killed. So when he swung she said softly. "I'm sorry." Then the blade went into his throat. The guy slumped to the ground gasping and choking before dying.

Kneeling down Three worked on catching her breath, and making sure she was not caught unaware for a second time. Then went back to dial Skye, who sounded to be on the road now. "Skye I think I found them. Ran into one of the Centipede soldiers at a-"

"Let me guess, an old bomb site." Skye said.

"Well looks like you are on the same trail. Best to call your friends I think I am outnumbered here." Three said as she loaded knock out darts into her rifle, "I will wait for you guys to show."

Knowing others would come, Three changed locations to avoid being caught by the centipede soldiers. She found an nice cosy ridge overlooking the bomb site. It did not take long at all for them to show up. Which was a good thing considering if one Centipede soldier knew you were there they would all learn of it soon enough. Especially with the controlling eye camera. Skye showed up and was looking around when the others showed as well and used their truck to hit the soldier chasing Skye. Now that they were together they stood looking around them when another two soldiers came out towards them. Immediately she shot at one of them but they kept coming. Thus Three emptied a clip of knock out darts until that soldier fell over. The other soldier and Coulson's team both looked in her direction but at this distance they most likely did not even see her. Sadly she had used all the darts on the one soldier leaving Ward to deal with the other one. So Ward went to fight him while the others went in search of Coulson. After a few moments there was a scream from within the compound—Coulson!

After a few minutes Three called Skye. "What is happening? Is Coulson-"

"He is fine, Kat." Skye said though she sounded shaken. "You had best go. We're fine here."

"Okay, keep the phone hidden. I'll be in touch." Three said packing up and leaving before anyone came to investigate. She got back to her car and took off.

* * *

Three waited until the next day when Hand and the other SHIELD teams were off the bus before making her presence known to Coulson. What she found odd was no one had reported her involvement, this was done at Coulson's request. So it was in his office that she contacted him when he was alone. _**'Hello Coulson. I hope you are well after your ordeal. Why did you not mention me to Hand?'**_

"Because you helped Skye locate me, and you mentioned someone else killed Monroe." Coulson replied yet there was hesitation in his voice as if considering something. "Lately I have been finding it hard to trust SHIELD, so I would ask for your help. You are in SHIELDs systems undetected, you can go where I can't."

 _ **'You want me to access something you can't.'**_

"I died before the battle of New York, but cannot access my own recovery records. When I was held captive things were unlocked. I need you to find out how they brought me back. Why Fury would-" Coulson stopped unable to continue.

 _ **'It will take time to locate the files and access them. It can take days, even weeks to access high security files without being detected. But you're a good man, so I will look into it for you. I may be out of touch for a while, so be careful.'**_

"Thank you, Kat. I honestly questioned my sanity when I first considered accepting your aid. I still have questions about Monroe and who killed her. But you had multiple chances to betray us and didn't, so thank you." Coulson said.

 _ **'Happy to help out. I will contact you when I have something.'**_ Once done typing that message Three again removed herself from the communication tap. She leaned back in her chair sighing.

"You did not warn him about Ward." Aida pointed out.

"If I did Ward might notice extra scrutiny, and I don't want to put Coulson or the others in danger. Besides after today, I am holding out hope."

"Hope for what?" Aida asked.

"Hope that Ward chooses Coulson and SHIELD over HYDRA. As you said; some HYDRA agents can be redeemed."

* * *

 **Author's Notes:**

 **First off thank you all for the lovely reviews.**

 **For this chapter Three has again had more interactions with the Agents of SHIELD. Just to clarify, the times when she is 'speaking' to the group on their bus is only a text based message. She is not physically speaking hence the bold lettering, but she is hearing them. The only one she actually talks to on the phone is Skye which to Three is the most trustworthy person there. It is building trust because they are definitely not going to fully trust each other right off the bat. However at the end of this chapter Coulson is willing to go on faith that he can trust Three a little since she did help them.**

 **The episodes in question are Season one Episodes 10 The Bridge and 11 The Magical Place. At the end of episode 11, I felt that this was where Coulson's trust in SHIELD was most shaken. He had just found out he died and had been dead for a lot more then 40 seconds. More than that his memories had to be altered because he was asking to die. This is why Coulson asks for Three's help in accessing his records and did not report on Three's presence to SHIELD. While he won't fully trust her he knows there is a lot more going on that he is not being told.**

 **As for Three she simply wanted Centipede dealt with but was tiring of having to tip-toe around the SHIELD agents. So she went out on a limb on this one. Normally bold moves are not something she does. In the end though this bold move seems to have paid off.**

 **Anyway I hope you liked this chapter. The next one is an extra special one because it is not just chapter 20, but it is one I am sure many of you have been waiting for. Please keep reading and reviewing, I do love reviews.**

 **Lesliezin**


	20. An Unexpected Turn of Events

**Hello everyone,**

 **Here is Chapter 20, enjoy! Also warning for this chapter this has adult content, so please be aware.**

* * *

 **June 5** **th** **, 2014**

 **Washington D.C.**

The next eight months were both busy and frustrating. HYDRA was almost silent which put Three on edge. The only active group within SHIELD was the Strike team who were being sent on high risk missions by Fury. Aside from hunting HYDRA Three still ran multiple tests on her blood trying to find a way to separate the Mastermind serum so that she could re-create it for Peggy. She was trying multiple methods, but nothing worked. Aida on the other hand was gradually going through files on Coulson's recovery and sending what she found to him. Aida also kept tabs on the Avengers and Coulson's team, but as usual the group ping-ponged around the world.

Outside of work, Three still visited Peggy and Sharon but was no closer to cutting ties with them. They would be the last ones she had any type of social interactions with, parting ways with them would mean it was just her and the AI. Thus it was just another day that Three came to visit Peggy bringing flowers as she came to front desk where Beth and Iris stood. She turned off her phone as was policy here; barely paying attention to the conversation Beth and Iris were having.

"My god did you see his arms!" Iris stated as Three picked up the pen, and the nurse held up her hands to show the size of someone's arm.

"Never mind that! His smile and sweet baby blues—Oh Lilith! You missed one of the seven wonders of the world!" Beth said as she noticed Three.

"Seven wonders?"

"Steve Rogers was here! He visited Peggy." Iris replied unable to help herself, "He is so hot! Not as hot as Thor, but still up there!" Three laughed a little as she finished signing in and was shaking her head.

"What is wrong Lil are you ill? We just told you about one of the hottest guys in the U.S walking in and you're shaking your head?" Beth pointed out.

"I am just not into blondes." Three said picking up the vase with flowers, and started heading for the elevator.

"Not—not into blondes? Is she for real? It's Captain America! And all you have to say is 'I'm not into blondes'." Iris said leaning over the counter to see Three get on the elevator.

"I like my guys tall, dark, muscular, and handsome. Find me one of those then we'll talk." Three replied as the elevator doors shut. Riding the elevator up she got off on the second floor and headed for Peggy's room. Knocking she peaked in to find Peggy in bed and smiling at her.

"Hello there miss..." Peggy started but was drawing a blank as Three entered the room.

"It's me Peggy. It's Lilith." Three answered hoping to spark the memories. Today looked like it was going to be a good day, for Peggy's eyes lit up.

"Oh Lilith! It's good to see you."

Three smiled as she held up some flowers. "I brought these for you."

"Awe you shouldn't have, but thank you." Three came to sit by Peggy and soon the pair began talking and enjoying the other's company. Sadly Sharon was at work, so Three mostly kept Peggy company. Regrettably a couple of times Three had to remind Peggy who she was, and as Peggy got tired Three decided it was best to let her rest. Telling Peggy she would see her later, Three bid her goodnight as it got dark outside. Heading downstairs, Three signed herself out then left the care home. As she was walking to her car she was going to call Sharon, so she turned on her phone and dialled Sharon but only got the answer machine. After the beep Three started talking.

"Hey Sharon it's me. Just visited Peggy, she was doing really good today. Call me back when you get this, okay? Bye." Three hung up and got into her car. It was mid-way home that Aida called her, so she put it on speaker.

"Hey Aida what's up? I am almost home now." Three said as she stopped at a red light.

" _Where have you been?! I have been trying to call you!"_ Aida asked worried.

"Relax I was just visiting Peggy, now what is it?" Three asked.

" _You need to hurry, something has happened!"_ Aida said concerned.

"What? Did you find something in your digging? Has the blood analysis turned up something?"

" _Neither, it's Fury."_ Aida said as Three resumed driving.

"What? What's happened now?"

" _Fury is dead. Kat, it was him."_ The brakes were slammed on as her car screeched to a halt. Luckily there was no one behind her on the empty street. Regardless Three knew exactly who Aida meant, and now she was on the brink of a panic attack at the mere thought of him. _'Him! Here?! Now?! No!'_ Three thought as she gripped the steering wheel in a vice like grip. _"_ _Kat? Kat! Please calm down. We need to figure out why HYDRA wanted Fury dead and suddenly out of the way. Why did they send him?"_

Three took slow steady breaths as she thought on the questions. Was Fury getting too close to the truth like Monroe? Did he hear or see something? Why attack the director of SHIELD when HYDRA was being so damn quiet?! It didn't make sense. Swallowing hard Three resumed driving as she needed to figure out the answers. "Alright I am on my way home. Aida look into Fury's activities today. Where he went, what he did, who he spoke to. I want it all, I don't care what it is even if he is just eating his lunch. We need to know why he was suddenly targeted. Okay?"

" _I will begin getting us clearance to access what we need to."_ Aida said.

In five minutes, Three pulled into the hideout and was almost too impatient to wait for the scanners to search for any possible trackers. Getting out of the car she made a beeline straight for the computers as she took off her jacket and draped it over the back of the chair. "Anything yet?"

"I have just gotten us access clearances that will allow us camera and audio feeds. Fury was in his office for most of the day. Then at 1:45pm Steve Rogers entered his office."

"Then we start from 1:45pm." Three said accessing the recordings. She watched as Steve entered the office angry at something Fury did.

" _You just can't stop yourself from lying. Can you?"_

" _I didn't lie. Agent Romanoff had different mission than yours."_ Fury said calmly not even bothering to turn around in his chair.

" _Which you didn't feel obligated to share."_

" _I'm not obliged to do anything."_ Fury still did not turn around.

" _Those hostages could have died, Nick."_

" _I sent the greatest soldier in history to make sure that didn't happen."_ Fury said finally turning around to face Rogers.

" _Soldiers trust each other. That is what makes it an army. Not just a bunch of guys running around shooting guns."_ Steve pointed out.

" _Last time I trusted someone, I lost an eye. Look, I didn't want you doing anything you weren't comfortable with. Agent Romanoff is comfortable with everything."_ Fury said rising from his chair.

" _I can't lead a mission when the people I'm leading have missions of their own."_

" _It's called compartmentalization. Nobody spills the secrets because nobody knows them all."_

" _Except you."_ Rogers pointed at Fury still annoyed.

" _You are wrong about me, I do share. I'm nice like that."_ From there they left Fury's office and got in an elevator. Access to what happened was sadly restricted to where Three nor Aida could access it. "Aida what happened next?"

"Rogers left the Triskelion at 2:24pm. From there Fury returned to his office and issued the order his office be secured at 3:05pm."

"Alright, let's see if can we can trick the system into allowing access." Three said as she began trying to breach the access. After a moment she again accessed the security camera of Fury's office moments after he asked his office to be secured. The director put in a device into his computer. "Looks like a secure computer fob."

" _Open Lemurian Stars satellite launch file."_ Fury ordered

" _Access denied."_ The SHIELD computer replied after attempting to access the fob.

" _Run decryption."_ Fury said coming around his computer.

" _Decryption failed."_

" _Director Override. Fury, Nicolas J."_

" _Override denied. All files sealed."_ The computer stated.

" _On who's authority?"_

" _Fury, Nicolas J."_

"That's odd." Three said checking the authorization signatures that mimicked the directors codes, "Aida was there another hacker accessing SHIELD?" The possibility was a long shot no one could have infiltrated SHIELD undetected.

"Not that I was aware of." Aida replied.

"Because someone overrode Fury. Whatever was on the fob should have been accessible. Where did Fury go after he was denied access?"

"He went to the World Security Council's level."

"Who is on the council?" Three asked as she tracked Fury's movements throughout the Triskelion via the recordings for that day.

"Nagendra Singh, Andrew Rockwell, Christine Hawley, Chang Yen, and Alexander Pierce." Aida replied realizing the problem with the last name. Three continued to tap into the camera feeds for the World Security council. Pierce was in a meeting with the other members until he received word Fury wanted to see him.

" _I work 40 floors away and it takes a hijacking for you to visit?"_

" _A nuclear war would do it too. Busy in there?"_ Fury asked shaking Pierce's hand.

" _Nothing some earmarks can't fix."_

" _I'm here to ask a favour. I want you to call for a vote. Project Insight has to be delayed."_ _'Project Insight? What is that? Is that why he was targeted?'_ Three wondered as she watched carefully.

" _Nick, that's not a favour, that's a sub-committee hearing. A long one."_

" _It could be nothing. It probably is nothing. I just need time to make sure it is nothing."_

" _But if it's something?"_

" _Than we'll both be damn glad those Helicarriers are not in the air."_ _'Helicarriers? So this project has something to do with launching Helicarriers?'_ Three frowned wondering what on earth this project could be about. If he was seeing that bastard Pierce about it, then it had to be the reason the Winter Soldier was sent. But why?!

" _Fine. But you gotta get Iron Man to stop by my niece's birthday party."_ Three watched as the two men shook hands.

" _Thank you sir."_

" _And not just a flyby. He has got to mingle."_ Thus the little meeting ended and Fury left the World security council room. Three tracked his movements as Fury left. He took the elevator down to the ground floor and headed for the garage to leave. Three leaned back in her chair frowning at the meeting.

"Aida I need you to drop everything. We need to access Project Insight." Three said as she set to work.

"The approximate hours it will take to access the program if we cut corners is seventeen hours."

"And if we both tag team it?"

"We can shave it down to eight hours." Aida calculated. By then it was very early in the morning and five hours three hours into the hack when another alert came. This one shocked Three as she found she had been knocked out of the most wanted spot by none other than Steve Rogers. "Is it just me or is HYDRA finally making itself known?"

"It's look like HYDRA is finally making it's play in a big way." Three said.

"Look at it this way, you are no longer the most wanted person on SHIELD's list." Aida replied trying to find the silver lining.

"Not at all helpful, Aida." Three sighed, "Alright I will try to help with the Insight hack when I can, but I am also going to look into safeguarding Rogers. Monitoring him to ensure HYDRA doesn't get to him." Three began hacking camera feeds to learned when and where Rogers was. He had escaped the Triskelion at 7:13am. She used traffic camera feeds to track his movements, Steve was not just good looking but smart. He stole some clothes from a store, then left some money on the counter. From there he returned to the hospital, and left with Romanoff, meaning there was something he had to get from the hospital. While tracking the pair, Three caused what she called a digital black cloud over Rogers. It basically blurred cameras on phones, traffic cams, and other digital equipment so that being located by SHIELD was next to impossible.

* * *

 **June 6** **th** **, 2014**

 **Washington D.C.**

Three continued to monitor both Rogers and Romanoff while Aida worked towards unlocking Project Insight. Strangely the pair entered a shopping centre, which would not have been Three's first choice; even with Roger's sad attempt to look like a dork. Glasses or no Rogers was too noticeable and handsome. Three shook her head as she used camera footage to watch them as they came into a computer store. _'Okay why a computer store?'_ The question was answered for her when they plugged in a very familiar looking security fob. _'Oh they want to access the fob and find out what is on it.'_

Fortunately, Three was quick with the keys as she hacked the computer they were using and was looking at the same thing they were. "Wow nice try Romanoff." Three muttered as she remote accessed some of the programs then gasped. "The program rewrites itself just like an...like an AI. Aida you hear me?"

"Yes, Kat." Aida replied.

"They are dealing with an AI. It rewrites itself... Huh. Looks like Romanoff is running a tracer on it's origins. Smart girl, but I can do one better..." Three said as she overrode some of the rewrite to allow the trace to happen. Otherwise it might have taken them too long to trace the signal and they would be caught. As it was she noticed the store clerk come up to ask if they needed help. "Times a ticking. You guys need to move...move now!"

Three was about to message them to move before SHIELD found them when the pair unplugged the fob and walked away. "Good..." Three breathed, but already she was spying the Strike team looking for them. Digital darkness only went so far, if they were spotted it would not matter what tech was blurred. Three watched as the pair got on the escalator going down. She saw Rumlow coming up, so she understood why Romanoff kissed Rogers. Still she glared at how Steve seemed to enjoy the kiss. "Shame on you Rogers I am so telling Sharon on you."

"Really how are you going to tell her?" Aida teased, making Three roll her eyes. From there Rogers and Romanoff left the shopping centre and stole a car. To help them further, Three hacked the police records and altered the plate numbers of the 'stolen' vehicle when it was reported stolen. It would buy them more time at least. Lastly she put a tag on Romanoff's burner phone so that she could keep tabs on them. As Three knew where they were heading she turned her attention back towards helping Aida with project Insight's file.

"How far along are you Aida?"

"I have a level seven clearance, Project Insight requires a level nine. I am currently trying to acquire a level eight. I am infiltrating subroutines and subtly altering protocols to allow more access." Aida stated, "However I am also encountering interference. Someone is attempting to alter the protocols I rewrite."

"Let's see." Three said looking at the 'signature' of the one causing interference. "It's the same re-write program on the fob. The AI that restricted access to reading the file. I will handle him."

Three immediately entered more protocols to draw the AIs attention, it was kind of like playing chess only the risks were being locked out of systems. However Three was highly skilled, she had not danced around HYDRA all these years to be outdone by a damn HYDRA AI. In fact her gaining the AIs attention meant that Aida could override the AI at certain protocols slowly locking him out. Then without warning the AI vanished and his signal origin disappeared. "What the hell?!"

"It looks like the AI was cut from the system. Strange." Aida said as both wondered what happened. Three looked over at the other monitor that was tracking Rogers and Romanoff. The signal was patchy and so she accessed satellite imaging to find rubble and flames.

"Shit!" Three gasped as she peered at the area, then Rogers emerged with an unconscious Romanoff. Already Strike was in route, when Steve made his escape. In monitoring Steve, she lost visual, but traced Romanoff's phone still.

"With the AI now gone I can do this faster."

"Good. How many hours left?"

"With the AI gone my progress is no longer slowed. Yet it will still take ten hours to acquire next level clearance and then access Project Insight." Aida stated.

"I get the feeling Project Insight is HYDRA's winning card. I cannot shake it, they do not send the Winter Soldier for just anyone." Three said leaning back in her chair to think.

"What do you suppose it is?"

"Fury mentioned helicarriers, the project must have them. Rogers and Romanoff must know something." Three said thinking, "Fury also wanted the project delayed. Something Pierce did not want. My money is on Rogers and Romanoff wanting to stop Insight. I may need a way into the Triskelion again."

"That is highly risky, Kat."

"I know, but I don't think we want Insight to come into play." Three said thinking, "Keep working on accessing Insight. I'll contact the Shadow Network, I doubt posing as a Stark technician will work again." Using the usual video call Three soon came face to face with Cutter, Shado, and Doc.

"Three to what do we owe the pleasure?" Cutter asked. Three went into detail explaining the situation to them.

"So in short you need into the Triskelion to help Captain America." Doc stated.

"That is the long and short of it." Three stated, "Got anything?"

"I think we got just the trick. In fact one of ours acquired it recently." Shado smiled.

"Acquired what?" Three asked.

"One of SHIELD's own toys." Cutter said, "He acquired the tech several months back and we have had the best replicate it for our own use. We can overnight the original for use, now that we have copied it."

"That would be perfect, but you have not said what it is." Three pointed out.

"It is a Prosthetic Veil or Nano mask as they call it." Cutter answered.

"How does it work?" Three asked.

"The Photostatic Veil is a thin, mesh veil of programmable, nano-sized holographic cells, creating a photostatic surface that can mimic the appearance of anybody's face. It also includes a voice modifier that can precisely mimic a wide range of voices. In order to imitate the face and voice of a person, a DNA and voice sample from that person are required. These are scanned by a special case which calibrates the mask to make a highly accurate imitation of the desired person." Doc replied fascinated by the tech.

"Cool, so all I need is an agent of SHIELD's or HYDRA's, and I can easily infiltrate the Triskelion again." Three said thinking it all over carefully.

"We will overnight it to you, it should be there in time for you to use it." Cutter said.

"Great thank you." Three said.

"And Three be careful." Shado said before the channel was closed and Three sighed. She looked at her watch and groaned at the time, it was 10:48pm.

"You need rest." Aida pointed out.

"I don't think I can." Three replied as the idea of the Winter Soldier being in Washington set her on edge. As it was, enough of her nightmares featured the metal armed man.

"How come you never looked him up?" Aida asked as though sensing the reason Three did not want to sleep.

"A child does not check their closet looking for the monster there. When I was...five or six.. it was just after the first injection. He was standing outside my cell by Pierce. Bloody and frightening and he terrified me." Three said shaken, "I saw him again, years later. They sent him after me."

Three hugged herself as the memory came back behind her closed eye lids. Flashes so real she wanted to cry. She remembered running onto the Nanjing bridge begging him to let her go. "And then to find out that they were going to give me to him. I was scared to look, I still am!"

"Three if we join this fight, you may have no choice but to face him."

"I am kind of hoping the Captain will face him, while I take out the entire Strike team and Pierce." Three said trying to crack a joke, but didn't laugh. In truth she may have no choice but to fight him, could she do it? She wanted to believe she could, she was not the teenager on the bridge or the scared little girl anymore. She was SHIELD's most wanted, she had fought HYDRA for years, and she would keep fighting till the end.

"Well if you are going to join this fight you need to be at one-hundred percent. That means sleeping." Aida pointed out, "I will continue the hack and provide digital darkness for Rogers and Romanoff. Go rest."

Three sighed as she rose from her seat, Aida was right and as much as she dreaded the nightmares that would come with sleep she knew she needed it.

* * *

 **June 6** **th** **, 2014**

 **Washington D.C.**

 _Three moaned softly at the content feeling, yet it was also strange. She had never been this relaxed and calm. It always felt dangerous to relax this much. Wait, why was she this relaxed? Three stretched in the bed noting the soft silky sheets and the silk sleep shirt she was wearing. Silk? She didn't sleep in silk. Her eyes fluttered open wondering where she was because the room was not hers any more than the bed was. The room was simply decorated. To her right there was a bathroom, to her left a desk, chair, and a familiar book that once belonged to Four. Next to the desk was a dresser. The room held no windows, just a door at the foot of the bed. A door that opened as if the person on the other side knew she was awake, and was waiting for this moment to enter._

 _The door swung open revealing the last person Three ever wanted to see. Still dressed in his black tactical gear, and wearing that mask. His cold emotionless eyes watched her as he stepped into the room. Her heart raced as a panic attacked threatened to overwelm her. Three watched him reach up with his metal hand and grab the door closing it. The harsh sound of the door slamming closed made her jump and react. She threw off the covers wanting to escape the bed, and would have succeeded had he not been so fast!_

 _He had caught her ankle, and dragged her towards him. Her sleep shirt rolled up, and she felt from the stomach down, exposed. 'No! This cannot be happening!' Three thought as she pushed her shirt down, and tried to push him away. His metal hand caught in her panties tearing them from her body harshly. This made her panic more as she tried to kick him away from her. The kicks landing ineffective blows that only seemed to annoy him more than anything. Finally she kicked him in the face knocking off the mask, but before she could get a clear look under those dark strands his flesh hand backhanded her across the face. It knocked her senseless as she tasted blood on her lips, and saw stars. Was it really his flesh hand? Sure as hell felt like the metal one._

 _Three tried to regain focus as she was vaguely aware of him undoing his belt and trousers. However as much as Three tried to regain her senses she was still dizzy, and her attempts to push him away only served to infuriate him further. Eventually, he must have had enough because to add to her dizziness she was flipped over onto her stomach. The action made her want to throw up as the room spun. She groaned as her legs were spread, and she was yanked onto her hands and knees by the waist._

" _Get your hands off of me!" Three yelled defiantly as she tried to squirm, and wiggle loose. She dug her nails into his flesh hand drawing blood. However he did not even flinch as he gripped her hips tighter making her almost cry out at the crushing hold he had. The pain was enough to stop her struggles for a moment, which was what he wanted. Yanked back hard, Three screamed as it felt like she was being stabbed. The Winter Soldier roughly slamming his length into her, and tearing away her innocence. This was more painful than the mental assault Loki had used on her, as tears rolled down her face._

" _No, no please stop!" Three begged as he withdrew some then slammed back into her. Another scream was forced out of her as she gripped the sheets for dear life. He repeated the action over and over each time it felt like she was being torn in two. Each time she screamed, begged, pleaded for him to stop, but he wasn't. Instead he began going faster, and harder making the experience more painful. She felt his breath on her neck as he leaned over her, and his metal hand grabbed her shoulder to hold her up and in place. He was going so hard, and fast she felt like he was going to break something inside her. On some level she hoped it would kill her at least then she would be free._

" _Easy Soldier," A voice came in from a speaker. Someone was watching this?! Watching him rape her?! "Easy! Orders were clear. You are to get her pregnant not break her."_

 _'What?! No!' Three thought as she tried to struggle. Her greatest nightmares were being realized as HYDRA had her and she was being used in Project Trinity. The soldier lightened up as ordered which made Three struggle more._

" _Don't resist him, Three. It will be easier if you just accept this." The voice said again as Three tried to get away, but he was too strong and too close. He held on as his trusting became fierce and fast, then she heard him gasp as he began jerking inside her. A moment later she felt the splash of a hot liquid inside her, it felt like liquid fire burning her inside and making her cry even more._

 _Three bowed her head crying and ashamed as she shook like a leaf. The soldier however did not move at all. What was worse was he was still as hard an iron bar inside her. Yet he was not moving as he remained lodged inside her. "Please, please let me go."_

" _Again Soldier, Pierce wants to make sure she conceives." The voice said, making Three cry more as the soldier began trusting into her again._

" _No! No please!" Three screamed._

"NO!" Three screamed waking up and shaking as she grabbed a gun from under her pillow and aimed it around her looking for anyone in the room.

"Kat! It's alright, you are safe!" Aida said, the AI's gentle voice was calming her down. Shakily Three lowered the gun crying. "It's alright no one else is here. You are safe." Three nodded as she was slowly calming down, her heart rate slowing. "Do you want to talk about it?"

"Pro—project Trinity." Three said crying. The AI immediately knew what type of dream and who it was about.

"He is not here. No one is taking you away. HYDRA is going to be destroyed. There will never be a project Trinity, and you are never going to be held prisoner be those monsters again. You will never be given to the Winter Soldier! Understand?!" Aida asked firmly.

"Ye—ah. Yes." Three said still shaken as she wiped the sweat away from her forehead.

"Good then go shower, dress, and get some breakfast." Aida ordered, "I am an hour from having Project Insight access."

"Where are Rogers and Romanoff?"

"I traced their movements to an address the owner is one Sam Wilson. However I do not know who that is exactly, though they appear to be safe for the moment." Aida said, nodding Three rose from the bed and did as she was told. She showered, dressed, and ate some breakfast before coming down to the ground floor.

"Where are we now?"

"Just gained access to Project Insight." Aida answered, and as Three took a seat the file was opened. Suddenly Three was looking at design specs for the helicarriers Fury mentioned. This project was a preventative measure against potential threats. At least that was what SHIELD wanted it for. "This is not good."

"You can say that again." Three said, "SHIELD wanted this to prevent another threat from harming the world, but we both know HYDRA will use it for something else."

"Fury must have figured out that the helicarriers would be used for HYDRAs means, not SHIELDs." Aida said.

"We need to be on the same damn page as Rogers and Romanoff. Tap Romanoff's phone so that we hear what they do." Three instructed, that was when her own phone beeped. _**'Package arrived. Usual spot.'**_ "I need to go pick up the item the Shadow Network sent. I'll be back soon."

Hopping into her car, Three drove off and tried to relax. The nightmare had thrown her off her game, and reminded her of what she trully feared. Sure she had had nightmares of him and Loki before but this one felt so real. _'But it wasn't real, nor will it ever happen.'_ Three thought to herself as she drove. In New York packages were usually sent and Rilo would drop them off at her place, but here in Washington her contact set up a meeting location for such deliveries: an out of the way parking garage that was rarely used. Pulling into the parking garage it was her usual contact in a black nondescript car.

This guy in question was a medium build, average height, man with dark hair called Owens. As usual he was leaning against the back of his car wearing dark sunglasses. As she got out of her car to meet him, he spoke up. "Always a pleasure, Dragon."

Three refrained from rolling her eyes, Owens always called her that because of her title within the Shadow Network. Instead she gave a smile. "Owens."

Owens immediately turned and opened his trunk pulling out a case from the trunk. "The network says you already have the specs on this, so you should have no trouble."

"Yes, seems pretty straight forward." Three replied, as Owens closed his trunk and brought the case to her.

"Good, then here you go." Owens said handing her the case, "Have fun." Both parted ways with Owens taking off first as Three checked the case as an added precaution. Once satisfied she got into her car, and was pulling out of the parking garage when Three's phone rang, the name ' **Aida'** showed up. Putting it on loudspeaker as she drove.

"Yes Aida what is it?"

" _A few minutes ago we hit paydirt, but I did not want to disrupt your business meeting. The group nabbed someone. I am patching you in now. Listen to this, it's off Romanoff's phone."_

" _Tell me about Zola's algorithm."_ Steve Rogers voice came in loud and clear.

" _Never heard of it."_ A new voice answered no doubt the person they nabbed.

" _What were you doing on the Lemurian Star?"_ The Lemurian Star was mentioned before by Fury when he tried to open the computer fob.

" _I was throwing up. I get seasick."_ The man replied then gasped, _"_ _Is this little display meant to insinuate that you're gonna throw me off the roof? Because it's really not your style Rogers."_ They must be on a roof for that.

"Aida satellite, triangulate the cell phone location to find the roof. You should get something." Three suggested as the conversation continued.

" _On it."_ Aida replied, a moment later the cell phone screen showed an aerial view of a roof with the three of them on it. Three immediately recognised the man they were talking to. Agent Sitwell she had met him when she infiltrated the Triskelion.

" _You're right. It's not. It's hers."_ A second later Sitwell screamed as Natasha kicked him off the roof.

" _Oh wait. What about that girl from accounting? Laura..."_ Natasha suggested, was she trying to find Rogers a date?

" _Lilian. Lip piercing right?"_ Steve asked.

" _Yeah she's cute."_

" _Yeah. I'm not ready for that."_ Steve said, then the screams returned as another man with wings flew up carrying Sitwell and dropped him on the roof.

" _Zola's algorithm is a program. For choosing Insights targets."_ The man said, as Three pulled over to hear this rather then keep driving.

" _What targets?"_

" _You! A TV anchor in Cairo, the under Secretary of Defense, a high school Valadictorian in Iowa City, Bruce Banner, Steven Strange, Katseye, anyone who's a threat to HYDRA. Now or in the future."_

"Crap!" Three said aloud knowing just how an algorithm could be used, hell they used one to find HYDRA agents.

" _In the future? How could it know?"_

Sitwell started laughing as Three already knew the answer. _"_ _How could it not? The 21_ _st_ _century is a digital book. Zola taught HYDRA how to read it. Your bank records, Medical histories, voting patterns, e-mails, phone calls, your damn SAT scores! Zola's algorithm evaluates peoples past to predict their future."_

" _And what then?"_ Steve asked.

" _Oh my god. Pierce is going to kill me."_

" _What then?!"_

" _Then the Insight helicarriers scratch people off the list. A few million at a time."_ Three sat there shocked for a moment. All this time she used a similar algorithm to hunt down HYDRA, and here some guy named Zola created one for everyone else. Straightening she did not really hear the rest of the converation as she considered her options.

"Aida how long before they launch Project Insight?"

"Sixteen hours forty-seven minutes." Aida replied.

"Alright keep track of them, and look for a way to stop the helicarriers. I'll be back soon." Three said as she pulled back onto the road. Heading home, she arrived and immediately began gathering her weapons and gear. "I am afraid I have found no definitive way to stop the helicarriers. However I have caused a glitch in the programming."

"What kind of glitch?" Three asked.

"A two minute delay in the targetting program. The helicarriers need three-thousand feet allitude to initiate the targetting sequence. I have instilled a glitch that resets the targetting perameters making it think it still has to reach three-thousand feet. The problem is the glitch needs to be initiated at the launch computer. I can instill the program on a computer fob for you to use. Once installed it can auto execute the glitch. Sadly it's all I can do there is no way to stop the helicarriers once they are launched, not unless the targetting blades are changed on all three carriers." Changing the blades was a good idea, but Three could not be in three places at once so the timer delay was her best option.

"Alright it's something at least. Go ahead." Three said as she plugged in a computer fob for Aida to use. Meanwhile she continued to get ready and had started looking up the IDs of SHIELD agents. She needed a woman of similar height and build to pull this off. She took down the name of one named Micalah Diaz. The woman was a single mom, so going into work early was not an option for her. The perfect person to impersonate since Diaz would be out of harm's way and not be at risk of being killed by HYDRA. Three was just looking over her address when Aida spoke up. "Kat there is a complication. On the highway."

Already the news was showing a shoot-out between Steve, Natasha, Sam, and unknown assailents. Well one assailent was known and Three stared wide eyed at some footage taken on a shaky phone. The Winter Soldier just like she remembered him on the bridge calmly walked down the street toting an assault rifle. Whoever was recording ducked back down when the Soldier stopped, then there was an explosion. The phone's owner was cursing up a storm as he freaked out, and half the words were beeped out. When he rose again Natasha was fighting the Soldier, but not winning by any means of the word. If the Black Widow was having trouble against him, how was Three suppose to fight him?

The scenes were still scattered, but Three did see a brief fight scene from the shaky camera phone between Steve Rogers and the Winter Soldier. However when a gunshot sounded too close to the owner of the phone he ran off. The next thing shown was the group being arrested by Strike from a helicopter. "Track Romanoff's phone." Three said suiting up.

"Unfortunately Romanoff's phone must have been destroyed."

"Okay, what about Sam or Steve?"

"Neither one has a phone I can lock onto."

"Rumlow then?"

"Locking onto his signal." Aida said as Three geared up and got on her motorcycle. She didn't hang around as Aida GPS'd it to her own phone, so she could follow the group. "Satellite imaging shows they have them in the end nondescript black van. Heading out of the populated area, to a derilect part of town."

"They are going to shoot them and ditch the bodies." Three replied as she was closing in on their current location.

"The vans have stopped in an tunnel." Aida said as Three stopped not far away and killed the engine on her motorcycle to not alert them to her. She pulled out her rifle as she peeked around the corner of the building she was next to. She was just taking aim at Rumlow's head when they opened the van and found it empty.

"Looks like they escaped." Three said, though to where was a very good question as Rumlow kicked the door cursing. Three smiled at the man throwing a tantrum because he could not get his way. Putting her rifle away she left, and returned home. The timer was still ticking down, and they did not have time to track down Captain America.

"Aida is the timer delay fob ready?"

"Yes though what good it will do us I cannot say." Aida replied, "Especially since Rogers is off the grid and we have no way of cordinating with him."

"But we are on the same page. We both know what HYDRA intends to do, and we both know it has to be stopped." Three said taking the delay fob, and stuffing it in her suit's belt pocket.

"Kat?" Aida asked wondering what she intended to do.

"We will need to be inside the Triskelion to help them however we can." Three stated.

"You cannot be serious! How do you know Rogers will even be there? What if you run into the Winter Soldier?"

"Steve will be there, he is a good guy. He won't let this happen without a fight, a big one. As for the Winter Soldier... I am really hoping Rogers fights him as I probably won't stand a chance in hell." Three said confidently as she did some last minute checks, and added some things to her pack.

* * *

 **Author's Notes:**

 **First thank you all for the lovely reviews.**

 **Well here is the chapter you have been waiting for we have finally entered Captain America The Winter Soldier territory. Well this is the first half anyway. There is of course some things to note. As mentioned at the beginning this chapter has an explicit scene where Three has a nightmare. I know for some this may be difficult to read so I figured I better explain that for Three the Winter Soldier is to her... the Boogie Man. There is bound to be a lot of anxiety towards going into a situation where she might be facing off against him. The dream is meant to point out that fear and how she will exercise a lot more caution going into this situation.**

 **The other issue or possible issue is the fact that she is not in the fight yet. Mostly she and Aida are hacking into systems and monitoring the situation, but that obviously will not remain the case for long. As for what happens next? Well you will have to keep reading... no spoilers here.**

 **Anyway please let me know what you think by leaving a review. Was there any parts you liked or disliked?**

 **Lesliezin**


	21. The Big Reveal

**Hello everyone,**

 **Here is Chapter 21, enjoy.**

* * *

 **June 7** **th** **, 2014**

 **Washington D.C.**

The next morning it was five hours from the launch time, as Three drove out heading for the address she had memorized. She was in an urban area with white picket fences and lovely houses. She watched as Diaz stood on the front porch waving to her daughter who went to the stop out front and got on the school bus. Then Miss Diaz went back inside to get ready for work, Three waited until the street was clear then quietly headed to the door of the house. Picking the lock, Three slipped inside the home. She could hear Diaz in the room opposite the living room and as she peeked in she noticed the SHIELD agent laying our her clothes. Clothes she would not need today because she was not going into work. Luckily the level eight clearance operative did not notice or see Three. However as Three pulled out the dart gun and shot the woman she gasped before crumbling to the ground.

"Sorry about this Miss Diaz." Three said softly as she tied Diaz to a chair with some cable ties, and gagged her. Going back out to the car she got the nano mask case and went back inside. The item was fairly easy to use, she took a blood sample and picture for the machine that printed a sheet of the brunette's face. Then took a voice sample from the house phone's answering machine. "Let's hope this works."

* * *

To say Three was nervious walking into the Triskelion wearing another woman's face was an understatement. Here she was dressed in a suit, carrying her gear in a duffle bag through a heavily secured building. However no one stopped her or even batted an eyelash, being a level eight clearance they pretty much accepted this was the norm. Heading upstairs, Three knew that the World Security Council was on the fiftyth floor. The launch control room was on the fortyth floor, and she needed to be close by. Heading upstairs via the elevator Three almost bit her own tongue because of who got on the elevator beside her. What was worse was Rumlow was making no attempt to hide the fact he was checking her out.

"Agent Diaz." Rumlow smiled at her.

"Agent Rumlow." Three said then tried to ignore how he was looking at her. No doubt the real Diaz must feel very creeped out by this.

"I don't suppose you reconsidered my offer." Rumlow said, and Three merely looked at him. "You know dinner sometime, or a coffee."

Three swallowed down the bile rising in her throat, then Aida softly warned her. _"_ _Kat, Diaz has filed a sexual harrassment complaint against Rumlow."_

"Did my complaint not make things clear Agent Rumlow?" The creepy smile faded from Brock's face, "Then perhaps this will. Just because I am a single mother does not mean I am that desperate." The angry look Rumlow gave was priceless, and just then the elevator dinged. "Excuse I think I will get off here."

With that Three stepped off the elevator leaving a fuming Rumlow. Alone in the hall she found she was on the thirty-six floor. Mostly it was a records floor, and was mostly empty. _"_ _Well now I think you fooled Rumlow."_ Aida said cheerily.

"Good, though now I am concerned for Agent Diaz."

" _Don't be, if we succeed HYDRA and everyone in it will go with them. Diaz will be safe."_ Heading into a side room with more records Three knelt down dropping the duffle bag and pulling out her gear. She quickly took off the suit and colour clip for her hair, lastly she took off the nano-mask revealing her own face. From there she was getting changed and arming herself when a familiar voice came over the PA.

" _Attention all SHIELD agents, this is Steve Rogers."_ Three looked up at the speaker Steve's voice came through, and smiled as she checked her weapons over. _"_ _You've heard a lot about me over the last few days. Some of you were even ordered to hunt me down. But I think it's time you knew the truth."_

There was a pause as Three stiffened as the reality hit. She was no longer alone. She was not alone in this fight, not anymore; Captain America was in this fight too. _"_ _SHIELD is not what we thought it was. It's been taken over by HYDRA. Alexander Pierce is their leader. The Strike and Insight crew are HYDRA as well. I don't know how many more, but I know they are in the building."_

Three released the breath she had held, now that the truth was out, it was just confirmed. In truth she expected to feel relieved for so long she fought this alone and in the shadows. Now though she felt exposed knowing she would fight this battle in the light of day alongside others. _"_ _They could be standing right next to you. They almost have what they want. Absolute control. They shot Nick Fury. And it won't end there. If you launch those helicarriers today, HYDRA will be able to kill anyone that stands in their way. Unless we stop them. I know I am asking a lot, but the price of freedom is high. It always has been, and it's a price I am willing to pay. And if I am the only one, than so be it."_

Three had to smile at that as she shook her head. _'Oh you are definitely not alone in this Rogers.'_ Three thought as she pulled on her ninja type mask and pulled her hood up. _"_ _But I am willing to bet I am not."_

"That is our cue Aida." Three said as she rose to her feet, and quickly left the records room.

" _There is a situation in the launch control room. Rumlow is up there, as is Sharon."_ Aida replied.

"Keep me posted. I'm on my way." Three said as she headed down the hall towards the stairs. Luckily this level being the records level, was pretty quiet as she took the stairwell. Then she ran into two agents, surprising them.

" _Neither one is HYDRA."_ Aida replied watching Three through the cameras. Both looked like technicians, not trained operatives.

"You both need to leave the building now." Three said.

"You're not going to kill us?" The girl asked nervous.

"No you're not HYDRA. Now get going." Three said. She moved passed them and took the stairs two at a time. Heading up, she got to the thirty-seventh floor where two others reached the stairwell. This time one was SHIELD, but the other was HYDRA from what Aida was telling Three. So she rushed up and immediately attacked the HYDRA agent before he could turn on the SHIELD agent. Three yelled out at the SHIELD agent. "Run!"

The poor SHIELD agent was confused and stood still as she backed against the wall. Three was fighting the HYDRA man for control of his gun, as he tried to kill her. The slamming of the door alerted Three to someone else entering the stairwell, and Aida warning her it was another HYDRA agent. Kneeing the guy between the legs he doubled over and she turned his gun on the other HYDRA agent gunning him down efficently. Looking back at the SHIELD agent Three added. "Did I stutter?! I said run!"

Immediately the SHIELD agent started to move, but Three was too busy to notice. The agent Three was fighting started to recover and countered: he grabbed her slamming her into a wall, but she kicked him hard in the inside of his knee and forcing him into a kneeling position. From there she brought out one of her blades driving it into his neck. The man slumped to the ground, and Three took a moment to breathe before continuing up.

" _Launch has been initiated by Rumlow."_ Aida warned.

"And Sharon?" Three asked worried.

"Sharon is protecting one of the technicians who is trying to stop the launch, but HYDRA agents are causing trouble." Aida said as Three rushed up the last flight of stairs. Both had gone over the Triskelion schematics, so Three knew where she was going as she left the stairs onto the fortieth floor. As soon he left the stairwell she was thrown into the fighting. HYDRA and SHIELD agents fought one another all around her. Most HYDRA agents were easily identifable being from Strike. Down the hall she had entered she saw one Hydra agent at the end about to shoot a SHIELD agent. Closer was another HYDRA agent trying to imbed his knife into a SHIELD agent, and mid-way down was another SHIELD agent wrestling with a HYDRA agent to avoid being shot.

Rushing forward Three shot the furthest agent in the head, then jumped and kicked the closest HYDRA agent away from the SHIELD agent knocking him to the ground. In the next moment she shot the other HYDRA agent in the hand, forcing him to drop the gun. The closest HYDRA agent was getting up and still had his knife. He slashed at her, but she narrowly dodged the swipe.

Staggering to his feet he rushed her, she easily dodged the blade and flicked her own wrist bringing out her concealed dagger. As he went to slash her again, Three caught his wrist then stabbed him twice in quick succession once in the stomach, then in the chest. She immediately twirled around to face the third guy as he was now trying to choke the SHIELD agent against the wall. So she came up kicking him in the back of the knees, which forced him onto his knees. With one quick move she snapped his neck and he fell to the ground.

The three surviving SHIELD agents stood there stunned to find themselves saved by Katseye of all people. Three looked at them, the comical fish out of water expressions would have had her laughing if the situation wasn't so bad. "You need to leave, now!"

For a moment the SHIELD agents sat there stunned. "NOW! Not later!" Three yelled, "I don't have time to be a babysitter!"

The sharp tone seemed to snap them back to reality as they helped each other down the hall she had just come from. Then Three heard gunshots. _'Sharon!'_ Three thought as she ran down the hall towards the Insight launch room. She was approaching the room when she saw some Strike team members shooting at SHIELD agents inside. Four of them were there with the fifth one going down, shot.

Rushing forward she shot the furthest one and stabbed the closest one in the throat. By then the other two realized she was there and were turning to riddle her with their machine pistols. She rushed the second one and grabbing his wrist the shot went over her head as she shot him in the stomach and positioned herself so the third guy would have to shoot through his companion to get to her. Sadly the guy did try to shoot, but armour piercing rounds did not go through armour, body, more armour then her. The laws of physics were quite clear on that matter. Three twisted around when she heard the click of an empty clip and shot the third HYDRA agent in the head.

Looking in the launch room she was met by more stunned SHIELD agents and one of them was a familiar blonde. Slowly Three stepped into the launch room as she took in their numbers. There was Sharon, a curly haired engineer, four SHIELD agents and several personnel. The shock wore off fast as Sharon and the four agents pointed their guns at her. Three sighed. Of course she would be met by suspicion – for several years she was SHIELD's most wanted. Dropping her gun she discretely tucked the wrist dagger away since she could not drop it. Raising her hands above her head she spoke up knowing Sharon would recognize her voice. "I am not the enemy you think I am. I was put on SHIELD's most wanted list by HYDRA. I am here to help!"

The agents were looking at each other now confused on whether or not to believe her, so she slowly moved forward hands up. "Ask yourselves why I just killed HYDRA agents, but am talking to you."

Sharon went wide eyed as she recognized her voice, and Three looked the blonde in the eye wanting to tell her how sorry she was for keeping this secret for so long. For a moment Sharon had an unreadable expression on her face, then issued the order. "Lower your guns. She is on our side. Apparently."

The SHIELD agents complied as Sharon turned to the curly haired engineer. "Can you stop the launch?"

The engineer shook his head as he was at the computer trying to abort it. "No I can't. The only way is if the targetting blades are replaced."

"Which I believe Captain America is already trying to do." Three spoke up having lowered her arms, "It cannot be aborted, but you can buy the Cap more time."

Three slowly pulled out the delay fob Aida created, she held it up. "This will delay the targetting computers by two minutes. Hopefully it will give the Cap enough time to put the targetting blade into the helicarriers."

Three set it on the table and slid it across to Sharon, who picked it up then looked at her. There was definitely anger there, here she was suppose to be Sharon's best friend. Three ignored the feeling that that friendship was over now, and looked down expecting the blonde to refuse her help. Instead Sharon surprised her by handing the fob to the engineer. "Buy Captain America two more minutes."

The engineer took the fob looking between the two of them then turned to plug it into the computer. The timer reset from eight minutes back to ten. "It worked! The Cap now has ten minutes."

Three watched Sharon for a moment knowing this was goodbye, honestly she knew the blonde would never want to see her again after being lied to for years. "It is time for you to go now." Three said softly seeing a number of faces look at her including Sharon's. "Get out of the building and get those that can't fight to safety."

Three went back and retrieved her gun from the floor. "You heard her. Everyone out, get to the stairs, and do not stop." Sharon said after a moment, immediately the SHELD personel began filing out of the room. However Sharon stopped and turned back to her. "What will you do?"

"My mission. I am here to stop HYDRA, and put a bullet in Pierce's skull." Three answered then stopped short. Reaching into her other belt pouch she pulled out another earpiece. "Take this."

Sharon did and put the ear piece on. A moment later she gasped at Aida's voice. _"_ _Hello Sharon. It's a pleasure to finally meet you, though I wish it were under better circumstances."_

"Sharon this is Aida, a friend. She will help get you, and the others to safety. She will tell you who is with who. Okay?" Sharon only nodded as though not sure what she should say. Three however alreay knew nothing needed to be said, and instead quickly left the launch room heading further in. However Sharon did not move from the room instead she went to the PA controls.

" _Attention all SHIELD agents do not engage Katseye. Repeat Katseye is a friendly. She is here to fight HYDRA, do not attack her!" 'Thanks Sharon.'_ Three thought as she raced down the hall, and was soon fighting more HYDRA agents. Taking out another three agents Aida spoke up.

" _Kat, according to this, Romanoff is dumping all of SHIELD's secure files onto the internet."_ Three paused in the hallway for a moment, _"_ _Do you want me to remove the files on project Mastermind and Trinity?"_

"Yes, as much as the secrets need to come out, I am not ready for that level of exposure. Intercept the files, and keep them from being released. We may still have to fight HYDRA in the shadows." Three replied as she moved down the hall, and ran into more of the Strike team, but no Rumlow. As she shot the last one, Three moved on.

"Kat, Nick Fury is alive. He is on the level with Pierce, Romanoff, and the World Security Council."

"Good to hear he is alive." Three grunted as kicked another HYDRA agent in the face then shot him, "We can celebrate his survival later. Right now I am busy!"

A moment later the PA came on again. _"_ _Emergency Evacuation Alert! All personnel proceed to designated safety zones."_

"Good thing I am not a member of personnel." Three muttered as she moved upwards. "Aida where is Rumlow?"

" _He is on the forty-first floor still and heading up for the council."_ Aida said.

"Okay how about we take the express way?" Three asked knowing Rumlow was bound not to be the only one heading for the council's level.

" _There is a maintenance elevator coming up on your left."_ Aida offered, and Three went to it. Forcing the doors open, Three wedged them open and pulled out her rifle using the grappling hook on it she shot it at the top of the elevator shaft. Once it hooked she tugged on it before swinging into the shaft and clicking the button that took back in the grapple cord pulling her upwards. Stopping a good seven levels up. "What floor is this?"

"You are now on the forty-eighth floor."

"Good enough." Three said as she got into the elevator doorway, disengaged the grapple and put her captable rifle back in place on her back. She then forced the doors open enough to slip through as she rolled into the hall and came to stand.

" _Oh uh looks like the Strike team just arrived on your level."_ Aida warned.

"I'll handle them." Three said calmly as she moved down the hall looking to intercept them before they got far. Reaching the hall that led to the stairwell Three was thrown into another fight as she would shoot, stab, kick and punch her way threw HYDRAs Strike team. One after another fell, and she was glad none of them were the Winter Soldier. Vaguely she was aware of the sound of multiple blasts from the helicarriers, but was hoping it was not people. When she finally took out the last HYDRA agent she rushed to the window and was smiling at the sight of the three helicarriers blasting each other out of the sky.

" _Kat, Rumlow is being detained by Falcon, but more Strike team members are inbound!"_ Aida warned as she rushed back to the stairwell. This time it wasn't a group but a really big tall muscle bound HYDRA agent. _'Well at least he isn't the Winter Soldier.'_ Three thought with a shrug as the big guy rushed her.

Narrowly she rolled out of his way and to her feet. Then she rushed in kicking him and knocking him off balance. That only pissed him off as he pulled a knife, and Three scoffed. "I've seen bigger."

With a flick of her wrists she brought out both wrist daggers and it became a knife fight. Fortunately the big guy was also slow, while she was fast. As much as he slashed at her he also missed her. Whereas she usually hit with her attacks.

"Hold still you little bitch!" The man yelled, getting angry as he slashed wildly at her missing even more. It made her smile, not through overconfidence, as she knew one good hit could end her. No she smiled and chuckled a little to purposely piss him off. It made him lunge for her and she rolled between his legs, bounced to her feet, then drove both blades into his throat. The big guy fell like a ton of bricks as she stepped back, trying to catch her breath.

No sooner did she catch her breath, then the entire building shook. "Aida what the hell?!"

" _One of the helicarriers has crashed into the Triskelion. Elevators and maintenance stairs are inaccessible."_ Aida replied as Three went to the window and saw that the floor just under hers the helicarrier was protruding from the side. Three did not need to do the math, she either leave now or possibly be crushed. There was only one way to leave as she ran the calculations in her head.

"Looks like I am taking the express way." Three said backing up quickly and shooting out the glass of the window. At this angle it would be like a slide, a very dangerous slide complete with debris, and aircraft. Regardless, Three ran at the window and jumped out, she landed on her side knocking the wind out of her as she rolled and slid. To slow her descent she rammed one of her wrist blades into the helicarrier and temperarily stopped her descent. However seeing an aircraft falling toward her Three cried out.

"You gotta be kidding me!" Then was forced to pull the blade and slide down further. Narrowly she rolled out of the aircraft's path as it fell past her. "Shit!" Three screamed as she slid down the top of the helicarrier like it was a terror slide. By now the front of the helicarrier was over the Potomac as she tried to slow her descent, and as she got near the end she pulled out her rifle. When she reached the edge she leapt off the edge into open air. In mid-air she turned her body and shot the grappling hook at the helicarrier's underbelly, and held on tight as it connected, stopping her fall.

Now she was safely over the water and it would not be a death drop for her as she waited for the carrier to descend closer to the water before disengaging the grappling hook and falling into the water. It hurt sure, but it was not fatal at least, as Three hit the water. However staying still was not an option as she swam for shore wanting to avoid the helicarrier's fall. Swimming Three got to the end of the Potomac and stumbled out. Out of danger now she felt every ache and pain from her fights and the slide. She looked back at the Triskelion then sighed. Amazingly her ear piece was still in her ear, but the water was shorting it out.

" _...read me...Kat... Talk—me."_

"Hold on Aida you are breaking up." Pulling off her back pack she dug out a dry earpiece. Three then took off her hood and face cover before she put on the dry ear piece and taking out the wet one. "Say again Aida."

" _Oh thank goodness you had me worried."_ Aida said now able to pick up Three's signal.

"I am fine, Aida bruised and battered, but fine. I think I will have a fear of slides after this though." Three joked as she brushed back her wet hair.

" _I have news. You told me to inform you."_ Aida said, _"_ _Your father is dead."_

"Well with all the HYDRA agents killed that is no surprise. Who do I need to thank? Rogers? Wilson?" Three asked nonchalantly, after being 'donated' to HYDRA as a lab rat she had absolutely no love for her 'parents'.

" _Nick Fury."_ Aida said.

"Fury?" Three asked confused, "But you said he was with the Word Security Coun-" Then it clicked as she straightened. It didn't take a genius to figure it out as Three looked at the Triskelion, and swallowed the large lump in her throat. Alexander Pierce?! That sick son of a bitch was her father?! Three suddenly felt disgust, she was related to him by blood! Regardless she was glad he was gone, she only wished she could have been there to see it. Shaking her head Three said. "Okay, thank you for letting me know. I need to send Fury something nice. An expensive bottle of whiskey... something he cannot get here."

"You are not upset?" Aida asked.

"When you told me my parents were HYDRA, Aida. I meant what I said: They are monsters, and they are nothing to me. My family are buried in China and were murdered by HYDRA. I also meant it when I said I only want to know who killed them so I could thank them." Three said coldly.

"Understood." Aida said after a moment. Three sighed as she looked around.

"I best get out of-" Three frowned as she spotted something on the shores not far away. Pulling her rifle she looked through the scope to see what it was. The familiar colours of blue with a bit of red and white was what tipped her off. Lowering her rifle she ran along the shores to where an unconscious Rogers lay. "Captain Rogers?!"

Kneeling down beside him, she checked his pulse which was faint. "Steve!"

Her hand had been resting on his stomach when she noticed the red on her hand. He had been shot, so how did he get ashore? Looking around she didn't see anyone so she continued to check him for injuries. The stomach injury was the worst, she lifted him as best she could to check and see if the bullet went through. In this case it was a good thing it did go clean through especially when it was a torso shot. The super-soldier serum would try to heal before the bullet would be properly removed. Getting her pack off she dug through it for her little med pack. Blood loss was a huge factor as she got the concoction Doc made for emergencies. It would coagulate the blood for a hour and numb the injury some. "This, uh, won't be pleasant Rogers, so I'm sorry."

Three injected the concoction near the wound, and took the cloth used to cover her face to press down onto the wound. "Aida hack Wilson's, Romanoff's, Fury's, or Hill's phone. Anybody that will help. Tell them to: Watch for the flare, Captain Rogers is there!'"

" _Doing so now."_ Aida replied.

Pulling the flare gun from her pack, Three put the flare in and shot it into the air. She repeated the action a second time using up her flares. Then looked down at Steve, and checked the wound. Next she checked his pulse which was getting stronger. "You will be okay, Steve."

" _Kat the message was sent and receieved. Multiple SHIELD agents including Fury and Romanoff are moving to your position."_ Aida stated.

"That is my cue to get gone." Three said, "You'll be okay." She patted Rogers on the sholder then grabbed her pack and took off running. Disappearing into the brush just as Romanoff and Wilson came out and found Rogers.

* * *

 **Spetember 18** **th** **, 2014**

 **Washington D.C.**

Over the next three months the news was on fire with stories of what they were calling the Helicarriers Incident. A name that hardly mattered as Aida busied herself going over the information dropped on the internet like a bomb. Everything except the Mastermind project was out in the open. Already arrests were being called for on those now being discovered to be involved with HYDRA. It disgusted Three as she shook her head and said. "Oh goody, history gets to repeat itself. The U.S goverment will go into spineless mode and make deals, then these assholes will be out again."

Thus stopping was not something Three was going to do. It did not matter to her if they were arrested or not, eventually she would kill them all. However the other concern was the one calling her cell almost repeatedly. Sharon had called a total of seventy-two times, and more than once Three considered answering. However what could she say? She already knew she burnt that bridge with high yield explosives. Again her phone began playing the chime and a picture of Sharon showed up on the screen.

Instead she looked at the phone sitting on the computer table in front of her as she reclined in her chair. Finally the chime ended as she missed yet another call, and Aida spoke up. "You should answer."

"And what would I say?" Three asked.

"The truth, it is what she would want to know." Aida answered, "As she and I are both your friends I know she will forgive you for keeping this secret. She will understand."

"I lied to her from the very beginning Aida. There is no being forgiven for that." Three said sadly as she got up from her chair. Again she was alone with Aida being her only companion, no one was going to be there to spare her from the lonliness. There was just the job now, and that job was to completely and utterly destroy HYDRA and ensure history never repeated itself. So the phone would ring and ring, but there would be no answering it because at the end of the day there was nothing to be said.

In the months following the Helicarriers incident, it was like a hornet's nest had been kicked up. A number of arrests were being made, but a number more of HYDRA were going to ground to avoid being caught. Either way it made Three's job both easier and harder. Harder because at times she was literally racing the FBI and CIA to a HYDRA agent. More than once she would take out her intended target mere moments before he or she was to be arrested. Other times it was easier because HYDRA was trying to hide their movements from such agencies, and in so doing did not know she was tracking them. What also made her job easier was the fact that they were no longer guarded by SHIELD, they could not hide behind SHIELD agents and pretend, not with her and Aida around. What was really funny was some of them were using old school encryptions that the AI knew to look for. Aida was very good at decrypting the messages and alerting Three to when and where HYDRA was or would be.

In the mad dash to eradicated HYDRA many other issues fell by the wayside. Three had stopped searching her blood to try and derive the mastermind serum from it, Aida had lost track of Coulson's team, and the Avengers barely got on the radar. It wasn't that they were trying to ignore those they were trying to help, but they just got waylaid with trying to eliminate HYDRA outright.

Then Aida got another hit. "Kat – intercepted transmissions. HYDRA recovery team is in Washington, not sure why but with them is one Doctor Isaac Zale. Idolises Whitehall in a big way, loves to experiment. Sick son of a bitch too."

"If he is with a recovery team, then they must be after someone." Three said heading to her suit.

"Not specified on who it might be, but the recovery team is suppose to meet with backup at a club. The Lux." Three sighed, she knew it already. It was where Sharon's 'friends' dragged her to all those years ago. The place Sharon invited her to.

"I know it."

"There is a backroom for VIPs, but it is actually a soundproof lounge HYDRA is meeting in."

"Of course, not some place private or hidden because if discovered they'll want human shields!" Three said annoyed.

"Best to approach this as a patron at the club. Hope you have a party dress." Aida replied making Three groan at the thought of a dress and heels. Heading upstairs Three did have a party dress, but she really did not want to wear it. It was a lovely dress, one that Shado sent her for just this type of occasion. It came down to mid-thigh, and had shoulder straps, but was a bit low cut for Three's liking. It was also one of those clingy form-fitting dresses which helped some if Three got into a fight. It was a beautiful black dress with sequins to help hide the side zips on the skirt, so that she could pull the zipper up and have more freedom of movement in a fight. Sadly little could be done for the matching heels.

"Hmm, actually I think I will change when I get there. I might need to leave in a hurry, so the motorcycle would be best." Three said wanting to get out of wearing the dress and heals for too long.

"Chicken." Aida said as Three stuffed the dress and shoes in a duffle bag. Returning downstairs she suited and geared up, and got on her motorcycle. Parking outside one of the side alleys by the club, went behind a dumpster to change into the dreaded dress. Slipping on the heels the last thing she did was pin up her hair and adjust the colour clip to change her hair to blonde.

Hiding her gear, Three moved down the alley and to the left heading for the entrance. It didn't take much to get in and Three was bombarded by live music. The place had certainly changed since she and Sharon had last been dragged here. At least the music was a lot better, infact she might look up the songs later and download them to her Ipod. Mostly it was people there to have a good time, but spotting those not there to have a good time was child's play. For one they looked too serious, and two they were heading for the back too fast to be there for fun.

"Spotted dumb and dumber." Three muttered, just then the song changed and Three found she really like the song. "Hey Aida this song is really good could you look it up while I am busy?"

The AI was fast. "The song is Unbroken by Demi Lovato. Now focus please."

"Sadly, I am always focused." Three pointed out as she moved towards the back brushing off some guys attempt to get her on the dance floor. Moving towards the back the hall curved right behind the back stage area. At the end of the hall was a door where one of the guy's knocked, a moment later a slot opened and a pair of eyes regarded both men. Using her phone she hit record and waited until the men were inside.

"Aida I need a playback without the music or distortion." Three said. A moment later Aida played back what was recorded without the music or background noise. _"_ _I prefer blondes to red heads."_

" _Yeah, but red heads are more fiery."_ "Ok I am just going to say it. That is the lamest code phrase ever known to man!" Three said shaking her head as she put away her phone.

"Well no one said these guys had to be bright." Aida pointed out, as Three headed for the door. Knocking she received the same question and gave the same answer. However as she stepped into the luxurious back room she heard the click of a gun's hammer being drawn behind her head. Sighing she turned around.

"We were not told anyone else would show." The guy said coldly.

"Of course not idiot! Do you want SHIELD to be busting down the doors, or worse Captain America? I am a specialist sent in to ensure the recovery op goes without a hitch. The higher ups want us in and out unnoticed." Three said calmly, as the bluff worked and the guy slowly lowered the gun.

"Sorry can't be too careful. Katseye already took out a number of our teams, and with the FBI and CIA..."

"Never mind them, they are a bit slow. Now I was told to expect a Doctor...Isaac." Three pretended to have forgotten the name. At times playing ditzy helped.

"Isaac Zale, he is spearheading the recovery op."

"Please tell me you have at least a two man team with him. The last thing we want is failure." Three said wondering how much information she could leech out of this guy before he realized she was not with HYDRA.

"Don't worry we have a two-man team," The man said, then frowned.

"Is there a problem?" Three asked.

"It is just...some thought with this one it should be a three to four man team."

"Larger teams would draw unwanted attention." Three pointed out wondering why such a large team would be needed. Regardless she could learn the answers later by force, if the recovery team was already out that meant Doctor Zale was with them and someone was in a lot of trouble. Pulling a paper from her purse she handed it to the guard. "I was instructed to give this to the team I made contact with, it's in French."

The man opened it up to a drawing of a cat's eye and in French it said: Bonjour! Mon nom est Katseye. Who said she didn't have a sense of humour? The guy reached for his gun, but Three was faster as she slammed his head into the bar they had been standing by, breaking his nose. She came behind him when she kicked him in the back of the knees knocking him forward to the ground. Grabbing his head in a headlock she gave one sharp yank, breaking his neck as she grabbed his gun, and belt knife. "Your French sucks."

Unzipping the side-slits, Three took off her heels and rushed the men that had heard the disturbance. Fortunately the room was soundproof from the sounds of gunshots and screams, Three shot the two furthest that burst into the room, ducking under the closest man's arms to ram the knife into his stomach. The guy behind him she kicked between the legs bringing him to his knees. Pulling the knife from the guy she stabbed she slashed the second guy's throat. Then brought the blade back on the first hitting the jugular. More shouts alerted her to more guards beyond in the next room. Before she could move someone grabbed her from behind from where she was not sure, but turning the blade it ended up in the guy's thigh. The surprised scream echoed around the room as the guards rushed in to help him. A few had guns and were taking aim at her. Twisting the blade in his thigh, she shot one, then held the gun's barrel to the one holding her. The sizzling sound and scream meant his grip loosened just enough to where she pulled the blade out of his thigh and stabbed him in the side. Now she twisted forcing him to turn with her just as the men opened fire hitting the one holding her instead of her.

"Aida! Little help here!" Three managed, but the AI had no specs on the room. Rising from the dead man that had held her, she shot the two that had tried to shoot her, then was grabbed again. Growling annoyed at being touched, Three elbowed the moron then noticed a man with a bowtie the term Nerd came to mind. Probably a technician or lab assistant, eitherway he would talk more easily than anyone else. So Three shot the running technician in the leg, emptying the gun. However the knife was still useable as she stabbed the one still holding her in the leg, then kicked out against the wall forcing them both to fall to the ground. Throwing her head back she hit him in the face then pulled the blade out of his thigh. This guy was stronger and not wanting to release her as he gripped her throat. So she did the only thing she could, parting her legs she stabbed him in the groin making him scream to high heaven. At least now he released her and she rolled off of him coughing, then rammed the knife into his chest.

Three took a moment to catch her breath before getting to her feet, and picking up another gun from her fallen opponents that groaned still alive. No she did not leave HYDRA breathing as she shot the man in the head heading for the technician. Kneeling down next to the man with the bowtie, Three smiled pleasantly. "Hi there, I don't suppose you can tell me where Doctor Isaac Zale is? Otherwise this will be lot more painful for you."

The bowtie tech looked like he was crying as he gripped his bloody leg. "I—I don't know..."

"Do you know that nursey rhyme? About the little piggie? Being raised as a lab rat I don't really know, but let's see how it goes. This little piggy went to the market..." With that she shot the tech in the toe making him scream. "Now where is Zale?!"

"Please they'll kill me!"

"This little piggy stayed home..." Three shot off his second toe. "Again where is Zale?!"

"I can't-"

"This little piggy had roast beef..."

"No no! Please!" The technician cried, and was saved by his phone ringing. Three picked it from his pocket and put a knee on his chest.

"Answer it, but if you say anything to alert them they'll hear your dying screams!" Three said as she heard Aida.

" _I will track the signal."_ With that Three swiped her thumb across to answer the call then put the phone on speaker.

"Yeah?" The technician asked.

" _We've caught the asset outside the Smithonian. Half an hour before he is wiped clean, then meet us at the redevous for extraction."_

"Alright." The technician replied then the line went dead. The name 'asset' was usually used for someone important to HYDRA. Whoever they had didn't have long apparently.

"Aida?" Three asked.

" _The signal came from a block from the Smithonian and is moving away from the populated area. My guess is the old apartment buildings or factories. Eitherway though they are across town and you need to move if you are going to get Zale and save this asset."_

"Shit!" Three said rising to her feet.

"It's too late you will never get to him in time." The technician replied getting brave despite his injuries. So Three aimed her gun. "No no wait please. I—I can help..."

"Shhh okay, but tell me what is it HYDRA always says? Something about one head then two?"

"C—cut off one head, two more shall take it's place..." The tech said shakily.

"Hmm," Three said momentarily lowering the gun, "Let's test that shall we?"

With that Three raised the gun and shot the technician in the head, then looked around. Doing a one-hundred and eighty degree turn she looked down at the tech. "Nope two more are not taking your place."

With that Three pulled down the zips on her dresses sides, and stepped back into her heels. "Aida, scrub the security cameras I don't have time to clean myself up."

Moving quickly through the club people were oblivious to her as they danced to the music as she moved outside. Heading quickly back down the alley she quickly changed into her suit and armed up before getting back on her bike. "Aida where is the signal now?"

" _Outside an old abandoned apartment complex. Signal has stopped moving so I am checking the buildings via satellite and even tapping into SHIELD's old controls to check for heat signatures. You need to hurry, they are dragging someone inside the building."_ Aida replied.

"I will need the green light treatment, Aida." Three said, it was where Aida took control of traffic lights to give Three quicker routes to targets.

" _Initiating the green light treatment...now. Go!"_ Immediately Three sped off on her motorcycle racing through traffic, and between cars. It was the fastest way to move through town, as Three weaved through trying to get to the HYDRA group before they could do whatever it was they intended to this person. As she sped through Washington Aida continued to update her. _"_ _Heat signatures and electrical power suggests computers and something with a massive electrical signature. Whatever it is has a massive charge to it, checking SHIELD's files to figure out what this item in question could be."_

"The guy on the phone mentioned wiping the asset. Look for something with those terms." Three suggested as she blew through a light and narrowly missed a moron that was suppose to stop. "Asshole drivers! Here I thought New York was bad!"

" _Yes some drivers have no regard for others especially ones trying to save lives. Ah here we go the closest thing I found is a...chair. An 'Recalibration chair.'"_

"What's it do?" Three asked as she sped between two cars and weaved once more to get through an intersection.

" _It fires electrodes into the brain wiping the subjects memories out temporarily. Ouch! That would definitely hurt!"_ Aida said, as Three sped up.

"How long?"

" _Power signatures suggest you have eighteen minutes until the chair is fully functional. It's an older model."_ Aida said as Three sped through one more light. Eighteen minutes was not long enough, but she would have to make due with it as she was five minutes away from the location yet.

"We'll be cutting it close and going in blind." Three said as she got closer, "Are there any other heat signatures in the nearby buildings?"

"Most are abandoned except for a roaming patrol. Currently they are on the far east side of the building Zale is in." Aida replied. Pulling up on the abandoned buildings Three parked her motorcycle in the alleyway before rushing into the abandoned apartment buildings.

"Boot up my computer and begin the hack on your end." Three instructed as she raced up the stairs. "What floor?"

" _Fifth floor, hurry! Ten minutes until the chair is fully functional!"_ Aida told her as Three raced up the old garbage-littered floors to the fifth one. In the room she rushed into the window she got to was in the kitchen where Three quickly cleared a space and pulled out her rifle. Next she pulled out her tablet, and tried to see through the scope.

"Damn it! Aida hooking my scope up I need you to use the heat signatures and mark my targets." Three said as she hooked up her rifle with the tablet. A second later she saw the heat signatures of several individuals. One was stationary in a chair, another was by computers typing, and the other five milled around. "Okay paint the stationary target blue so I don't shoot him. The one by the computers is most likely Zale, so paint him red."

" _And the others?"_ Aida asked.

"Leave them white." Three said.

" _Time is limited we must begin the hack to gain access to the chair. Some of the protocols require two people, otherwise HYDRA will track and locate us."_ Aida said as she began accessing the schematics on the chair itself.

" _We could try cutting power."_ Aida suggested, and it might have worked. However according to the schematics a backup would kick in if the chair's power was cut.

"No go on that. The recalibration chair has a backup. We have to do this old school. No time for delicacy either." Three said noting they were down to eight minutes.

" _If we rush it HYDRA and perhaps SHIELD will be able to track us."_ Aida pointed out.

"Which is why you run interference once I start the hack. Set up fake IP addressses." Three said then heard it a can rattle. "Aida?"

" _You are not alone, patrol is on the fourth floor."_

"That will complicate things." Three said worried, she could not hack a system in under eight minutes with a HYDRA patrol breathing down her neck. "How many?"

"Heat signature shows six." Aida answered.

"Begin the hack, I'll be right back." Three said rising from her spot and pulling out both wrist daggers. This will have to be handled fast as she moved from the room and moved quietly down stairs. Fortunately the patrol was checking the vacant apartments seperating them as she moved down the corridor and into the room to her right. For the first couple they were alone and easy to sneak up on, but she was in a hurry. Moving into the hall she was down to four when she spotted two in the hall chatting. Rushing them she kicked off the wall to kick the closest one in the face and slash the second's throat. However the muffled cry from the first caught a third guy's attention, just as she stabbed the one she kicked in the throat.

The third guy was about to radio in, when she rushed him. Jumping up she wrapped her legs around his neck and forced him off balance as she flipped him using his weight against him. The thud of him hitting the ground brought out the fourth guy who had the misfortune of leaving an apartment to Three's left. One quick turn of the wrist dagger and a jab and the guy was staring down shocked at a stab wound to the stomach. Using her feet she snapped the neck of the guy on the ground, then rose and slashed the guy's throat she had stabbed.

"Team's down." Three said almost out of breath.

" _Then get back up here four minutes until this guy's brain is fried and his memory erased!"_ Aida replied as Three raced back upstairs and back into the empty apartment. Now she really was out of breath as she pulled her hood back and uncovered her mouth and nose. Trying to catch her breath she began typing as she worked through the systems. Sadly discretion was not key and she kept sending up red flags alerting those that still used the system to a hacker there. Fortunately locking onto her signal was impossible with the AI bouncing the signal around like a ping-pong ball.

Seconds were too quickly becoming minutes as she worked as fast as she could. _"_ _One minute thirty-seven seconds."_

"Thanks for the commentry, anything else?" Three asked.

" _I am sure whoever is in the chair would like to keep their memories."_ Aida offered making Three grumble about being pushy as she typed. Accessing the control codes for the chair was becoming a pain in the ass. _"_ _Forty-one seconds."_

"I'm hurrying! I'm hurrying!" Three replied, as she was breaking down the encryption.

" _Twenty-two seconds."_

"Seriously not helping!" Three replied as she was getting closer to gaining control. Regardless Aida still pointed out how much time was left.

" _Fifteen seconds."_

"C'mon! C'mon!" Three growled as she was just about through.

" _Eight seconds,"_ Aida replied, _"_ _Seven...six..."_

"YES!" Three cried as she gained control.

" _Five."_ Three hit the override that shut down the chair, _"_ _You know in the movies the counter gets down to one, right?"_

Three laughed at that as she wiped the sweat off her forehead. "Now you may cut power, and do me a favour disable their phones so they cannot call for backup."

As she spoke she looked through her scope seeing the confusion clear in how they were moving. Then had a naughty thought as she took control remotely of their computers sending the image of a cat's eye to scare the doctor. Sure enough the one tagged red was moving like he was freaking out. The guards were spreading out, and Three giggled. "Awee I think HYDRA is pissing themselves now."

Three watched the heat signature painted blue struggle in the chair. "Hmm so rude. Let's get him or her out of that dreadful chair. Shall we?"

Three began typing as she gained remote control not just of the power but of the locking mechanism for the chair. One second it said LOCKED, but as she override the controls that changed to UNLOCKED. When next she looked through her scope the prisoner was free. The person in question looked to be a tall well-muscled man, and what happened next was hard to describe. One of the guards he punched was killed instantly, Three knew this because the guard slumped to the ground and his heat signature began to fade. "Woah! You see that Aida? The captive did this one punch of death on the guard."

It was a similar situation for the others until one of the guards had a gun trained on him. "Oh that is not nice." Three said as she took aim at the guard's hand and shot. With the guard disarmed and injured the asset or former prisoner, appeared to snap his neck.

"Wow whoever this is, he is definitely strong. Now then...where is good ol' Doctor Zale. Here doc..." Three said making little whistles as if to call a puppy. Three was looking through her scope for any figure painted red, but then he rose from behind the chair. Obviously the doctor was pleading for his life. "There you are."

A second later she took aim of his head and shot. "Bye bye doc."

Three sighed as she returned to typing and knew the survivor would hear the message chime on his end. _**"**_ _ **Thanks I did not have a clear shot until the doctor stood up."**_

Whoever it was was not quick with the keys, and so Three checked through her scope to see if he was still there. Then there a beep as he replied. _**"**_ _ **Why did you help me?"**_

Three decided to go down the brutally honest route rather than play the good Samaritan. After the Shadow Network and Sharon, friends was one of those luxuries Three thought she was best without. _**"**_ _ **Helping you was merely a side effect to my main goal of killing the Doctor. You were there obviously against your will, and I wanted a clear shot to put a bullet in the doctor's skull, we both benefited from this brief cooperation."**_

" _ **Who are you? We could work together to take down HYDRA."**_

" _ **HYDRA and SHIELD call me Katseye."**_ Three typed in and patiently waited for a response.

" _ **You are obviously not with HYDRA. Why not work together?"**_

It was a nice thought and it sounded good. However Three also looked at the pictures she kept in the corner screen of her tablet. They were small the top one was of her, Takai, Amaya, and the furball Sake. The second was of herself and Sharon. Then there was a picture of her and the others from the shadow nerwork. None of which had a happy ending, nor would hanging out with this person. Three shook her head as she focused on the message window. _ **"**_ _ **I do not play well with others."**_

After a moment, Three sighed not wanting to give the person on the other end a chance to argue their case. _**"**_ _ **This was a one time deal, do not expect me to save you again. Our business is concluded."**_ It may have sounded cold, but Three needed to get used to being completely alone aside from her AI friend. Closing the message window she compacted the rifle and disconnected it from her tablet. "Scrub the tablet Aida."

A moment later everything on the device was being deleted. As a added precaution she smashed up the tablet, dumped it in a trash can, and lit it on fire to leave no evidence. From there she quickly left the building and went to the side alley where her motorcycle still sat hidden. Starting it up she pulled from the alley and drove off back towards home unaware of who she saved and who watched her.

* * *

 **Author's Notes:**

 **First off thank you all for the lovely reviews.**

 **Lonesome Road, you might hate the big reveal. Sorry. Though it is funny just before your review my husband and I had come back from the movies having seen Star Wars The Last Jedi, and I remember saying to my husband: 'I don't care what they say I still say Rey is a Kenobi!' So I can understand the desire to hold onto a strong belief.**

 **Also Merry Christmas to you all. This will probably be the last chapter I write before the 25th, so just in case I will say it again: Merry Christmas.**

 **As for this chapter here is the 2nd half of Captain America The Winter Soldier. I know Three has yet to physically meet James Barnes but just hang in there and hopefully you won't be disappointed. Aside from that I hope you enjoyed the action packed chapter.**

 **Please let me know what you think in the reviews.**

 **Lesliezin**


	22. Fate is just like Jet Lag

**Hello everyone,**

 **Well here is Chapter 22, enjoy.**

* * *

 **September 18** **th** **, 2014**

 **Washington D.C**

 **Another's perspective...**

They say for some Amnesia sufferers everything they forgot comes back in a rush of information. People, places, sensations, and emotions. It all hits you like a freight train, but for James Buchanan Barnes it was not exactly that. It was not really amnesia he suffered from. He had been conditioned to have no memory, not even of his previous missions. Instead he received bits and pieces of information especially now: standing in front of his own life-size image. An image that was staring back at him the figure besides the statue of Captain America and their World War Two companions, the Howling Commandos.

Having stolen some clothes from a store, Bucky now wore hiking boots, jeans, a red shirt covered by a long sleeve black button-up, and over that a dark green jacket and a baseball cap. He had hidden his gear nearby, just in case. It had taken him almost three months to piece together his mind enough and come out of hiding, but now he was still shocked by what he saw before him. For so long he just stared at himself in his army gear holding a M1941 Johnson rifle. It was him alright, Steve had not lied; and there was no denying the face that was identical to his. However, there was one distinct difference, the image of James 'Bucky' Barnes' eyes were gentler. Briefly, Bucky recalled bits and pieces of his life back then, a life free of cares. One image he remembered was him in an officer's suit with a pair of beautiful ladies and Steve, though Steve looked a lot shorter and skinnier.

Perhaps, that was the biggest difference because now Bucky could barely recognise himself. He had seen and done too much, all because of HYDRA. Turning away he needed more information on himself, so as he left the Captain America section he stole a guide book when the workers at the desk were distracted and left the Smithsonian. In time he knew he would remember who he was fully, but for now he had bigger problems. He had failed to report in, agents of HYDRA would be looking for him. Once away from the Smithsonian, Bucky took a left down an alley way to avoid people, and retrieve his backpack. Unfortunately he never saw it coming until it was too late, only a sting in his neck from a dart, then everything went black.

When next he woke, he was strapped down to a chair and had to shake off the grogginess as he looked up at six men. One was obviously the leader, the second was a doctor in a lab coat, and the last four were hired muscle. "Trying to remember, hmm?" The leader asked with a heavy Russian accent, as he held up the guide book Bucky had stolen. "You are no longer James Barnes, Winter Soldier! The sooner you learn that and forget about who you were the better off you will be."

The leader dropped the book on the table with a thump, then looked to the Doctor. Bucky did not need to look at the Doctor to know what they were intending to do, they would take away his memories then put him back on ice until he was needed again. They may even send him after Steve again. Immediately Bucky tried to break free of his metal restraints as the doctor turned on the machinery. A second later the machinery turned itself off confusing everyone. "Doctor?"

"I am not sure why the machinery died, give me a moment." The doctor went to the computer to turn it back on, and was furiously typing away at the keys. A moment later the doctor gasped and stepped away from the screen going visibly pale. On the computer screen was a huge image of a cat's green eye. Immediately the others became paranoid as they gripped their guns tighter. "She is in our systems! You said you would protect me, you have to get me out of here!" The doctor cried.

"Quiet doctor!" The leader called out, looking around then said to his man on the left, "Call for reinforcements – Katseye is here." The man took out his phone and dialled a number, but then gave a cry and dropped the phone to the ground as smoke and sparks came from the device. Whoever this Katseye was she was a skilled hacker, Bucky looked around trying to see exactly where such a hacker would need to be to access the computers like this. Out of the corner of his eye he saw the image on the computer screen change, the cat's eye faded. Bucky glanced at the other men who were too distracted looking for the hacker to notice that the hacker was doing something on the computer. A second later the design schematics for the very chair Bucky was strapped to came up. A red pop-up came next with the word: LOCKED flashing, a second later the pop-up changed turning green with the word: UNLOCKED flashing. As if to show him the truth the releases on the metal cuffs for the chair unlocked, so that he could get up.

In the next moment Bucky moved going for the greatest threats in the room and ignoring the doctor who shrieked in an undignified way. Before the first man could react to the loose captive, Bucky had snapped his neck with a punch from his metal arm. His friend turned to train the gun on him, only to have Bucky side step, his metal hand came down on the barrel of the gun crushing it. For a second the man was stunned to be defenceless, and Bucky hit him square in the chest sending the man across the room where he crumpled to the ground. The third tried to shoot him, but he used the metal arm to block the bullets as he neared him the man ran out and he grabbed him by the throat snapping his neck. The fourth guy was panicked, but Bucky was beyond pissed off. These men and more had destroyed his life and made him do horrible things. He grabbed a knife off the third guy and threw it as the man ran. It caught him in the jugular and soon the man fell to the ground dead.

Lastly the leader had picked up the dart gun and trained it on Bucky, who gritted his teeth knowing he would not reach the leader in time before being dosed with a dart, but then he heard it. The shot, followed by shattered glass, then the leaders cry as the bullet hit. Whoever had done the shooting was extremely good and had a high-powered sniper rifle. The dart gun was rendered useless as was the leader's left hand. Not waiting for the man to snatch up another gun, Bucky rushed him.

"I order you to stand down!" The leader cried, hoping Bucky could still be controlled at least a little. Sadly he was so very wrong. Bucky grabbed him by the throat, glaring at him.

"I do not take orders from HYDRA." Bucky growled and snapped the man's neck before dropping the lifeless corpse to the ground. Taking a moment to regain some semblance of calm, Bucky heard whimpering in the corner and remembered the scared doctor. Looking at the cowering doctor, the man immediately rose to his feet edging along the wall. "Please-"

Before Bucky could even move another shot from the sniper rifle rang out, and in a second the bullet struck the doctor right between the eyes. The impact made a grotesque splash of red on the wall behind the doctor. For a second Bucky stood there wondering how this all happened. It could not be Steve as he was neither computer savvy nor that good with a sniper rifle. A beeping noise at the computer made Bucky look at the screen as a window opened and words were quickly typed into the screen.

 _ **'Thanks I did not have a clear shot until the doctor stood up.'**_ So the doctor was this Katseye's target, not the other men in the room. Bucky leaned in and started typing into the computer, albeit a bit slower.

 _ **'Why did you help me?'**_

 _ **'Helping you was merely a side effect of my main goal of killing the Doctor. You were there obviously against your will, and I wanted a clear shot to put a bullet in the doctor's skull, we both benefited from this brief cooperation.'**_ Bucky swallowed hard at the cold words on the screen, had that doctor not been in the room he would have had his memory erased.

 _ **'Who are you? We could work together to take down HYDRA.'**_

 _ **'HYDRA and SHIELD call me Katseye."**_

" _ **You are obviously not with HYDRA. Why not work together?"**_ Bucky typed in hoping to gain an ally in this.

" _ **I do not play well with others."**_ Bucky would have replied, but a moment later another response came. _ **"**_ _ **Also this was a one time deal, do not expect me to save you again. Our business is concluded.'**_ Before Bucky could type more the screen returned to the image of a cat's eye, and he could guess he would not get any further information from the one that helped him. Turning away from the computer, Bucky grabbed his backpack which they had retrieved from the alley, and gathered all he could. He picked up the guide book along with, guns, ammo, and a laptop that had not been on at the time and may still be helpful. Next he searched the bodies, taking IDs and wallets.

On leaving the building however he spotted another leaving as well, perhaps this was Katseye? Curiosity got the better of him as he ducked from shadow to shadow following the lithe form of a woman. He watched her step into an alley, then a few minutes later emerge on a Suzuki motorcycle. He tried to take down the plates, but soon the rider disappeared into the night. Thus Bucky was left wondering after the one that saved him from losing himself again.

Sighing, he quickly left not wanting to be picked up by a HYDRA recovery team again. For now he needed to find shelter and a safe location. From there he would have to decide his next move, and most likely he would see this Katseye again.

Walking for a time, Bucky stole a car to get him further away from possible HYDRA agents. Leaving Washington, he remembered reading he was from Brooklyn, so he wanted familiar territory and to remember more. Besides it was not currently crawling with HYDRA. For hours he drove and eventually he reached his destination. From there he ditched the car and walked, however little was familiar with too much changing over the last seventy years. Finding an old run down building used by the homeless, Bucky located a room to stay in. As much as he wanted to remember, he also feared remembering all he had done. So instead he opened up the laptop and was glad the password was not hard to figure out.

On the laptop he found out that a number of HYDRA doctors and scientists had met a brutal end at the hands of Katseye, even when they were being arrested by the FBI. Needless to say between the Helicarriers incident, government agencies, and Katseye; HYDRA was now running scared. Most of it's agents fled the U.S, and a large chunk of them left for Russia and the main HYDRA facility known as Nexus. However the laptop lacked important details like Nexus' exact location in Russia, but the laptop did have Doctor Zale's colleagues names and locations including one Doctor Kendricks. It was this Doctor Kendricks which would give him answers and tell him where Nexus was even if he had to torture the answer out of him.

For now though he needed to figure things out more. He needed to know more about himself so that he would not lose himself again. It may have sounded silly, but as much as it frightened Bucky; he needed to know who he was so he would not become the soldier again. Later he could figure out how he would reach Russia undetected.

* * *

After killing Zale, Three was prepared to pull a all-night-er. She was going to have Aida point her in the direction of some other HYDRA group, or some other sick doctor. After all she did not need the FBI or CIA trying to arrest the bastards only to give them a deal in exchange for cooperation. No there would be no deals if Three had her way about it. So hunting down HYDRA all night was what she had every intention of doing. However fate had another plan in mind as Aida spoke up. _"_ _Three you need to return home. Something has come up."_

"Aida there are still a lot of HYDRA I can get to before they disappear."

" _Three, it's Coulson's team. I finally received word on them."_ The news shocked Three as she had feared them lost to HYDRA after the Helicarriers incidents. The group had obviously chosen to go dark. However Three was simply glad to know they were alive, but what Aida said next made Three's blood freeze _. "Ward chose HYDRA."_ The news made Three slow down and come to a stop.

"What happened?" Three asked.

" _It will be best to explain at home."_ Aida stated, so Three immediately turned towards home and drove back. Getting back, Three allowed the scanner to check for trackers before heading to the computers and taking off her helmet.

"Alright now what happened?"

"Unfortunately while we have been busy with the helicarriers incident and slaughtering HYDRA left and right. Ward chose HYDRA and betrayed Coulson's team."

"Was anyone killed?"

"None directly on Coulson's team, but yes SHIELD agents did die. Coulson's team however did receive injuries. Fortunately Fury rescued Fitz and Simmons, but Fitz... he was deprived of oxygen." Aida was explaining, while Three checked the computers. The bus and Skye's phone they had access to, but how did Aida get this information?

"Aida? How did you get this information?" Three asked.

"Knowing that HYDRA was exposed via the files dumped on the internet, meant that there was a strong danger regarding Ward. Plus with everything dumped I was able to access Fury's more secure logs to learn of hidden bases such as the 'Playground', amongst others. I noted when such locations were 'activated' or accessed. Hence the hidden location was easily infiltrated so I could-"

"Monitor Coulson and his team."

"Yes, I also accessed medical records and files. Fitz has barely survived his ordeal, but the damage to his brain may be-"

"Permanent." Three nodded crossing her arms over her chest as she sat down. "I should have warned them, but I thought if I did I would be putting them in danger. I should have known Ward would pick HYDRA."

"We both wanted to give Ward the benefit of the doubt, and you were right warning them might have put them in danger. Besides had we warned them, would they have even listened?" Aida asked.

"No way to know for certain, but somehow it seems better than doing nothing and hoping for the best." Three admitted. She had dropped the ball on this one when she should have killed Ward when she had the chance. Here she had a no exception kill all HYDRA rule, and she let Ward slip through her fingers because she thought he might do the right thing. If she could derive the mastermind serum from her blood it could be used to reverse the damage done to Fitz' mind, just as it would for Peggy. However thus far it was a dead-end, her blood and the serum too intertwined to separate anything from it.

"What are you thinking about?" Aida asked.

"I am thinking that I could help undo my mistake if I could just get the goddamn serum from the Fridge facility!" Three said annoyed.

"Actually the mastermind serum along with several other items have been moved from the Fridge' after HYDRA raided the facility." Aida said, making Three groan she was indeed out of touch,

"Where is it now?" Three asked.

"According to what I have learned the serum and several other items are in a hidden warehouse. Unfortunately it is inaccessible for the moment. However they are preparing to move the items to Russia before the Avengers strike the warehouse. The facility in Russia is called the Nexus and houses all of HYDRA's technologies. However once the serum arrives there retrieving it will be equally as impossible as the current location and the Fridge."

"Cargo ship would take weeks to arrive." Three thought as she considered how to go about this. The Nexus was not on the normal channels, nor was it part of the information dropped on the internet by Romanoff. It was off the books, and was only vaguely mentioned. Thus finding the facility would be very hard to do. She would need to intercept the serum before it got to its destination. With the serum she could restore Peggy's mind and help Fitz. It would not make up for her oversight, but it would go a long ways towards her apology. "What's the name of the cargo ship they would send it on?"

"MV Red Star is the most likely." Aida answered, "Also if it helps some of HYDRA have already escaped to Russia. This may prove a good means of taking out some more of HYDRA without appearing to just go right for the serum."

"Hmm sounds like a good strategy." Three admitted, plus the chance to get the serum for both Peggy and Fitz seemed too good a chance to pass up. "Before you book my ticket to Russia check to make sure my fake ID isn't tagged, otherwise I will need to create another fake ID."

"Very well, what will you be doing?" Aida asked as Three headed back towards her bike.

"I am gonna see if I can see Peggy before I go." Three said, "I want to tell her she will be okay. That I can fix the damage."

"That is not a wise idea, Sharon has not given up looking for you. More over she neglected details in her report. Such as her knowing who Katseye is. However she will still want answers." Aida pointed out.

"I know, but at least I can offer Peggy some hope rather than let her memories slip away further." Three said as she got on her bike and rode off.

* * *

 **January 27** **th** **, 2015**

 **New York City**

Three stared down at her suitcase which laid open and empty on her bed. She had her hands on her hips, thinking about what was going on. These days she was doing a lot of it. These last six months she had no one else but Aida, and had focused on getting to HYDRA's best before the CIA or FBI could. However lately someone else had been slaughtering HYDRA's people, though who and why still eluded her. It was not the Avengers: they were not that brutal, nor was it Coulson or his team. Whoever it was was angry and left no survivors, a person after her own heart. It was nice to know others shared her views and were fighting HYDRA. It did mean though that her intended prey was becoming scarce in the area. However that was not all she thought about. The night she visited Peggy, correction snuck into the care home and into Peggy's room; Three had tried to explain things to Peggy. It was one of those nights the old woman was calm and caring and remembered Lilith. She listened as Three explained who she really was, and seemed to understand. That night Three promised to cure her so her memories would not keep slipping away, and Peggy had smiled up at her.

" _I know you would do anything to help me. You are an angel on Earth, but you also deserve to be happy too. Sharon she is looking for you even now." Peggy said as she laid in the bed watching Three with a caring smile._

" _She would not want to see me after what I did. I have lied to you both since the moment I met you. I am surprised you are even talking to me now." Three said in the chair by her bed as she looked down at her hands ashamed._

" _You had good reason for lying. HYDRA had taken too much from you. I understand the need to lie. You were protecting us." Peggy reached over and brushed the hair from Three's face admiring the black hair with purple highlights as Three had removed the colour clip. "Please don't run away and cut yourself off from everyone that cares about you."_

 _Three was about to answer when the door opened and there stood Beth. "Ms. Carter? Who are you-" The nurse gasped then glared at the guest. "You! Sharon warned us about you!"_

 _Immediately Beth left the room to call for security and possibly Sharon. The reaction from Beth still stung as Three looked back at Peggy. "I have to go now. I am sorry."_

 _Peggy caught her wrist, "Sharon cares about you, you know that. She will never stop looking for you if you run."_

" _I know, please tell her I am sorry." Three said, then quickly left not knowing when or if she would see Peggy again._

As much as the memory hurt, Three left Washington after that rather than risk being found. Strangely Sharon was now a part of the CIA, and while she did not put a tag or tracer on the fake ID Lilith Donners; she knew the blonde still looked for her discretely. However that was not the issue she faced, the Avengers had finally worked their way down the list and recently attacked the warehouse where the serum was stored. As planned HYDRA moved the items to a cargo ship bound for Russia. It was the opportunity Three had been waiting for to steal the first injection to the Mastermind serum. As it was according to Fitz's medical records he would have permanent brain damage due to his time without oxygen. So getting the serum was not just for Peggy, but also for Fitz.

Regardless, Three could not help the depressing loneliness she felt since last seeing Peggy. She really wanted to see Sharon, but knew she had lied too much to ever save that friendship. What was the point of seeing Sharon when Three knew nothing good would come of it? At the end of the day Three had betrayed that trust and hurt her friend. There was no recovering from that either way.

What was really bothering Three though was Aida had pointed out a key fact. Once Peggy was injected with the Mastermind serum, she would remember everything and forget nothing. This was good, but it also meant she could never see Peggy again; she would not risk Peggy or Sharon against HYDRA. The knowledge that she would have to inject Peggy then leave the woman's life was what made Three pause over her suitcase deep in thought.

Finally, Three sighed as she packed her weapons and suit in the hidden compartment, then closed it and packed her normal clothes, toilet kit, and other essentials into the suit case. Next she packed her carry-on backpack which would hold a jacket, laptop, and other items she was allowed to carry on the plane. Aida had already been kind enough to double check and make sure Three could still use the alias Lilith Donners and had booked her ticket to Russia. Of course Three created a few other fake IDs just in case she needed an alternative.

Coming downstairs with her backpack and suitcase, Three piled them into the trunk of her car. "Alright Aida. I am all set."

"Good luck in Russia with getting the serum, and be careful." Aida replied. In this particular op Aida would be sticking to home to watch the Avengers and Coulson's team. That being said the AI would keep tabs on Three via the distress watch, as well as keep in contact with the Shadow network should the situation turn dire. Otherwise the AI was meant to keep an eye on the situations in the U.S, leaving Three on her own for the Russia job.

It was not a desired situation as the two always worked together. To split off like this meant Three would have to be a bit more careful, but she had handled HYDRA before without Aida she could do it again.

* * *

 **JFK International Airport**

" _ **Flight 752 to Russia will be boarding in five minutes at Gate twenty-eight."**_ The voice of the woman came over the PA in amidst the bustle of other noises around the airport. On this particular occasion Three really hated being amidst the crowds of the airport. The loneliness played a huge part in that as she watched couples and families moving to and from the planes heading off in various directions. A pair of friends passed her by and Three was reminded of Sharon. What was the blonde CIA agent doing now? Was she with Peggy? Was she looking for her? Three sighed as she waited in line until it was her turn and her passport and boarding pass were checked. Then she was let onto the plane without incident, and Three gave a soft sigh of relief that Sharon had not asked the name be watched.

Sitting in first class, Three stowed her baggage and sat down. Her seat was by herself by the window, so at least she was free of having someone sit next to her. Of course she noticed a couple in the centre row to her left, and could not help but wonder at them. The young couple were leaning into each other with the man whispering into her ear about them joining the mile high club. The girl giggled and playfully slapped his arm before kissing him. It was on these occasions that Three now wished she was not alone, the desire for human contact was there; but in many ways she feared such contact. Feared what would inevitably happen.

Maybe at one time she would have tried for human companionship, but now after Sharon and Peggy? After Takai and Amaya? After her friends at the shadow network? No! No more trying to have contact with people and losing them. The mere thought made Three grip her arm rests as she was reminded of those she lost throughout the years. However as she noticed the couple one particular relationship came to mind. The underground facility in which Four came to mind. _'Please! Do not forget me!'_ His voice still made her heart ache. Shaking her head she looked out the window to try and forget. _'The man at the warehouse back in September. I did not actually see him, but he wanted to join together as allies. Maybe I should have teamed up with him. We could have helped each other.'_ Again Three shook her head at the crazy idea. He was very strong from what she observed it must have been some super strength serum or something. But there was more to it than that, there was something familiar about him, but she was unsure of what. It was the main reason she told him no to working together. Then she shook her head and prepared for take off, there was no point dwelling on it. Vaguely she heard the pilot talk about the flight, but ignored it as she glanced out and down below to see the vehicle that carried the passengers luggage driving away empty, after stowing their luggage below.

* * *

It had been nearly six months, with very little sparking Bucky's memories of his life in Brooklyn. He had left Washington and returned home, but too much had changed for Bucky to ever gain any real traction with his memories. A lot of them were fleeting memories or flashes. He knew who he was suppose to be, James Buchanan Barnes; Steve Rogers best friend who went to war and became a Howling Commando. Still that did not help with what he actually remembered or wanted to remember. It was like a thousand piece jigsaw puzzle that Bucky could not fit together. Thus he gave up trying to and decided to focus his anger on HYDRA. With the knowledge of HYDRA's inner workings Bucky was able to hunt HYDRA's members down more easily. Until he finally gained more information on the hidden HYDRA base called Nexus. Learning that Kendericks fled the country and left for Russia was added incentive to go. He finally decided to stow aboard a plane bound for there in the cargo hold.

Sure, usually the cargo compartment was dangerous for a normal person, but Bucky had survived a lot worse and so being down there was not an issue for the former Winter Soldier. Down below in the Luggage compartment, Bucky sat in the corner as he tried to think what he would do once he reached Russia. Part of him had argued with himself to locate Steve Rogers after the Smithsonian and his encounter with HYDRA, but Steve and others would seek to stop him. He did not need to be locked away in some padded room and told everything was going to be okay, because nothing was okay. Nothing had been okay since he fell from that train in 1944, every time he closed his eyes he saw images of those HYDRA had him kill. Men, women, whole families for God's sake! Anyone that crossed HYDRA died by his hands, and he was not the same man Steve had known. He could never be that man again not completely, besides how could he face Steve after all he had done? He nearly killed him! Bucky rested his face in his hands ignoring the fact that the plane was already in motion.

These were all the reasons Bucky steered clear of Steve, and choose to face HYDRA. It was the only way to atone for his actions as the Winter Soldier, even if he was past redemption. _'This is for the best. When I am gone Steve can remember me the way I was not the monster I have become.'_ Bucky thought shakily, he had no intention of surviving after he took down one of HYDRA's main bases. He had done to many evil deeds for HYDRA, he had no right to live past his victims. Soon the plane was speeding up, and heading down the run way. For most normal people being in the luggage compartment of a plane was highly dangerous for numerous reasons, but for one like Bucky he would be fine so he leaned back and relaxed as best he could. His last thoughts as he dosed off were of Steve silently preying his friend did not come looking for him, or if he did that Steve would never find him.

" _Come on you are kind of missing the point of a double date. We are taking the girls dancing." Bucky heard himself say to his best friend that stood in a recruitment centre. It was the 1940s all over again. He was dressed in an officer's uniform, while Steve was much shorter and thinner. His friend wore regular clothes._

" _You go on ahead I will catch up with you." Steve said._

" _Are you really doing this again?" Bucky asked disappointed._

" _Well it is the fair, I am going to try my luck." Steve answered._

" _As who? Steve from Ohio? They will catch you or worse they will actually take you."_

" _Look I know you think I cannot do this-" Steve started to say._

" _This is not a back alley, Steve. It is a war." Bucky pointed out._

" _I know it is a war-"_

" _There are so many other important jobs-"_

" _Like what collect scrap metal? I am not going to work in a factory Bucky. Bucky come on there are men laying down their lives I got no right to do any less then them. That is what you do not understand. This isn't about me."_

" _Right because you have nothing to prove." Bucky said. A moment later a girl called out to him._

" _Hey Sarge are we going dancing?" Bucky turned for a moment to the beautiful brunette waiting with a blonde._

" _Yes we are." Then he turned back to Steve, and sighed wishing his friend would just accept things as they were but he knew Steve wouldn't. So he started walking backwards as he said. "Don't do anything stupid until I get back."_

" _How can I? Your taking all the stupid with you." Steve joked, Bucky smiled and came back to hug his friend._

" _You are a punk."_

" _Jerk." Steve countered as he hugged his friend, then headed towards the two lovely ladies waiting to go dancing._

Bucky jolted awake as the plane hit a little turbulence, and he sat up surprised by the memory of him and Steve. More pieces of the puzzle had come back to him. He could tell he was a charmer since he had two ladies go dancing with him that night, and he was close to Steve before he became Captain America. However now after all that had happened he doubted he was anything approaching a charmer of ladies, and he doubted Steve considered him a friend after nearly killing him. It was just more things that had changed that Bucky wished he still was. He checked his 'borrowed' cell phone noting the time. While he may have been under HYDRA's control he did know how to use the new technology and weapons. After all it would not do for him to be using fifty year old guns and computers while out assassinating HYDRA's enemies. However it was general knowledge, nothing extravagant.

Putting the phone away, he picked up his backpack, soon they would be landing and he would have to slip out from the cargo hold unnoticed. He closed his eyes to recall all he could from the recent dream memory that he had as the plane made its decent into Russia. As the plane touched the runway, jolting as it did, Bucky prepared to slip out when the airport workers came for the luggage. The minutes dragged on until the cargo hold was opened and Bucky hid waiting for the opportune moment. Listening carefully, he heard them speaking in Russian as they unloaded luggage. _"_ _Anyway she asks me if I want to go back to her place right? Well this broad is crazy and into handcuffs, and bondage."_

" _You are joking right?"_ Another worker asked, though Bucky cared little for the odd conversation. However it did serve to distract them as he slipped out of the cargo hold when their backs were turned. The rest of whatever they were saying was lost as Bucky made his way from the airport. Making his way around he went to the car rental area when he saw the sign and groaned. 'Required for Car rental: Passport and Travel Details.' Looks like he was walking to his destination, since he could not have a cab service knowing his destination.

It was about 8:30pm there, and his destination was an abandoned warehouse area about six miles from the airport. He knew of this because not all of his returning memories were of James Barnes, but of the Winter Soldier. The Winter Soldier knew the area enough to know of the warehouses. Going outside he noticed the snow coming down and rolled his eyes as he hefted his back pack and started walking.

"Hey! Watch out!" A voice called and a hand grabbed the back of his jacket yanking him back as a car sped by honking their horn. Bucky blinked shocked that he lost focus like that, and whirled to see a beautiful young woman standing there with a suitcase, and backpack. "Look I know jet lag is a bitch, but you need to be more alert."

* * *

Three stood there looking at the man she just saved from becoming roadkill. As he wore hiking boots, old worn jeans, a white t-shirt, black baseball cap, and a dark green jacket that did not look like it was meant for winter weather. The man was staring at her, taking note of her long black hair, and she guessed to an onlooker she might look weird with the purple highlights. She had taken out the colour clip wanting to just be normal for once. He seemed to take note of her skinny blue jeans, hiking boots, black button up shirt over a purple tank top. Over that he saw the black leather jacket, and probably thought the exact same thing as she did in regards to warmth. After a moment he cleared his throat to form the words he knew he should say to her, but found it hard to talk to anyone. He had not spoken to anyone since HYDRA's attempt to recapture him, and it was hard to form words, especially since it was a beautiful, young, woman.

All the while Three shrugged, guessing he was just going to stand there staring at her. She was too tired from her jet lag to just keep standing there, and being looked over by some guy. So she merely shrugged before saying. "Okay well you are welcome, and welcome to Russia."

When her words did not get a response she repeated them in Russian to see if he was a local, but he only stared at her more surprised that she spoke Russian. "Right well, see ya."

Moving past the man she looked both ways before crossing the street to the car rental lot to pick up her rental. She gave no further thought to the strange guy she rescued as she dragged her suitcase behind her. All the while Bucky wanted to move after her and thank her, for a few minutes he just stood there watching her walk away. No he was definitely not as he once was, James Barnes would never have let such a pretty dame walk away like that. Hell she was a shock to the system in just appearance alone, and her hair strange but beautifully unique. Bucky shook his head wondering what he would have said, no way would a girl want a thing to do with him anyway. He was a monster with a metal arm, she would only have screamed and run in the opposite direction if she knew him. It would be that way with everyone. Sighing Bucky turned away as she walked out of view and he headed down the side walks heading out of the airport.

Three on the other hand found her rental a simple black Nissan Micra, it was small but would work for her needs. Stuffing her suitcase in the trunk. She dumped her backpack on the back seat and hooked up her IPOD to the car's radio. She set it to shuffle through the music before buckling up and driving off. Leaving the airport, Three drove listening to her music.

She did not drive far when she did a double take to see the guy she rescued walking in the snow in that flimsy jacket. _'I am not lonely! I am not lonely! I am not—damn it! I am lonely.'_ Three thought annoyed. Since Sharon, the loneliness was gradually getting worse, and since Aida was left to watch over the Avengers and Agents of SHIELD, she felt even more alone. It was for this reason she pulled to the side, a ways ahead of him and waited for him to come to her. _'I cannot believe I am doing this, again! I must be glutton for punishment.'_ She groaned as she rolled down the window and paused her music. Soon the man was by her car and bending over to look in the window. "Let me guess you have a death wish and since the car missed you, you are aiming to freeze yourself to death."

"No sorry ma'am. Thank you for before with the car." Bucky managed to say and seemed to come across as shy.

"Get in! I can drive you a ways. Where are you heading?" Three asked. Bucky hesitated before answering, not wanting the girl to know he was heading for an abandoned warehouse area.

"Vladimir, or as close as you can get me." It was where Bucky was planning to go after the warehouse, but if he was getting a lift, and it was only going to be a three hour drive. Perhaps he could get part way there and head for another location.

"You are in luck Vladimir is where I am heading." Three said, letting Bucky climb into the passenger seat. "Now just to let you know if you are an axe murderer, I will kick your ass."

Bucky felt a smile tug against his lips at her words, but nodded. "Fair enough, and I promise not to harm a hair on your head ma'am."

Did men call women 'ma'am' nowadays? "So what is your name?"

She noticed the bit of hesitation before he answered. "James, and you?"

She too hesitated as she gave him the name on her passport, the name Sharon and Peggy knew her as. "My name is Lilith."

From there silence followed as Three resumed driving and tried to keep her eyes on the road. Mainly because she knew how this would go, she would get to know him and one of three things would happen: HYDRA would come and kill him, or he would find out who and what she did and want nothing to do with her, or she would have to walk away or risk the first two options. She was not even really sure why she picked him up. Cliche horror movies were partially based on picking up a stranger. Not like he could do much to her she had fought worse, and he would have froze to death in this snow if not for her.

To stave off the silence Three finally asked. "Do you mind if I play music? It will not be too loud."

"No go ahead." Turning back on her IPOD she lowered the sound some so that the music was still easily heard, but they could talk too. However neither one could find much to talk about, and both were rather quiet. Then she peeked over and saw he was listening intently to the song, so she relaxed and listened too as the music played.

The song was foreign to Bucky as he listened, and yet the lyrics spoke volumes to him. Again Three peeked over at Bucky as he tilted his head at the song that had just played. Was the song truly that strange? It sang exactly what she had felt for so long as a lab rat for HYDRA, maybe she was the only one that the song spoke to. Sighing she finally spoke up. "Okay new ground rule no making fun of my music."

"No I wasn't, it is just...I never heard it before." Bucky replied, if truth be told the lyrics did say a lot on what he feeling. Simply put he needed a breath of life after being a weapon for HYDRA, but did not think he would ever be able to 'live' again. It was like he was slowly drowning, and at the end of the day all he could hope to do was drag HYDRA down with him. "I actually really like that song. What is it called?"

"The song is called 'Breath of Life by Florence and Machine." Three replied though she thought he was just trying to impress her or something by showing an interest. Again silence reigned save for the music from the IPOD that played as they drove towards their destination. A few songs later AC/DCs Thunderstruck started playing. "Ya know this song always reminds me of Thor."

"Who?" Bucky asked.

"Ya know Thor, dude with a hammer helped Captain America in New York. Alien invasion and all."

Bucky pretended to realize who she meant and immediately nodded. "Yeah sorry, jet lag." He lied.

Well so much for making conversation with the stranger in her rental car, she merely focused on the road not sure what else to say. Between the pair of them neither was very good in the social department. After all Three only had contact with Peggy and Sharon not a good looking guy, while Bucky had not had human contact for years. As they continued to drive the snow was getting heavier, until Three's phone made a pinging noise and she pulled it out and peeked at it.

"Damn, I was hoping to get there tonight. Looks like we will have to find a hotel to crash in. It's a weather alert stating a blizzard is moving in." Three replied. Bucky swallowed hard thinking: _'This is not going to turn out well for anyone.'_

* * *

 **Author's Notes:**

 **First off thank you all for the lovely reviews, I was so glad to read each and every one.**

 **At long last the moment everyone has been waiting for Three finally meets Bucky! This was particularly hard to decide on originally. I knew after the Winter Soldier I wanted her to meet him, but was asking myself how? She is terrified of him! Then it occurred to me: What if she met him as a regular person? Hence instead of meeting him as the metal armed HYDRA agent, Three would first meet the person behind the title. From there is was a matter of deciding where and how. With Bucky most likely wanting to exact some revenge on his former captors the likelihood of meeting greatly increased and if they were to be heading for the same target even better.**

 **Anyway let me know what you think of this chapter. I do lobe hearing from you guys.**

 **Lesliezin**


	23. A Cruel Twist of Fate

**Hello everyone,**

 **Happy belated New Year. Here is chapter 23.**

* * *

 **January 28** **th** **, 2015**

 **Russia**

Eventually Three found a ratty old hotel to pull into, and turned off the engine. As the pair got out of the car, Three shivered at the biting cold weather and hurried inside the hotel's office with James not far behind her. Going to the counter she rang the bell and an older balding man came out and looked her over. _"_ _Hello there sweetheart. What can I do for you?"_

The man spoke in Russian and Three thought about reaching over the counter to break his nose, it might help his eye coordination to keep his eyes from wondering. Instead she fixed him with a 'try it I break fingers' look and answered flatly in perfect Russian. _"_ _We need a room."_

The older man finally took in the man beside her and frowned, his mood going as sour as his face. Out of the corner of her eye she saw James glaring daggers at the man who still let his eyes freely wonder over the girl's curves. _"_ _Show a little respect to the lady, and stop looking her over like a piece of meat."_

Three looked at James shocked that he spoke Russian just as well as she did, then a blush crept over her cheeks as she saw the angry death glare he gave the hotel clerk. No one had ever really defended her before. It made for a refreshing change. Rather than focus on that though, she again looked to the clerk with a smile. To the clerk it was like it became clear that the pair were indeed together, so he held up his hands in a placating gesture. _"_ _My apologies comrade, I did not know you and she were a couple."_

This time both Three and James flushed red, but neither spoke up to correct the clerk lest he start eyeballing her again. Quickly the pair checked into a room because they did not want to correct the clerk, and also because the rest of the rooms were already occupied. Leaving the office Three went back to the car to retrieve her suitcase and backpack, while Bucky grabbed his backpack. As a man of the Forties James offered to carry her suitcase, but she declined as they locked up the car and headed for the room. Sadly, the room was fairly simple. To the right was a small round table and chairs in front of the window. To the left a dresser and an older television, and further down a desk with a mirror. In the middle of the room and against the far right hand wall was a large double bed with nightstands and lamps on both sides. Lastly at the back was the bathroom. Both came in eyeing the bed with uncertainty, they only just met that night. As if thinking identical thoughts both spoke at the same time.

"I can sleep on the floor." Then they were looking at each other with shocked expressions before Three gave a soft laugh. "This is that clerk's fault. I blame him."

"Yes if he had not been looking you over like a piece of candy." James joked with a half-smile, then everything fell into an awkward silence for a moment. "Anyway you take the bed, I can sleep on the floor."

"I don't-"

"I insist." James stopped her.

"Umm okay, I guess if you insist." Three replied awkwardly as they got settled into the room. She insisted he take one of the pillows and the covers since he would be closer to the ground while she simply laid on the bed still in her clothes. Both had decided to remain fully dressed since they barely knew each other. But both had something in common, they both had nightmares.

* * *

 _Crashing through the streets of Nanjing China, Three ran as fast and as hard as possible. Dodging people as she went and praying she could outrun her pursuers. She would have asked for help, but no one could help her: not against him. Her heart was pounding and she was on the verge of tears. She had never been more terrified than in this moment: every other HYDRA goon sent after her she took out easily. Every last one, but this one. She had tried fighting, but her hits did nothing he just kept coming! He was faster, stronger, and relentless. Behind her, she could hear different people cry out, but did not allow herself to look back. Instead she just kept running._

 _Finally she made it to the all too familiar bridge that ran over the river and had to stop. Her lungs burned from running so hard and fast, and finally she looked back. Why she thought this situation would be any different than before? She did not know. In truth she should have known the memories and dreams might change slightly, but he would always be there!_

 _Her eyes widened as she saw her pursuer, shaggy dark brown hair over cold emotionless blue eyes. The rest of his face was obscured by the breathing mask he wore, but the other distinguishing feature was his black armour and more importantly his metal arm. She was backing away on the bridge with tears stinging her eye. "Please! Don't do this, I can't go back there! Please just let me go!"_

 _She heard herself plead – wishing he would just show an ounce of humanity, but he never did. Instead he kept walking towards her, and Three resigned herself to her fate. If she was to die it would not be in some HYDRA facility! Kneeling down she pulled out a boot dagger and when he was close enough swallowed hard and said. "I will not die like a lab rat, you heartless bastard!"_

 _In that moment she attacked, but fatigue made her body sluggish. Somehow the knife was turned and to her surprise was embedded in her side. The Winter Soldier, that is what they call him tilted his head to the side surprised by her actions. Three jumped on the opportunity and gave her hardest kick to his stomach making him take a few steps back. It was enough, and Three did not spare a second thought to what she did next as she leapt over the railing and off the bridge. However instead of falling like she had so many times before, a hand caught her wrist. Three looked up to find the Winter Soldier was pulling her back up. This time he managed to capture her for HYDRA!_

Three sat up with a horrified gasp and clutching her side where the scar from the knife wound was. She shivered at the memory and the recent nightmare, if nothing else The Winter Solider was what terrified her more than anything else out there. Many of her nightmares featured that heartless bastard, if only she knew his face she might be able to take him out on her terms. Sure she could have hacked the systems of SHIELD or HYDRA to find out, but something always scared her too much to ID him. Like a child afraid of the monster in her closest, she would not open her closest and go looking for the monster. It sounded silly she knew, but if she did not go looking maybe he would not find her, again.

As her heart rate slowed, Three heard groans and gasps and the covers being moved. She moved to the foot of her bed where James lay. He was thrashing about in a nightmare, and Three did not dare move any closer. Experience had taught her nightmares like these often entered the living world for a moment. The dreamer would wake and lash out at his or hers surroundings, with the mind still held briefly in the clutches of the nightmare.

 _The girl was crying, her blond hair falling down her back as she wore a simple sun dress. He knew he had been ordered to bring the traitor's daughter here, after he killed the traitor. She could not have been any older then sixteen, so he could not understand why they wanted her. It was not as though she even knew what her father had done or been involved in. However he could not question his orders, only obey. Dragging her into the abandoned building he pushed the girl forward and she stumbled before falling to her knees in front of his superiors. "Please I do not understand what you want? I have not done anything I swear." The girl cried._

" _No you have not, but your father opposed us. He should have known what the price of betraying us would be." The one that gave the orders replied as he came forward and yanked the girl to her feet, and looked her over. He reached up and grabbed her dress tearing it to reveal a pink lacy bra. The man took another appreciative look at the girl then shoved her to the other two. Who pulled her onto what looked like a work bench, and pinned her down. The leader watched in cruel amusement before moving towards them and undoing his belt buckle. As he was forcing the poor girl's legs apart, he called over his shoulder. "Your mission is done Soldier report back to base."_

 _Having been given his next orders, he turned away and started leaving as he heard fabric being torn and the girl's pleas. "No stop please! Someone help me! Ahhhhhhh!"_

The girl's screams made Bucky jolt awake and sit up as his heart pounded and he buried his face in his hands. His left hand was gloved and the cloth soaked up the tears as remembered just leaving the poor girl to be raped and killed by HYDRA agents. It took him a bit to calm down as he wiped away the tears, however he nearly jumped out of his skin when he heard the soft gentle voice. "Must have been a terrible nightmare to cause that kind of pain."

In the darkness he could see faintly Lilith watching him from the foot of the bed. "Yeah it was." Bucky thought, then looked at her. "Why did you not try to wake me?"

"Because waking you before you are ready can be dangerous. Your mind still caught in the dream world might lash out accidentally at anyone or anything nearby." Lilith said speaking from experience. "I remember having a nightmare like that, I lashed out and was glad no one was close by."

"Oh." Was all Bucky could honestly say.

"Sorry I would have woken you, but I just like my nose where it is. Unbroken." Three added.

"I wish I could just have one night of dreamless sleep."

"Ha! You and me both, buddy." Three replied then shook her head.

"You have nightmares a lot too?" James asked surprised.

"More than you know." Three sighed, "Nightmares are the memories we wish we could forget." _'Or merely horrors induced by close calls. Take your pick.'_

"Sounds about right. So what do you dream of?" James asked betting his nightmares would make hers seem trivial.

"Tell you what you tell me your nightmare, and I will tell you mine." Three countered.

"Simply put. I was forced to do something I did not want to do." James answered refusing to go into details.

"Okay simply put. I was chased by a monster." Three replied leaving her dream at that, and causing both to give half hearted laughs. Again the pair found themselves unable to have a normal conversation and the room fell silent. Three peeked at her watch and saw it was only 4:30 in the morning. However neither one really wanted to risk sleeping again, so instead they silently went about their morning routines. The next words spoke came about six in the morning when Three came from the bathroom after showering and dressing.

"Bathroom's all yours." Three said packing her stuff back into her suitcase, and James wordlessly headed for the bathroom. That was when a lovely fragrance hit his senses. It was light and lingering in the air, it smelt floral but not like roses. He had stopped and took another inhale of the scent, then realised it came from Lilith.

"That is a lovely scent. What is that?" He asked before fully thinking things through, but she merely gave a soft laugh.

"Thanks that is my favourite perfume: 'Blushing Cherry Blossom'." Three answered, she peeked back to see James nod then head for the bathroom. From there the rest of the morning was silent as they packed up and put stuff in the car to continue to their destination. They had driven for an hour last night before the blizzard warning, so they had another two hours yet. Most of the silence was filled with music from her IPOD, and a break at a gas station. They ate some snacks for breakfast then continued onto Vladimir where they would inevitably part ways.

It was at the town centre that both of them got out of the car. "Well this is it. It was a pleasure to hang out with you James."

"You as well. Thank you for bringing me here."

"Sure no problem." Three replied, as she considered giving him her phone number. Then thought against it. _'Best not to get attached.'_ She thought.

"Well I guess I will see you around. Goodbye." James said after a lengthy silence.

"Yeah you too, bye." At that both turned away as James gripped his backpack and moved down the opposite street. While Three returned to her rental and got in the drivers seat. She leaned forward wishing she would have given him her number or e-mail, while James wished he had asked for her number.

Lilith shook her head and leaned back, thinking. _'What is wrong with me? Why can't I seem to learn my lesson. He would not want to be anywhere near me if he really knew me.'_

At the same time James shook his head and looked down at his gloved hand. _'You have committed countless evil acts for HYDRA. She would want nothing to do with you if she knew who you were.'_ So that was the end of it, and both continued on their way never expecting to see the other again.

* * *

 **January 29** **th** **, 2015**

 **Russia**

It was time to forget about the brief interaction with the man known as James, and get back to the job at hand. Three had come to Russia with a purpose after all, and now it was time to refocus her efforts and quit thinking about attachments. She drove to a nearby hotel and checked in, then took her stuff to her room. Pulling her computer out of her backpack she turned it on and allowed her fingers to fly across the keys with ease. After the D.C Helicarrier Incident and SHIELD's fall a lot of HYDRA's members had gone to ground. Only a select few like Doctor Zale thought to weather the storm and stay located where they were believing themselves hidden well enough. Which was why Zale became such an easy target when he was called to the warehouse to perform a 'recovery'. Usually that meant to recover an asset, or an escaped test subject. Whatever it was Three did not care at the time, all she cared about was he was there and she could kill him. Partially why she did not look into which asset he had been sent for.

If only all her targets were so easy to kill, when the secrets leaked on the internet it stirred up a hornet's nest of those within HYDRA. Most fled the country, and those that hesitated had ended up in her sights. Of course ones like the FBI and CIA were none too happy with her killing the ones they were arresting, but she really did not care what they wanted. However now she had the chance to acquire the Mastermind serum, and she was not going to let the opportunity slip through her fingers. Besides nothing was stopping her from killing HYDRA that fled the U.S. Most went to a facility known as the Nexus located in Russia which was hidden away. It of course was one of the biggest HYDRA bases out there, so storming it was out; but she could pick off the odd fool that dared crawl out of their dark hidey hole. Others had fled but took up residence as a 'resident' in local towns, ones such as her next target.

Doctor Markus Draven who was an expert in Genetic Mutations. Checking the Doctor's location it still showed him as being in Vladimir. While Draven was not her main target it would confuse HYDRA if she took out some of their best and brightest. If she went straight for the serum that would be a clear indicator that she was after something specific. Therefore it was best to throw off HYDRA's scent before going for the prize. Draven was just convenient since he was close by and an easy beginning to her hunting HYDRA in Russia. In the weeks that followed she soon focused all her energy on the missions and let James slip to the back of her mind.

It was now the middle of February, and Thee was hacking into the phone records of a Doctor Kendericks, her next victim; she checked out who he had called and who called him. Several calls were made to one Joseph Holtz, so she checked the call logs to see what was said and clicked 'playback'. Most of the conversation was spoke in Russian.

" _Kendericks, new orders are for recovery of an asset."_

" _A recovery op? We just lost our foothold in SHIELD, Holtz. Recovery of any asset no matter it's importance is impossible at this point. Not to mention those hunting us: former SHIELD agents, FBI, CIA, The Avengers, and Katseye."_

" _I know, but we have our orders. Commander does not want the asset to end up in anyone's hands but ours. Especially after all of our recent losses. Currently we are on standby until Commander can gain us Intel on the assets location. Meantime Alpha team will meet us tomorrow midnight for debriefing in our usual spot."_

" _Yes sir."_ With that Three hit stop on the playback, and started mapping out where Kendericks had been using his phone as the base point. Then added to the search criteria places he went to repeatedly, and found he favoured Italian food. "Huh, I prefer Chinese myself." She mumbled.

Next she had his favoured places he went to at night and it was gradually narrowing the search. Finally she coordinated where he went in relation to when he received a call from Holtz, and got the match. "Bingo. An abandoned warehouse distract out a ways from Vladimir's city centre."

Packing her computer away, she left her motel and drove to the location and found the best place for killing Kendericks. Later she returned to town and got a different rental car as an added precaution. This one was a black Volkswagen Jetta just in case anyone had made the car when she checked out the warehouse. That night after getting some dinner she returned to her room, and opened her suitcase. Taking out her regular clothes she opened the hidden compartment in the bottom where her weapons and gear were stored.

Tomorrow at midnight Kendericks was going to die.

* * *

 **In another part of Vladimir.**

Shortly after separating from Lilith, Bucky decided to focus on his mission rather than the exotic beauty he had travelled with. Not that he had a shot with her anyway, what dame would want a mentally messed up soldier from the 1940s that had been made to kill countless innocents? Shaking the thought off, he decided to locate Doctor Kendericks, which was turning out to be harder than first thought. This doctor was very careful and well protected it seemed.

For now though Bucky found an abandoned building towards the edge of town. Most of his activities would have to be done at night, so he merely waited until the sun went down. That night he stole a car and switched the plates. Next was to get better weapons before trying to get answers from a HYDRA doctor, so he targeted a gun store. He stole plenty of guns and ammo and was gone long before police responded to the alarm. Now all he had to do was play the waiting game, locate the good doctor and watch him to see when he would be easier to catch and force answers from. It was a couple weeks of taking out lowly HYDRA grunts before he learned where Kendericks lived. He was staking out Kendericks home, and found he would have to wait for the good doctor to leave the safety of his home.

The next day he followed Kendericks as he left early that morning, but unfortunately it was in too crowded a place to confront the doctor. So Bucky got a bite to eat and waited in his car, then followed the doctor home. It was not until around midnight that night when Bucky considered breaking into Kendericks' home that the doctor left, and it seemed he finally had the break he had been looking for. Bucky kept his distance while following the doctor out of town into an abandoned building complex.

* * *

 _'Finally the guest of honour arrives!'_ Three thought grumbling to herself. She had arrived hours earlier in preparation, and was in the abandoned building next to the building the briefing was to take place in. Positioned up on the eighth floor, Three had a lovely clear view to shoot by. Her rifle was already set up and she was watching the street below through the scoop. Finally the car pulled down the empty street below and a tall thin man stepped out with glasses and dirty blonde hair. She would have loved to take the shot then, but then she would not have given herself much of an escape plan. No she needed them upstairs and comfortable before she killed Kendericks and thinned HYDRA's numbers. Otherwise too many of HYDRA's goons would try to confront her, and she liked more even odds.

Sighing she let the man go out of her sight knowing he was making his way upwards, so she focused on the eighth floor room where the meeting was to happen. Meanwhile Bucky changed to his Winter Soldier gear and put his breathing mask on, then loaded his weapons. Thinking he could not wish for better luck then to find Kendericks meeting with HYDRA agents, either way the doctor was his and his men were as good as dead.

Once ready he moved from shadow to shadow as he neared the building, then discreetly slipped inside. For the most part it was dark, with just enough light to see where he was going. Faintly he heard a rat squeak and scurry off amongst the litter of papers on the floor. There was also a dripping sound coming from a pipe to his right. He neared the corridor and peeked around to find a man standing at the bottom of the stairs, a guard. As the man lit a cigarette and was momentarily distracted Bucky rushed up behind him and with a simple grab and twist snapped the man's neck before he could make a sound.

Meanwhile Three groaned in annoyance as Kendericks just had to sit where she could not get a clear shot. _'C'mon you bastard just a little to the left and it will all be over!'_ Silently Bucky moved up the stairs and peeked in, yet another guard stood in the hall off the stairs, pacing back and forth in boredom. Right then it was all about being quiet as possible before his target knew something was wrong. So he pulled a knife and as the man faced away, Bucky came up behind him. Covering the guard's mouth, the man did not struggle long before the blade slid across his throat silencing him. It was similar deaths for those that guarded the next several floors.

For Three she noticed one man grow a little nervous in the room as he was speaking and trying to get a response from his earpiece. Using the laptop she tapped into Kenderick's phone to hear what was going on. _"_ _Level two respond, Thorton?! Hello? You had better not have fallen asleep!"_ She watched the man turn to two other. _"_ _Go check on Thorton he is not answering his comms. Probably fell asleep."_

Immediately the two men left to check on the groups below, and Three frowned at what was going on. _"_ _Problems Lieutenant?"_ Kendericks asked.

" _No nothing wrong just a lazy guard in need of some discipline."_ The man answered. Bucky was only a floor down from the meeting. He had just killed a guard that was dosing off to sleep when two others had reached the bottom of the stairs. He had no time to hide as the pair saw him and yelled, both pulling weapons. _'So much for doing things quietly.'_ Bucky thought as he pulled his gun and two guns shots rang out.

Upstairs the room was thrown into a panic as the group heard the gunshots. More men left the room to take on the intruder leaving Kendericks and the Lieutenant alone in the room _._ Still Kendericks refused to move adding to Three's frustration. More gun shots rang out as did men's cries. However Three kept the rifle trained on the doctor mainly because if he moved he was dead; but the other was because even if she wanted to look she would not see who they were fighting. For starters it was too dark, and the corridor was not visible from her position.

A few minutes later the screams and gun shots died out leaving only silence. _"_ _Vorric? Morris? Report!"_ The Lieutenant received no response from his men. Whoever was attacking they were very good at what they did. The Lieutenant turned to Kenderick. _"_ _Wait here doctor."_ Well that could be the dumbest thing this man would ever do. He opened the door and started to step out, then found a blade embedded in his stomach. It was then Kendericks finally rose from his chair and moved to just where she needed. _'Perfect!'_

Bucky had just finished off the last man in the room with Kendericks and had stepped into the room. The doctor looked visibly terrified as he rose from his chair. "What do-"

A second later a sniper bullet broke the glass of one of the large windows, and Kendericks went down. _'Gotcha! Now who the hell was it that almost made me miss-'_ Three thought, but as she looked through her scoop at the other man her heart froze in her chest and her eyes widened in fright. There standing in the room looking at the dead doctor then turning to look at who had shot him was the Winter Soldier. She gasped softly as she froze in her spot, the memory of him chasing her through Nanjing and stabbing her still fresh in her mind as well as his haunting her nightmares.

It took her a moment to return to the present from that nightmarish time and blink. The Winter Soldier was no longer in the room, but God help her if she was waiting around to find out where he went. Shakily she compacted her rifle and stored it away in her bag with her tablet, she pulled up her cloth mask to cover her mouth and nose and pulled on her hood up to hide who she was. A second later and she was running for the main exit, however the sound of heavy foot falls on the stairs and a shadow moving upwards made her choose the fire escape at the other end of the building. Opening the window she climbed out onto the metal grating and was running down the stairs as fast as she could without falling.

She knew she was making too much noise as she ran down the first fire escape, but could not help it. All she could do was hope that she had enough of a head start. In the building Bucky glared at where the shooter obviously had been when he killed Kendericks. The doctor had been the best person for answers, but now he was too angry at being denied the chance to speak to the doctor. So here he was pursuing the shooter through an empty building. No sooner had Bucky reached the eight floor he heard the distinct sound of someone on the fire escape and gave chase.

Reaching the lowest level, Three jumped down onto the street in the alley and immediately took off running. Her lungs were already burning and her heart felt like it was going to beat right out of her chest. Mostly it was fear and adrenaline that kept her going as she ran around the corner of one building. While the Winter Soldier was in close pursuit, half way down the fire escape he leapt over the side and landed in the alley to give chase. He was slowly gaining on the assassin despite the distance between them, but at least he could keep who he thought was a man in sight.

It was as Three ran around the corner of the second building near where her car was parked that her phone was beeping an alert at her. For the moment escape was a priority, she could look at the alerts later. She ran to the end of the building and to her car removing her backpack with her tablet, and sniper rifle as she took out her car key with the other hand and pushed the button to unlock it. Yanking the door open Three tossed her backpack in the back seat as she climbed in part way and put the key in the ignition. She was just getting in and reached for the door handle to pull the car door shut when a metal hand caught her wrist.

* * *

 **February 10** **th** **, 2015**

 **Russia**

 _'I am okay, I made it!'_ Three thought as she was getting into the car, thinking she was going to make it. She was going to escape the Winter Soldier. However that all changed in an instant when she reached for the car door and she found her wrist in the grip of a metal hand. Fear made her freeze in horror, and a surprised gasp escaped her lips as the metal hand yanked her out of the car. Pulled from the car, Three felt like a rag doll as she was shoved against the back car door. The painful shock seemed to unfreeze her, and on instinct she grabbed the Winter Soldier's shoulders and brought her knee up to his groin. She knew she hurt him with that move because he made a grunting noise and was now off balance. Stepping to her left, she grabbed his shoulder and shoved him into the car door.

However what happened next she did not see coming. For a second she saw stars as she was backhanded to the ground, but she counted herself lucky it was not his metal hand that struck her but his flesh one. Now on the ground, Three tried to shake off her dizziness as she scooted backwards away from a now pissed off Winter Shoulder. _'Oh God this time he is going to kill me!'_ She thought, then remembered her gun she reached down to her thigh where it was holstered and managed to get it out. However he saw the action and rushed her before she could take aim. She gave a cry as the metal hand pinned her wrists together above her head. Three found it hard to breath as she had the Winter Soldier straddling her waist, his flesh hand yanked the gun away and put it on the ground away from her.

"Who are you?!" The Winter Soldier demanded, but she only glared up at him. The grip on her wrists tightened painfully and she felt tears sting her eyes. If nothing else she would have bruises tomorrow. Finally she couldn't help it she gave a soft cry and finally spoke. "Let go of me! Get off!"

Bucky's eyes widened at the very feminine voice he heard one he seemed to recognise! Immediately he pulled back her hood and pulled down the cloth covering her nose and mouth. He was shocked to be staring down at the girl from the airport, Lilith. "Lilith."

How did the Winter Soldier know her fake name? She stared up at the man that had once tried to capture her and had plagued her nightmares since. It was then Bucky removed his breath mask, and she could not believe who she stared up at. "James. You are the Winter Soldier."

Three felt her stomach turn over as she realized in her desire to be around someone she ended up with HYDRA's greatest assassin. _'Damn it! This must have all been some horrible trick set up by HYDRA! Either that or God must be punishing me for lying to Sharon and Peggy! How could I be so stupid?!'_ Immediately she resumed struggling to try in vain to break loose. She felt tears of frustration wanting to escape, but before anything else could happen her phone beeped an alert at her.

Bucky had been about to say something when he heard an insistent beep from her cell phone. Reaching down he unhooked it from her belt and looked at the alert. **ALERT! HYDRA forces inbound. ETA 5 minutes!** Looking down at Three he snatched up her gun with the phone, and yanked her to her feet. They had to leave now, but Three tried to pull away only to be bundled into the passenger seat. Once in the car, James closed the door and hit the autolock to keep her from escaping. Instead he started the car, and tried to ignore the fact that 'Lilith' was trying to scoot as far away from him as she could. Wordlessly he tossed her her phone so she could see the alert for herself, as he put the car in drive.

 _'What is he doing? Doesn't he work for HYDRA?'_ Three wondered perplexed by his actions as the car sped forward. Whatever his reasons she was still terrified of him, and frankly who wouldn't be? As if reading her mind, James spoke up. "Relax I am not going to hurt you."

"Yeah right." Three answered not believing him for a moment, "The Winter Soldier is not going to hurt me. That is a new one."

"You act as if you know me." James spat agitated.

"Oh yeah I know you alright!" Three replied equally agitated. However the argument would have to wait as Three's phone was beeping another alert at her, this one a repeated beep. Looking at her phone she gasped. "Oh shit!"

"What?!" James asked as he drove.

"One of the inbound HYDRA teams must have spotted our headlights or something. They are chasing us, and gaining on us!"

"How do you know this?!" James asked peeking at the phone in her hands.

"My cell phone, tablet, and laptop are connected to the HYDRA and SHIELD networks, neither one knows I have access to their systems. If they send in any teams or HYDRA agents I get alerts when they are close by-" Three's explanation was cut short as the bright glow of headlights appeared right behind them from a side street. A couple of black Hum-Vees were chasing them, and a few seconds later they were being shot at. The multiple pangs as bullets hit metal and glass sounded all around as Three clipped her phone back onto her belt. The shots were fired in controlled bursts, so she waited until it was between bursts before climbing into the back seat.

"What are you doing?!" James asked as he drove.

"Saving our asses!" Three replied over the pinging noise that resumed the moment she got to the back seat. She pulled her other handgun, the one which James did not take, and returned fire. James was driving them away from populated areas and further out into deserted back roads which was a good thing as it would not attract the local authorities or get innocents hurt. Between the controlled bursts of the gun, Three would peek over the back seat and return fire. However high speed car chases and icy roads made it hard to hit what she was aiming at. The gunner shooting at them as he leaned out the passenger side window, however she finally got the lucky shot off for the bullets stopped. When she peeked up the gunner was hanging out the window limp.

Now she had a moment to take proper aim at the driver, and did just that before firing off three shots and emptying the clip. She must have hit because a second later the Hum-Vee swerved off the road and hit a tree at the side of the road. However the second Hum-Vee was now right behind them. _'One down one to go.'_ Three groaned, as she dropped the empty clip, took the spare one from her belt and slapped it into the gun.

However after firing a couple of shots she now noticed the difference between the two SUVs, this one was armoured and had bullet proof glass. _'Great! I am also willing to bet the tires are flat resistant and will self inflate when punctured. However...'_ Three thought as she noted possibilities. "Find a straight road and speed up to eighty miles."

"I take it you have a plan?!" James asked as he turned onto another road, this one being more straight. Immediately he sped up pushing on the gas peddle as far down as he could go with the Hum-Vee matching the speed. Unfortunately the passenger of the SUV now took the opportunity to roll down his window and open fire just as Three was taking aim. She was not sure if she cried out but the pain erupted in her shoulder from the bullet. She almost dropped her gun as she retook aim at the tires. In the next moment she unloaded her clip into the front passenger tire, which gave no time for the tire to re-inflate. This caused temporary loss of control for the driver and at that speed on an icy road, the hummer had no chance. The SUV skidded right, and with the momentum it flipped rolling three times before stopping on it's hood.

Three let out a shaky breath then looked down at her gun. She realised she had no more clips, and her other gun was with James. "Are you alright?" James finally asked.

"I need the black case from the glove box." Three said instead of answering James' question. A moment later James reached over and opened the glove box then handed her the case.

"There is not another gun in there that you will try to shoot me with right?" James asked, causing Three to roll her eyes. Actually the case had her backups: fake passports, dummy credit cards, the few personal possessions she had and most importantly her 'skeleton key ATM card'. Pulling her backpack to her with her sniper rife and tablet; Three set the backups in her backpack.

Then she reached into her backpack to get a small first aid box out. All the while James took peeks at the back seat watching what Three did. She injected the strong pain killer and coagulant concoction she had once injected into Steve into her shoulder then began to wrap the injury to stop the blood flow. Resting a moment, Three took some extra breaths before peeking over at James. "If any of those agents survived, they might have ID'd this car. We need to ditch it in a hidden location. Avoid the cities and populated areas and look for a lake or something."

"Sounds like you have done this before." James answered unable to keep his tone from being annoyed. In a way it felt like she had lied to him about everything, but they had only known each other for a couple of days.

"I have had to hide from HYDRA and SHIELD for the past twelve years, so yes I have done this many times!" Three answered in a cold tone, hating the idea that just after arriving in Russia she not only ran into the Winter Soldier, but gave him a lift and slept in the same motel room as him! She had been craving human interaction since she had to cut ties with Sharon and Peggy. It was something every human on earth wanted companionship, friends, family, someone else to know of one's existence; and the one solitary time Three actively sought that out it just had to be with the Winter Soldier! Her stomach turned at the idea. _'Why?! Why did you have to be there?! Why couldn't you have been a lawyer or a business man? Why did you just have to be HYDRA's assassin?!'_ Three thought though she wanted to scream the question at him.

However as angry as she was with James for being who he was, she was also just as angry at herself for not knowing better. _'How did I not see this coming? I mean he has a metal arm for god's sake!'_ Three's thoughts trailed off as she recalled the memories of the last couple of days. James never took off his jacket, his metal hand was always either gloved or in his pocket. As for the other signs it was all to be blamed on her trying to isolate herself.

Seeing no sense in dwelling over what had already happened, Three considered what was happening in the now. For starters she had been shot, and would need medical treatment, the car was most likely tagged and needed to be ditched. However the most important one what to do as far as the Winter Soldier was concerned. James was a great deal faster and stronger then her and she was injured. One of three scenarios could play out: One she could try to escape, but it was doubtful she would succeed. Two James might take her to HYDRA though considering how they had just escaped them that was equally doubtful. Three which frightened her just as much as the first two would be made to work with him, after all he was there to take out HYDRA at the meeting too. Then another idea came to mind a 'temporary' working arrangement. They would work together for now, and when she could then she would escape.

Swallowing hard, Three finally spoke up. "So I am guessing you and HYDRA are no longer friends, and you broke free of them. What do you want?"

Three watched as James looked at her from the rear view mirror, then sigh. "I want to hunt down every last HYDRA member and kill them for what they did to me, and for what they made me do."

Three visibly relaxed as she watched James, having him verbally confirm that she would not be harmed was a relief. Still the way James said it was a bit unnerving as his voice became ice cold and unfeeling. "Okay well first things first. We need to ditch this car and find a safe place to recover."

"You are injured." James replied looking a bit longer into the rear view mirror this time, his voice becoming warmer and more concerned.

"I have handled it for the moment." Three replied calmly, then pulled out her phone again and clicked for the GPS to tell her where they were. "There is a small lake seven miles east of our current location, should be a good place to ditch the car. From there another three mile hike to what looks like a cabin from satellite photos."

"How do you know all this?" James asked surprised.

"GPS on the phone not to mention this phone has access to both SHIELD's and HYDRA's computer systems and since they have access to a satellite then so do we. Plus if we have been tagged because I am in their systems I can send false information giving them false hits on where we are. It will only buy us time, and they will eventually realise our true possible location; but it will give us a window to relax a moment."

"Who are you really?" James asked now worried about just who this 'Lilith' girl was.

"One that has been fighting HYDRA for years now. Both HYDRA and SHIELD call me by the codename Katseye, because of the calling card I leave." Three answered after a few moments, while James stiffened as he recalled where he heard that name before. ' _Call for reinforcements Katseye is here.'_ The HYDRA agent from the warehouse had said just before 'Katseye' released his shackles.

"It was you at the warehouse in D.C! You were after a Doctor Zale. Why did you release me? How come you did not recognise me?" James asked confused.

"I—I didn't-" Three stopped a moment shocked as she recalled that night. She had remembered having a limited opportunity to eliminate some remaining HYDRA agents, but that window was quickly shutting. It meant she had cut corners, and tried to do things without fully checking or researching the target or who they were after. Simply put, it was an oversight on her part, and one she was regretting now. That night in particular had been a long night for her as she had to infiltrate a night club in a skimpy dress to gain access to HYDRA's back room, only to find out from another HYDRA agent that Zale was on a recovery op. Needless to say she had to leave fast, change clothes, then race across town to get to the warehouse in time. When she did reach her target she was not in the best position to shoot him. In fact she hated it when she had to rush. She preferred being able to have not just eyes but ears too and to know the full details of why her targets were there. So in short not only was her position bad, but she was in the dark about what was going down in that warehouse.

 _'So much for having an Eidetic memory! How could I simply overlook this in my desire to kill that doctor?!'_ Three thought annoyed that she had not given much attention to who the HYDRA prisoner really was, but now looking back and picking apart the image in her head she groaned. This was a big slip up for her, and she was lucky it was when the Winter Soldier was free from HYDRA and not trying to kill her.

"You did not notice." James sighed, assuming that was the reason, and it was but it did not make it any less stupid. Biting her bottom lip Three decided it best to leave it at that as she tried not to move. The woods they found themselves in sped by, and soon they would reach the lake where they could ditch the car.

* * *

 **Author's Notes:**

 **First off thank you all for the lovely reviews and Christmas wishes. I really appreciated them. Again Happy belated 2018!**

 **Well for this chapter I thought it was time Three and James finally met not just as ordinary people but as the Winter Soldier and Katseye. Granted neither one are sure how to deal with the new situation. Let me know what you think of how they met up again.**

 **Lesliezin**


	24. A Cabin in the Woods

**Hello everyone,**

 **Here is chapter 24, enjoy.**

* * *

 **February 10** **th** **, 2015**

 **Russia**

It did not take long to reach the lake Three mentioned, she gathered her backpack, IPOD, which was attached to the radio, and her jacket. Trying to slip her jacket on without hurting her shoulder further she looked back. She watched as James wedged a thick branch between the seat and gas pedal, then put it into gear. He stepped back as the car drove itself onto the lake's icy surface, however the ice on the lake was not that thick and a moment later it broke under the strain of the vehicle's weight. Following the GPS the pair walked in silence towards the next location three miles away. Unfortunately their current gear was not meant for the extreme weather conditions, though James seemed to be handling the cold a lot better then Three was. For Three she shivered in her gear: her fingers and toes going numb, and her body shook. This only made things worse for her injury, still she managed to put one foot in front of the other until they were on a small hill overlooking the small cabin she had mentioned.

 _'Nobody's home, if they were that cabin's fire place would be in full use and we would see smoke.'_ Three thought as they surveyed the cabin, _'Most likely a summer house or vacation spot not used in the dead of winter.'_ It was a similar estimate James had made as he looked over the place, and voiced his thoughts. "Looks like no one is home, should be safe."

Three could only nod as they started to move forward, James was just a few feet in front of her. She had only taken two steps when everything spun, her chest became constricted and the pain throbbed in her shoulder. _'No damn it! Not now! The injection is wearing off!'_ No sooner had the thought occurred to her than she felt nausea from both the cold and blood loss, her vision began to blur as she looked up. Someone had called to her by her fake name, and she saw James had stopped and was watching her a few feet in front of her. She tried to swallow and say something but the lump she felt also kept her from being sick, or at least it felt like it.

A second later everything was starting to go black, and she knew what that meant as did James. For just before her vision completely went black she saw him rushing back to her. Her knees had just given out when a pair of arms caught her, it was the last thing she recalled before her mind slipped into unconsciousness.

"Lilith! Damn it!" Bucky growled as he scooped up and held the young woman bridal style. He easily held the young woman as though she weighed little more then a sack of potatoes. Looking her over he noticed the blood seeping through the dark leather outfit she wore, her jacket open just enough at the top to allow him to see it. Of course she would pass out, she was no damn super soldier! For both Steve and him they would have been fine in this situation, both would already be healing slightly better then the average human and neither would have been nearly as effected by the cold.

Moving to the cabin he went to the back door rather then the front one, an old habit he had. It was always best to enter a place via the back door, less people to see you enter. It seemed silly since the cabin was in the middle of nowhere, but old habits died hard. He partially set Lilith down as he grasped the handle in his metal hand and twisted hard breaking the handle and opening the door. Again he scooped up the woman and carried her inside. He kicked the back door shut then carried her further into the cabin.

The small place was dark but Bucky could still make out a lot of the interior. The back door lead into the kitchen, and beyond the counters to his left he saw the dining room and a thick oak table. To his right past the fridge was the living room. He however headed straight for the table where he set Lilith down. He would need a flat surface to tend to her injury. From there he made a quick sweep of the cabin. He needed light, but sadly there was no power as the lights were not working. So he located some candles in the kitchen and lit them up around the cabin. Next he needed a first aid kit, moving into the living room he eyed the front door and noticed a pile of wood by it for the fire place. Said fire place was in the middle of the cabin facing the living room. Next to the kitchen was the bedroom, and seeing no other rooms Bucky moved into the room.

On entering the room, Bucky saw the large king sized bed in the middle to his left. To his right further in the room was a walk-in closet and beyond that was the bathroom. It was in the bathroom he began to look for the first aid kit as most homes and places had a first aid kit, more often than anything kept in the bathroom or kitchen. He soon found the first aid kit under the sink and took it. Returning to the dining room, Bucky opened the box. While his injuries were often seen to by HYDRA agents, he was also trained in first aid in case of emergencies. _'You would think I would forget how to treat a bullet wound after my memory was wiped so many damn times.'_ Bucky thought bitterly, but that was just it 'memories' were wiped, not skills.

Sighing he found that Lilith's suit unzipped at the front as he pulled the zipper downwards. It was inappropriate he knew that much from the memories he had rediscovered of being a gentlemen to the ladies of the Forties. _'Focus on the wound and nothing else.'_ He told himself, which he did mostly; but to his relief Lilith wore a black tank top underneath the leather suit. During the next hour he carefully washed and sewed up the bullet wound, glad that he had not had to dig out the bullet and hurt her further then he did. Even unconscious she moaned softly as her face pinched in obvious pain from what he was doing. At one point he thought she was waking up as she moaned again and begged softly. "Please...do not hurt me, please."

Bucky tried to tell her he would not, but she was unconscious again and he groaned. Finally he finished bandaging her injury, he was about to pull her suit back on when he noticed just how cold and wet her suit was. While patching her up he did notice her shivering, but had been more concerned with stopping the flow of blood, now he could focus on the next problem. He moved about the cabin and got a fire started, he needed to get her warm fast. The best way was to have her by the fire, and so once he got it started he went to the bedroom and picked up the mattress and pulled it, the covers, and pillows into the living room and in front of the fire place.

Now came the hard part, he unzipped her outfit and began prying it off of her leaving her in nothing but her tank top and panties. He tried not to look down at her body as he carried her into the living room and laid her on the mattress by the fire where she was covered with a bunch of blankets. Still she shivered even as he tried to rub her feet and body warm.

 _'Damn it! This is not working!'_ Bucky thought, then groaned hoping she would not take this the wrong way in the morning. She needed more then a fire and blankets she needed body heat. Wordlessly Bucky removed his jacket and clothes except for his underwear then climbed into bed with her and pulled her close. Even unconscious as she was her body sought out warmth and pressed to his, and Bucky tried to ignore how she felt against him. However seventy years of merely killing a target then being put back on ice, the sensation of human contact like this was beyond amazing. Her skin was so soft and smooth, and that perfume she wore was intoxicating. For a moment his control slipped as he buried his nose against her neck and inhaled the cherry blossom perfume and her own natural scent. His arms tightened around her not wanting to ever release her, however the moment she gave a soft moan his control returned.

 _'Damn it! What am I doing?! She is unconscious and I would take advantage of her weakened state?!'_ Bucky thought shaking his head as he remembered the dream from the motel room. The poor girl he left with some HYDRA agents, her screams made him feel ill. No he would not be like that and harm some poor girl, no matter how beautiful or how much he wanted her. He did want her, he would have had to be insane not to want Lilith; but he was merely with her like this to keep her from freezing to death.

Sighing Bucky leaned over her and stoked the fire to keep it going then laid back beside her trying to keep her warm. He was just about to drift off to sleep too when she moaned again, then whimpered and squirmed against him. For a moment he thought her to be waking up, but what she said next could only be her in the thralls of a nightmare. "No! Six! Leave her alone! Please! Please leave her alone!"

 _'Six? Who was that?! Six was a number not a name!'_ Bucky gently held her as she seemed to struggle in her dreams, though he did not try to wake her. He still remembered what she had said before about such nightmares, and why it was unwise to wake someone during said nightmares.

However whoever Six was, they were obviously being harmed and were important to Lilith who struggled still and pleaded for someone to leave Six alone. Eventually Lilith calmed down as the nightmare ended and tears slipped down her cheeks, and yet Lilith remained unconscious. " _Nightmares are memories we wish we could forget."_ Lilith had also said, and Bucky held her protectively as he gently wiped away the tears. "Shhh it is alright. It's over you're safe."

The words seemed to calm her for in the next moment she relaxed and curled into him pressing against him. Eventually he fell asleep holding her in his arms protectively wishing they could stay like that.

* * *

 **February 11** **th** **, 2015**

 **Russia**

The first thing Three noticed was the warmth of her body, normally she did not care to be too warm. Yet this felt nice, for some reason her skin tingled – ill-used to the new sensations that assaulted her senses. Next she realised she was pressed to something hard yet smooth, which strangely still felt nice. She also enjoyed the strange new smell that she could not place. The smell was a mixture of things from soap, clothing detergent, a hint of cologne, and an earthy smell.

Her fingers ran over the surface and it slowly registered in her mind she was touching another person. _'No! This cannot be right, I must be dreaming! I just do not get this close to—anyone! This is all wrong, I will wake up any second.'_ Three thought and waited a moment thinking she would wake and be alone in a motel room bed somewhere, but nothing changed.

She remained completely still until her left arm prickled from the numbness. However when she tried to move she seemed to awaken fully to the warm body. Two strong arms held her firmly in place against the strong chest. Her eyes opened fully and was shocked to be in a bed with a man. A handsome well-muscled man who looked so beautiful asleep. Still it was enough to make her panic and try to push away from him, making her wince as her shoulder's injury ached.

The events of the night before came rushing back making a soft gasp escape her lips as she remembered everything with crystal clear focus. She had killed a doctor before a HYDRA meeting took place, the Winter Soldier made an appearance and everything went to hell. Said Winter Soldier was also the guy she gave a lift to from the airport, James! Focusing on the handsome features of James as he was slowly waking, Three tried to escape his hold and only managed to wake him fully. However his grip only tightened making her gasp and struggle more. "Let me go!"

Whether it was the panic in her voice or fear written on her face, James released his hold on Three as if burnt. Quickly she scrambled away from the surprised man who now stared at her with a mixture of surprise and hurt. Both stared at one another in shock at how close they had been to one another as her cheeks turned pink. James was bare from his waist up. _'I have never seen a man like this before.'_ The thought made her want to look away, but then her eyes looked up at his handsome face. James however was staring right back at her, that was when she followed his gaze. Lilith had scooted away to where the blankets no longer covered her body. Her cheeks reddened even more as she saw she was only dressed in her black tank top and her black panties.

Gasping she yanked the blankets to her and looked up at James with wide shocked eyes. She wanted to ask what he had done to her, and why she was not in her clothes. However before she could ask those questions James snapped out of his staring at her and held up his hands. "Wait! Before you ask nothing happened. I tended to your injury and had to remove your clothes to keep you from freezing to death. That is it."

For a moment, Three stared at him stunned, then looked to her bandaged shoulder. Her left hand ran over the bandage gently as she was still stunned to find the Winter Soldier of all people tending to her injuries. Finally she looked back at him still shocked by it all, the monster she so feared had saved her. She looked like a drowning fish as she worked out the words that she thought she would never utter to him. "Thank you."

James watched her for a moment studying her to try and further understand her. There was so little he knew about Lilith, and yet her favourite colour was purple, she liked a variety of music, and wore a perfume called 'Blushing Cherry Blossoms.' Aside from that she spoke Russian, could hack into HYDRA and SHIELD's systems, used a 'unique' sniper rifle, and enjoyed killing HYDRA's brightest. None of those facts explained why she had been so frightened by him when she found out he was the Winter Soldier, nor why when she had looked at him it was like it was the first time she had ever seen a man shirtless. It certainly did not explain who 'Six' was.

Right then her eyes were averted as she held the blanket to her chest and bit down on her bottom lip. The words cute and adorable sprang to Bucky's mind as he tried to think of what he should do now. Instead his mind was pulled back to a different time and place. _He was dressed in an officer's uniform and sat before a beautiful brunette, though where or when he was not too clear on. Looking around Bucky realised he was on the girl's front porch as they sat in the swing. The brunette looked nervous as her dark hair fell past her shoulders. She was wearing a blouse, skirt, cardigan, and slip on pumps. Bucky could only stare at her wondering why she was so nervous, then like a bolt of lightening he suddenly recalled her name: Katherine, but preferred Kathy._

" _It is just..." Kathy looked like it hurt to talk, "You are leaving tomorrow. I know I am being stupid, my friend Nancy says I should not be so stupid. She keeps pointing out that you're a 'ladies man', and I should be smarter than that. Not fall for your charms, but it feels like if I do not do something I will regret it."_

" _Kathy, we can wait. We do not have to do anything you do not want to." Bucky answered with a smile, and was going to kiss her good night and leave. He was nothing if not a perfect gentleman. However Kathy caught his hand that had reached up to touch her cheek, her blue eyes shinned in the porch light._

" _But what if you do not come back?" Kathy asked afraid of losing him. Bucky wanted to say with all certainty that he would be back, but nothing was certain in those times. His silence only made Kathy react as she reached up and kissed Bucky, and it was decided for him what would happen next. Desire had overruled his senses as he pulled Kathy close kissing her deeply passionately until they were both out of breath. Looking into her eyes he saw how nervous she was and realised: Kathy was innocent and inexperienced. He now easily recalled a brief list of girls that had been in his life, he was definitely a 'ladies man' and a charmer. So he had his fair share of experience with dames, still that did not mean he merely slept around. No he was always the perfect gentleman and this included Kathy._

 _Kathy wordlessly stood up from the swing and took his hand leading him into the house. "Do not worry my parents went out to visit my aunt in New Jersey." Kathy said as she led him upstairs and into her room._

The memory ended, but Bucky knew what had taken place afterwords. He had spent the night, and it was his last night with a woman. Sadly he knew he would never see Kathy again, if she lived she was a grandmother by now. He was unsure why that memory popped into his head until he saw the same innocent look in Lilith's eyes, and the tell tale sign of a blush on her cheeks that screamed this situation was too intimate and new for her.

"I-" Bucky swallowed a lump in his throat and licked his lips, "I will go see if there are any dry clothes." He quickly rose and headed into the bedroom leaving Three on the mattress in the living room. Mechanically he searched the closet and one of the dressers in the room, and was glad that who ever owned the cabin had left some clothes. He did not really pay attention to what he pulled out, but he put on some old pair of jeans that required a belt to hold them up, and a under shirt. The other shirt a long sleeve button up, and another pair of jeans he brought out to Three and dropped them onto the bed. Then mumbled that he was going to find something for them to eat before heading into the kitchen.

* * *

For a moment Three sat there stunned then pulled the dry clothes to her and scrunched her nose. The button up shirt could easily fit around her three times over, and the jeans might as well be clown pants. They would look like clown pants if she tried to wear them, so instead she slipped on the shirt and buttoned it. Lastly she rolled up the sleeves and got up from the mattress not bothering with the jeans. Already she heard Bucky searching the cupboards for any type of food. She tried to keep her distance as she peeked around into the kitchen. She shivered as she came into the dining room watching Bucky closely her bare feet on the cool wooden boards tried to step lightly as possible. However he stopped and turned fully to her and she froze by the table. Again Three bit her bottom lip as his eyes ran up and down her. The oversized shirt came down to mid-thigh leaving her legs and feet bare.

Uncomfortable, Three hugged herself protectively as she considered how best to handle this situation. She already knew fighting him was a lost cause, she had not beaten him before and she certainly would not best him now. Especially not half naked and injured, she just hoped that his intentions remained 'honourable' and not murderous. As if sensing her apprehension James sighed. "I am not going to hurt you, Lilith. All I ask is you do not try anything funny."

"Funny? As in?" Three asked suspiciously.

"As in you do not try to attack me or anything." James specified. _'Would it be considered funny if I tried to leave?'_ Three wondered as she watched James carefully, and discretely kept a piece of furniture between them. As James turned away, Three eyed the exits trying to guess which one she could escape through fastest. However she cringed at the white blanket of snow outside as she looked at the window by the door. "I would not try it."

James voice replied and made her jump a little as she looked back at him. He was watching her once more this time carefully. Three bit her bottom lip a moment then had to ask. "Why not?"

"Because you are half-naked and would freeze to death, even in your suit. You are also injured," James replied, as he continued his search. Three was tempted to say she had worse injuries, but held back the barbed response. "Lastly you would not get far before I would catch you."

The last words made Three feel ill as her stomach twisted and she took an involuntary step back. She could not help but glare at him anymore than she could help the sarcastic words that popped out of her mouth. "And after we got along so well before. I actually thought you were a nice guy, only to see your true colours now."

At first Bucky merely turned away to pull out some cans from the cupboard, then he tried ordering her about. "Get dressed, we will need to leave soon."

"We? No I think you got that wrong. There is no we." Three replied.

"Considering you killed my only lead, there is." Bucky replied as he looked over his shoulder at her. He tried to keep his eyes from wondering over her, but she was not making it easy especially in that oversized shirt she wore.

"Your 'lead' had it coming, and was already in my sights long before you showed up." Three argued. Though in hindsight arguing with him was probably not the best choice. Him being the Winter Soldier suddenly did not matter. The fear she had carried all these years turned to anger, she had been killing HYDRA's best and brightest for years. She was not going to step aside simply because their best assassin got free. As it was he botched last nights mission, he was like a bull in a china cabinet. When he attacked someone must have radioed for reinforcements, whereas she could have simply killed Kendericks and been long gone before his pals could make the lobby.

"Regardless you are going to help me." James said in a commanding tone that all but said there would be no arguments.

"Help you?" Three had to laugh at that, "Oh wow! I did not know you had a sense of humour." However James was not laughing as he glared at her when he turned to face her yet again. Three then glared at him. "You are crazy if you think I will help you."

The icy hardened look in his eyes made her shiver as she took an involuntary step back. ' _Stand your ground, he is trying to intimidate you!'_ Three told herself as she returned a determined fiery look.

"Get dressed, we will be leaving soon." There it was again him trying to order her about. He may have saved her, but that did not mean she wanted to stay with him. Did he not remember what he did to her? How he haunted her dreams and memories?

"I am not going anywhere with you." Three said refusing to be pushed around. The two glared at each other ice blue eyes locked with hard jade. When mental intimidation failed, the Winter Soldier opted for physical intimidation. He was taller, stronger, and fast. The question of who was faster was up for debate because her quick mind noticed him move towards her. The second he tried to grab her she danced aside and tripped him up. He had not expected the moves, but would recover fast, so Three in her panic went to get one of her blades from her suit to defend herself.

He was faster than she thought, as she was tackled onto the mattress she awoke on with him. Immediately she was fighting and struggling with everything she had to get free. She managed to twist onto her side after landing a few punches, but she might as well have been trying to hit him with a pillow. Her kicks were only a little more successful as he grunted when she kicked him in the side. Sadly for all her efforts she was only pissing him off. She got to the edge of the mattress when the cold metal hand caught her ankle dragging her back onto the bed. The action pulled up the large shirt showing off her legs, panties and flat stomach.

However the exposure was not what she was worried about as she tried to punch him, as she began to panic. This was something straight out of her nightmares about Project Trinity. Finally James apparently had enough as one warm flesh hand and one cold metal hand caught her wrists and pinned her down. Now Three really was scared and beyond panicking. "Let me go!"

Instead he pulled her wrists together and pinned them down in his metal hand, fire ripped through her shoulder from the bullet wound as she bit back a cry. She squeezed her eyes shut to keep from crying as hot tears threatened to escape. "I don't want to hurt you, but you are coming with me one way or another."

The cold words made Three glare up at him. "Like hell I am!"

His grip on her wrists tightened and he pulled her wrists higher up knowing it would put a strain on her injury. Sure enough a moment later she cried out. The higher he pulled her arms the higher her shirt went until he noticed a long thin scar on her side. No doubt it was a knife wound, it triggered another memory. Nightfall on a foreign bridge. _"_ _Please! Don't do this, I can't go back there! Please just let me go!" That voice, it was Lilith! He stared at a much younger Lilith with no purple highlights. She looked no older than sixteen or seventeen. When it was clear that he would not let her go she knelt down and pulled out a blade. "I will not die like a lab rat, you heartless bastard!"_

 _That was when she attacked him, it was an act of desperation. Lilith would have stood no chance, yet still she fought him. The blade was turned as she moved forward and intended up stabbed with her own blade. She stumbled back against the railing for a moment he just watched her stunned. Then she kicked him, and leapt over the side. He rushed to the side and tried to grab her, but it was too late she fell to the watery depths below. It was a fall that would kill normal people._ James blinked then looking at Lilith he saw she had tears escaping and he released her wrists. With the pressure gone, Three clutched her injured shoulder whimpering as it throbbed, and she tried to catch her breath.

"The bridge? You jumped." James said softly then ran his thumb over the scar on her side. Three could only nod as the throbbing subsided after several moments. "How did you survive?"

"Sheer terrible luck!" Three growled out between ragged breathes, then she realized how high up her shirt was and tried to pull it down shoving James' hand away from the scar. "Don't touch me!"

James sighed as he refused to get off of her, but put his hands on either side of her as he leaned over her. "Fine I won't touch you, but you are coming with me. I need to find HYDRA I need them to pay for what they did, and you are going to help me."

"And if they catch you again, you become my worst nightmare again? No way!" Three bit out shakily.

"You've avoided them all this time, you will show me how to do it." James said firmly.

"You're not going to let me go are you?" Three asked, but it sounded more like a statement. She already knew she would not like the answer as he stared down at her. Hugging herself protectively. Three looked down at her shoulder, not noticing how James' eyes ran over her. His eyes took in everything about the woman beneath him in just the large shirt. He had noticed she was beautiful before, but now it was if the statement was being screamed at him as his eyes travelled downwards.

"You're lucky you didn't break the stitches. Your doing, no doubt." James shot up to see she had slid the shirt off of her shoulder and was checking the wound. "I suppose I should thank you for not killing me or..." Three trailed off but the implication was that James had not dragged her back to HYDRA.

"I don't work for HYDRA." James said calmly.

"No you just torture injured enemies of HYDRA." Three grumbled.

"Then cooperate. Help me and teach me how you have remained hidden from them." James demanded.

"Then you will let me go?" Three asked warily. To put it lightly she did not trust him. She could show him everything and he might decide to keep her with him regardless. No matter his answer she would need to look for a means of getting away from him.

"Yes, I will let you go." James said as he got up. He offered his hand to help her off the mattress, and Three was hesitant to even take his hand. Licking her lips she swallowed hard before taking his hand and letting him help her to her feet. She shivered as she pulled her hand free and turned towards the bedroom.

"Where are you going?"

"To get some smaller clothes, I am not size Chunky Monkey. Besides.." Three checked her watch, "By now HYDRA will have found the ditched car and be searching the area." Heading into the bedroom, Three found most of the clothes were for someone twice her size. Eventually she put on the clothes that seemed to fit her best, but still required a belt. A pair of baggy jeans, a couple of pairs of socks, and some hiking boots. Next she slid on a large jacket that she had to roll the sleeves up on. When she returned to the living room she started gathering up her suit and gear. Already James stood in the living room in similar clothes with his suit and gear in a backpack. He had been waiting for her, and was not going to take no for an answer.

"Ready to go?" He asked before she could tell him off. Instead she glared at him then she made yet another disgusted noise before answering.

Three could only nod as she headed for the door. If he kept this close an eye on her she would have to get creative with ditching him. After all she was convinced that even if she helped him he would not let her go. She had helped Myra Bicks who had been a HYDRA agent but she had wanted out. However after giving Grant Ward the benefit of the doubt, she was no longer the merciful type towards HYDRA. Thus helping the Winter Soldier was not something she wanted to do. Besides she had her own mission, get the Mastermind serum and return to the States.

On top of that, the paranoia that this was some elaborate trap set up by HYDRA did not escape her. Just because HYDRA was exposed did not mean they were dying or even approaching death. No in fact the truth was a lot scarier they were not just alive and kicking; they were thriving! They were not just embedded in SHIELD but in multiple governments, organisations, and politics. They had had fifty plus years to spread themselves like a bad rash, so that if one area was exposed they would still survive. The danger they posed was no less dangerous than before when they were hidden, so Three was well within her rights to be paranoid and try to stay alert.

Leaving the cabin, the pair walked in an awkward silence. However a beep from Three's phone had her checking it. Both had their other gear in bags slung over their shoulders. As they walked Three checked her phone and sighed. "No alerts on HYDRA activity in the area. Meaning we have given them the slip. However they pegged my fake passport as the owner of the rental we escaped in."

"So they will be looking for you." Bucky groaned.

"Relax Lilith Donners is a fake ID, and a dead end. I have learned to keep seven steps ahead of HYDRA and SHIELD. They want to catch me then they will have to learn to hop, skip, and jump. Uh-oh! Damn the building where the Doc was had cameras, you were ID'd. HYDRA knows you are in Russia." Bucky stiffened uncomfortably at the news. "This is going to complicate things. They have alerted the police and local authorities to be on the lookout for you, and a young woman travelling with you. Great!"

"So if I may ask, what is your real name then?" James asked after a long silence. He was trying to strike up a conversation. For a moment there was a long silence as the woman next to him considered her answer.

"Pick a name." Three answered, if James was caught the last thing she wanted was for HYDRA to know she was alive.

"I prefer you simply tell me your name." James argued, but when Three did not answer he sighed, "Fine I will call you Violet."

"Violet? Why that?" Three stopped and turned to look at him. It was then he reached up and caught some of her hair that was highlighted purple. She blushed at the gesture, but it was his answer for the name. Shaking her head she resumed walking with James next to her, it did not really matter what he called her they would part ways soon enough.

Putting her phone away, Three continued to walk besides James admiring the scenery. "You will need to keep a low profile. We will have to resupply meaning we will have to go into populated areas."

James merely nodded as he walked besides her, and soon the pair fell silent. Neither one knew quite what to say to the other and it was hard to carry a conversation when both had a severe lack of social skills. So instead they kept their eyes forward as they walked amongst the snow on an empty road. Hours passed until Three's phone beeped and she pulled it out. "We are nearing a small town's limits. When we do keep your cap low and whatever you do, do not look up last thing we need is for a stray camera to catch you."

Immediately Three pulled on the hood of her jacket to help conceal her as an added precaution. On entering the small town, Three headed for an ATM, and pulled out something from her pack that looked like a flash light. "Do not look at the flash." She whispered as she looked around them to make sure no one else saw what she was doing, then held the device up to the ATM, and a second later there was a flash. Next she pulled out another device that looked like a ATM card and slipped it in. She connected it to her tablet and began typing into the tablet.

"What are you doing?" James asked curiously as he peeked over her shoulder.

"The thing with the flash was to disable the ATM camera so we don't get ID'd, next I slide what I call my ATM Skeleton card in and take as much as I need to from the ATM."

"Amazing." James breathed, wondering how she could be good at so many things. Hacking, firearms, and apparently she could develop new technology.

"Just wait you haven't seen nothing yet." Three said as the ATM gave a large wad of Russian currency. Taking the money she handed it to James then drew out yet another large amount for herself. Finally she removed the card, and shoved the items back into her bag. "C'mon the camera will turn back on in a moment."

The pair quickly moved away from the ATM before the camera came back online, and they headed further into town. "What next?" James asked as he kept his head down.

"Next we need wheels, and supplies." Three pointed out.

* * *

 **February 11** **th** **, 2015**

 **Vladimir Russia**

It was late evening at the same warehouse where the day before a slaughter took place. The place had been picked clean so that no one would know anything of what happened, or so HYDRA had thought. Mere hours before the clean up crews had been and were unaware of anyone watching them. You would think HYDRA would be a bit more wary of being seen or heard, but maybe the D.C incident had made them desperate. Desperate people make desperate mistakes, mistakes that would cost them dearly. The figure assigned to watch the buildings activity from afar, finally flipped open his phone and called to report his findings. _"_ _What did you find Yurik?"_

" _Confirmed reports sir. HYDRA was here cleaning up a mess."_ The figure answered in Russian, _"_ _Unsure of details. HYDRA was thorough in their clean up. Should we report?"_

" _Waiting on report from Orlov first. Checking with police data banks. Report back for now Yurik."_ With that the call ended and Yurik left where he had been watching the warehouses. He casually returned to his car and drove off, heading for a run down motel room at the edge of town. When he got there he got out and knocked on the door.

" _What is the password?"_ A voice called out in Russian.

" _Open up before I freeze to death you prick!"_ Yurik answered back in Russian. The door opened to reveal an older man standing there with a cigarette and an amused smirk. He shook his head at Yurik who wore a long trench coat, dirty blonde hair and looked a bit scruffy.

" _By all means come in princess."_ The older man replied letting Yurik in. Inside the room was a third man at a table typing away at a computer. This man was a thin wiry guy with dark hair and glasses. Yurik took a moment to remove his coat and pour himself a drink as he watched his comrades.

" _Sir, I am in."_ The one at the computer spoke up.

" _What have you found Orlov?"_ Yurik asked impatiently.

" _HYDRA has local authorities looking for two people. The story is the male suspect kidnapped the female, both are wanted."_ Orlov answered.

" _Humph I doubt the lies they gave are anywhere near the truth."_ The older man answered gruffly as he took a drag off of his cigarette. _"_ _Anything else?"_

" _Yes Petrov, they sent the police pictures."_ Immediately Orlov called up the images. One showed James and the other showed a brunette Lilith from her passport photo. Petrov merely stared at the images for a moment surprised by HYDRA's desperation. _"_ _Sir what should we do? Should we call him?"_

" _Yes, he will want to know."_ Petrov answered as he pulled out his phone and stubbed out his cigarette into the ash tray. Dialling the number after a few rings it picked up.

"Yes Petrov? You find something?"

"Yes and I believe you will find it most interesting." Petrov answered in English with a heavy Russian accent. At the other end of the phone line in France at a café sat none other then Nick Fury.

"Go ahead Petrov. I am all ears."

* * *

Finding a car was relatively easy, since a lot of times one could simply find an owner wanting to sell their car for one reason or another. However Bucky was surprised that another skill on Three's vast set of skills was mechanic. Because she insisted on checking the car's engine out and would note all the problems or potential problems. Finally they found a used car that Three said would be easily repairable and paid with cash for it. As they got into the car and Three turned on the engine, Bucky could not help himself. "Any other useful skills I should know about?"

It was meant to be him teasing and flirting with her even if he was out of practice. However Three merely raised a brow and stated. "I know twenty-eight languages, first aid, am trained in several hand-to-hand fighting techniques including military training, firearms, and martial arts. Also not only am I a master hacker I also know computer engineering, and applied science. I have also dabbled in forensic science, and physics. Other hobbies include drawing, reading, throwing knives, and scaring HYDRA senseless."

Bucky barked out a laugh thinking she was teasing him, but she kept a serious expression making Bucky wonder. "Wait you are serious? How? There is no way-"

"I am a quick learner." Three said simply wanting to end the subject quickly. The next couple of hours driving were done in relative silence with the occasional attempt at small talk that ended as awkwardly as it began. Bucky at times found it hard not to look at Three and voice his curiosity about one thing or another.

"Why do you highlight your hair purple?"

"Because I like purple and black just seems so boring." Three answered as she squirmed under the stare he gave her. Bucky only gave a short laugh as he considered her answer. So much had changed since the Forties, he could not think of a girl that would highlight their hair in such a way. Nor were there any girls back then that toted a sniper rifle, hacked computers, and had so many skills as she did. Well he could think of one pretty dame that was sweet on Steve, Peggy Carter. However even Peggy would be caught short in comparison to this modern dame. "You keep staring at me like I am some freaky experiment gone horribly wrong."

It was those nervous words from Three that made Bucky blink and straighten up. "Sorry, I didn't mean to stare like that. It is just beautiful dames like yourself..." How was he to say it?

"You think I am beautiful?" Three asked surprised as she peeked over at him.

Bucky gave a light cough as he tried to cover up his slip up and down play it. "Yeah sure."

The words came across a little too casual, so Three choose not to look too deep into it and again there was an even lengthier and awkward silence. Finally she turned off the main road and headed into a more populated area. Before Bucky could ask what she was doing Three answered first. "Now that we have distance between us and HYDRA, I am a little tired of the Chunky monkey outfit. We need clothes, supplies, and some technology for you."

"Why do I need that?"

"Because if you are going to survive HYDRA you will need technology and to be in the system." Three answered. However she groaned as she peeked at the shopping centre.

"Something wrong?"

"I hate crowds of people." Three admitted as she got out of the car and Bucky followed suit.

* * *

 **Author's Notes:**

 **First off thank you all for the lovely reviews. I am glad you all are enjoying the part with Three and Bucky. I know it has been a long time in coming, so thanks for sticking with it.**

 **Anyway as said here is chapter 24, and some steamy bits of story between the pair. Please let me know what you think in the reviews.**

 **Lesliezin**


	25. The Right Dance Partner

**Hello everyone,**

 **Here is chapter 25, enjoy.**

* * *

 **February 11** **th** **, 2015**

 **Russia**

Three led the way and groaned as they passed a large family leaving the shopping centre. No matter how much interactions she had, Three felt she would always hate large amounts of people. Heading for the nearest store it turned out to be a luggage store, which was the perfect first stop. The pair picked out some duffel bags, then headed for the next shop. Both got some toiletries, a couple of sets of clothes to change into, and some better boots. Three did not want to wait on ditching the chunky monkey clothes and opted for changing in the changing room after buying the new clothes. Lastly Three pointed out a electronics store to James as their last stop, so he merely followed her unsure of what to get. Sure he was familiar with today's technologies from his winter soldier training, but that did not make him an expert on what to get.

Either way it felt like Three was determined to give him a crash course in what not to get. "When in doubt always go for the age old reliable. Samsung or Sony are the best remember that nothing else compares to their tech."

She tried to tell him more about both phones, but she might as well had been speaking in a foreign language. Eventually he mentally checked out of the conversation and just watched her, it was then he noticed how beautiful she really was with vibrant green eyes, lovely fair skin, and a sweet smile. "James? James are you listening to me?"

"What? Sorry was just thinking. Maybe you should pick the phone I am no good at knowing which is best." Bucky answered looking away to avoid staring at her.

"But it will be your phone, and you will have to live with the choice." Three argued.

"I trust you." Bucky replied, when he got no response he peeked up to see her stunned expression. Their eyes locked for a moment piercing blue and deep green, then Three quickly turned away. _'Do not get attached! Besides soon you and he will be parting ways.'_ Picking out a Samsung, and a laptop; Three headed for the counter getting both. As usual she got the pay-as-you-go deal, and put the bare minimum on it for his phone. Leaving the store, Three went to the food court and began taking apart the cell while James got them some burgers, fries, and drinks. She took out the usual SIM card and put one from her backpack into the phone. She did a similar thing to the laptop.

"There you are now part of the network and good to go." Three said handing James the items. The pair ate their food in silence as Three now considered how to give James the slip. She had done more for him than she bargained for, so it was past time for them to part ways. However she doubted he was just going to let her walk away. The other problem was this was the freaking Winter Soldier! He was strong and fast, so she would need to outsmart him. After all speed and strength were not everything right?

Thinking as they were just finishing off their food, Three considered the items in her bag. She had a colour clip to change her hair colour. She could blend into the crowds and disappear, but he would need to lose track of her for a moment. She could always claim she needed to use the girl's bathroom, but that was too obvious. She might have tried to give him the slip earlier, but even then he was watching her too closely. Then she realized something, James seemed to get bored and distracted at the last store they were in. "Damn it, I forgot. You will need a protective case and a laptop bag."

"Why?" James asked.

"Because if you drop the phone I just patched into the network, I am going to hit you really hard." Three said nonchalantly trying to drive away any suspicions he might have.

"Fine." James said setting down his drink and looking like he would rather fight HYDRA then go into another store, especially the electronics store they had just left. _'Ha! Super intelligence soldier one, super soldier zero!'_ Three thought as she grabbed her bag and threw away the wrappers from their fast food meal. Returning to the shop, Three immediately began the process of boring James senseless with getting a strong sturdy laptop bag.

"You pick one out, and I will find you a cell phone case." Three said heading away and leaving James to look at the bags. Heading around the corner, Three dashed out of the store already digging through her bag for the colour clip. She quickly put it on, and adjusted the dial when no one was looking to blonde. Even still she did not slow down too much knowing any moment James would notice her absence. It was only after going down the escalator that she slowed down to a brisk walk. Heading for the exits would be a bad move on her part, and so instead she went through another department store bought a jacket, and put it on. She also put her duffel bag which had her earlier purchases in the store bag.

However heading for the exits was still not a good idea. She did not know where James was, but she could guess that he would not give up hunting her so easily. Instead she pretended to take an interest in the jewellery at a jewellery store not far from the exit. Discreetly she peeked around trying to spot James, but saw no sign of him.

"Hello there, can I help you with anything today?" A cheerful voice asked, and Three looked at a smiling lady.

"Oh no just looking and wishing." Three said smiling, sadly the smile was not meant to last as someone grabbed her arm in a painful metal grip.

"There you are, honey." James' voice replied, the word honey was said with the briefest squeeze of her arm telling her she was in trouble.

"You know we are have an early Valentine's Day sale. No better time to show how you feel by purchasing one of the specials on sale. Fifty percent off." The sales lady said still cheerful and not noticing the situation between the pair in front of her.

"Perhaps another time." James said as he gently tugged Three along, and Three really wanted to struggle with him. However as much as she wanted to escape she did not want to draw attention to herself. Pulled from the store, James led her to the side hall that led to the bathrooms. Fortunately for him it was empty as he shoved her against the wall and put his hands on either side so she could not escape. "What were you thinking?!"

"I was thinking I had done my part and it was time to part ways." Three replied only to receive an even colder icy glare from James.

"Don't ever do that again." He warned in a low angry voice as he tried to intimidate her. However she glared at him defiantly.

"How did you know?" Three asked, but James only smiled at her. He was not about to tell her that he had been keeping an eye on her just in case, or that she just changing her jacket and hair colour was not enough. Instead he grabbed her arm about to pull her along when she tried to twist free. "Let me go."

Instead she was yanked into his side where his metal arm slipped around her waist and held her there. "Behave." He ordered as he pulled her along back into the throng of people. She wanted to fight him and break free as they moved, but knew other people would notice so she tried to calm down and think of a way to escape. As they moved together, Three looked for an escape route that would get her away from James. _'Relax I can still escape. I just need to think, once he gets me to the car then I won't stand a chance.'_

As Three reigned in her rampant thoughts and looked for a way to escape, she did not see the two cops walking from the opposite direction coming towards them, but Bucky did. He knew that there was an APB out on them, so he abruptly pulled her to the side. Just in time for her to come out of her thoughts she found herself pressed against the wall with James in front of her. What was going on? Bucky saw the confused look, but had no time to explain. The cops were too close as he leaned in and whispered. "Play along."

"Wha—mppphh." Three started to ask as James' lips crashed down on hers. Bucky immediately felt her stiffen and before she could struggle and make a scene he gripped her tightly in place so that it looked like a pair of young lovers sharing a kiss. For Bucky 1944 was the last time he had kissed or even touched a girl, so he could not help but enjoy it and want more. He felt her shiver and as he pressed the kiss deeper she gave a soft moan in protest. It was enough, her mouth was open to him and he could more thoroughly enjoy the taste of her. She tasted so sweet and something else, something Bucky could not quite place.

By then the two cops had long since walked by and still Bucky held her there kissing her and trying to figure out what he could not place about kissing her. Until it clicked in Bucky's head when he gently bit her bottom lip and she whimpered. This was her first kiss, how or why Bucky did not realize it before was beyond him. Immediately he softened the kiss and loosened his grip on her. His right hand gently rubbed up and down her arm to reassure her. Still that hardly helped when he finally did pull away and take in her expression. She had tried to shrink away against the wall as if struck by him, her eyes were wide and frightened, and her lips trembled.

Luckily none of the other shop goers noticed either of them yet, again Bucky tried to reassure her as he leaned in but Three's expression quickly shifted to one of being upset to anger. She shoved him away as hard as she could, but it only pushed him back a step or two. Shakily she snatched up her bag and headed for the exit, wanting to get away from every last person she could. She barely heard James following her as she left the shopping centre and entering the empty parking lot. She automatically headed for the car fast paced as she tried to calm down and think clearly. However all she could think about was: _'He kissed me! Why did he do that?!'_

Her quick mind replayed the incident over and over, but could not understand why he had done it. What had she missed? However that did not help with how upset and angry she was. No one was suppose to kiss her, that kiss was only ever meant for Four. It may have sounded silly, Four had been dead for a long time but she agreed to share her first kiss with him. It felt wrong to kiss or be kissed by another. Besides it was her very first kiss, he had kissed her to do lord knew what! Three kept walking towards their car when a metal hand caught her arm, and it only sparked her anger even more. "Violet I-"

A harsh slap stopped him from completing his sentence, and Bucky had to mentally count to ten and tell himself she had a right to slap him. _'A slap?! Really? Since when do I slap someone?! I should have decked his sorry butt! Broke his nose with a left hook!'_ Three thought wondering why she only gave him a girly slap. _'Yeah that is it punch the Winter freaking Soldier! What is the worse that could happen? Oh wait I could be eating my meals through a straw in a hospital!'_ Her thoughts did not help her rational mind, and when she saw the slap had little effect she drew back to punch him. This time James was ready for it as he caught her wrist. In one simple move her arm was twisted behind her back. While his metal arm wrapped around her waist to keep her from escaping him.

"Stop!" Bucky hissed in her ear still angry she tried to give him the slip.

"Go to hell!" She growled as she struggled to get loose.

"Been there!" Bucky replied sharply as he moved them towards the car and she really began struggling. The last thing she wanted was to be in a car with him. Bucky grunted as they got to the side of the car. How no one saw them must have been sheer dumb luck, but if she kept this up someone was bound to see them. "Stop now!"

"Let me go, and I will." Three said trying to break free, but his grip only tightened.

"I don't want to hurt you Violet." James said.

"Too late, and my name is not Violet!" Three argued, that was when Three was spun around and pressed against the car. Her arms still pinned behind her back. James pressed against her and was glaring down at her.

"Then tell me your name!"

"I don't have one!" Three yelled.

"Everyone has a-"

"It's Three! Lab rats get numbers not names!" Three replied coldly: the news shocked James, "Still think you were in hell? At least _you_ had a name. Did you have a birthday? Parents? Tell me did you have to watch the first person you love slowly die in front of you? Or watch your childhood friend get raped? Were you told growing up that you don't exist?!"

The horrified expression on his face made her regret asking those questions as James regarded her in a new light. It got him to loosen his grip on her, but not release her. "I'm sorry." The words seemed to tumble out of James' mouth. "I know HYDRA did a lot of horrible things. They made me do too many terrible things. I was sent after you, and I am sorry for what I did. Please just don't go. Please stay with me."

Hesitantly James released her and stepped back, the ice cold air replaced where his warmth had been making her shiver. Would he really let her go? She slid along the car and picked up her bag, but when she turned to leave she stopped short. She would be alone—again. In truth she was not being fair to him when she tried to ditch him. He had given her no real reason to be afraid of him. Sure he was determined to keep her, he had scarred her and even used her injury against her briefly. However after that he had been on his best behavior, he never took advangtage of her yet he had ample opportunity. In truth there was no real reason to be afraid. Mostly it was just age old fears she had from before that meant little now.

Three swallowed down the lump in her throat as she looked out at the snow covered parking lot. In all honesty she had no realistic reason, only past reasons. She remembered seeing him when she was approximately six years old, and how he terrified her. She remembered being chased by him onto the bridge, and her poor attempt at fighting him. She remembered being forced to take that near fatal leap over the side to escape him. Lastly she remembered project Trinity and the fate that she narrowly avoided, and yet none of that was James.

James was different from the Winter Soldier. He had fought HYDRA, helped her escape, and patched her up. She had no real reason to escape him other then the deeply rooted fears that she held for so long. Still him kissing her upset her, that kiss was meant for Four. Her cheeks flushed at remembering James kissing her. Would he try to kiss her again? She chewed her bottom lip nervously as she peeked back at him. He was watching her waiting for her to walk away, the pain in his eyes said it all. He was not the Winter Soldier she had been terrified of.

"If I stay, don't ever kiss me again." Three said firmly after a moment.

"I was trying to keep us safe." James answered trying to defend his actions.

"By shoving me against a wall and kissing me?" Three asked shakily.

"By trying to go unnoticed by the two cops walking towards us." James replied starting to get annoyed.

"Oh really? Especially when the kiss lasted about forty-seven seconds and the cops were probably three stores away by the end of it?" Three replied trying to keep from showing how upset she was. _'She was counting how long the kiss lasted?'_ Bucky wondered amazed, then swallowed.

"I got carried away..." Bucky answered lamely. Then Bucky looked around worried that their arguing was going to draw unwanted attention to them. Fortunately no one was nearby yet as he looked back to find Three biting her bottom lip. He was tempted to grab her and kiss her again, but had to resist the desire. Instead he looked away and clenched his fists at his sides. "Get in the car. I will drive."

Three eyed him suspiciously and began to question her sanity as she cautiously got into the car's passenger side while James went around and got into the driver's side. The car soon started and the heater turned on to warm them. Buckling up, Three peeked at James as they drove from the parking lot but didn't say anything. Instead she felt her stomach twist in an painful way as she remembered that she was suppose to share that kiss with Four. Guilt and a perfect memory meant she was remembering it like it was yesterday. It was impossible not to feel bad about the kiss. Instead of the kiss being special it had been rendered meaningless. It's only purpose was to help them avoid the authorities! This knowledge and the fact that it wasn't Four kissing her made Three start to cry as she turned toward the window.

After a long tense silence Bucky took peeks at her. She was curled up on the seat with her back to him and shaking slightly. After a few more peeks he heard what could have easily been mistaken for something else, but it sounded like she sniffled. Was she that upset over a kiss? Sure enough he saw her hastily wipe her cheek, and hide the fact she was crying. Bucky shifted uncomfortably in his seat as he looked ahead hating to see a dame cry. "Was my kissing you truly that bad?"

No answer, so he tried again. "It was your first kiss wasn't it?"

When again he got no answer he sighed. "Violet please say something because I am failing to see what the big deal is. It was just a kiss. I mean I know girls from my time considered their first kiss to be a big deal, but I don't remember any of them reacting like this. So explain, please!"

"I wasn't suppose to kiss anyone." Three finally answered. "I was suppose to kiss only one person."

"So you have a boyfriend." James assumed.

"I guess I did. We were suppose to share a kiss once we escaped."

"Escaped? He was one of the test subjects?" James asked confused, as Three nodded.

"We were suppose to escape together, but in the end I ended up being the last one and escaping alone." James peeked at her stunned as he eventually realized this was the man she had to watch die. "His name was Four."

"So your first kiss was meant only for him," Bucky said trying to wrap his head around this. This man named Four was long since dead and she had not wanted to be kissed.

"You think I am being silly." Three stated miserably.

"No, it is just you said Four is dead. So sharing that first kiss would never happen." James pointed out as gently as he possibly could, "Don't you think he would want you to move on and experience things even if he couldn't experience those things with you?"

Three sat there silently considering his words as she was reminded of the first time she brought pizzas to Peggy's care home. The conversation that day when she vaguely told the story of Four came to mind. _"_ _The wrong partner." Peggy had said._

" _What?"_

" _It is what Steve Rogers once said to me. He was waiting for the right dance partner. For a long time after he disappeared it felt like no one would be right for me either." Peggy said smiling at Three, "You feel that he was the only one for you, the right dance partner."_

 _Three sat there stunned by how accurate Peggy was, the old woman completely understanding her. "How did you overcome that feeling?"_

" _I accepted he was gone. I picked myself up and kept marching. Eventually I found that Steve Rogers was the right dance partner then, but that was for one dance. The right dance partner I was meant for would be Daniel. The boy you loved will always have been the right dance partner too, but only for one dance. Eventually you two will find the ones you are meant for." Peggy had said to Three and her niece Sharon._

"The right dance partner." Three said softly. Peggy had been right before, but only now was Three realizing she was not accepting the harsh truth. After all this time she had never stopped loving Four nor allowed herself to move on from him.

* * *

"The right dance partner." Those words from Three sounded strangely familiar as Bucky frowned. Then he felt a sharp pain as the memory returned painfully as if a needle was being driven into his skull. One moment he was in the car the next... _A pub in England. Bucky looked around as he saw his friend coming to join him. Only his friend Steve Rogers used to be a short thin guy. Now he was taller and broader. Music was played on a piano as men sung along enjoying their off duty time. Bucky could not help it he was chuckling at something. "See? I told you. They're all idiots."_

 _At that he raised a drink to his lips and took a drink as Steve sat beside him. "How about you? You ready to follow Captain America into the jaws of death?"_

" _Hell no." Bucky chuckled, "That little guy from Brooklyn who was too dumb not to run away from a fight. I'm following him." Bucky said as he took another drink, as the bartender brought Steve his own drink. "But you're keeping the outfit right?"_

" _You know what?" Steve asked as he looked back at the Captain America poster that had a cancelled tour notice, "It's kind of growing on me."_

 _The men singing continued as both he and Steve resumed their drinking. However a moment later it died out, both Steve and Bucky looked towards the entrance as a beautiful brunette entered in a red dress. Both had risen from their seats as she addressed Steve. "Captain."_

" _Agent Carter." Steve said, as she came to stand before Steve._

" _Ma'am." Bucky said, but she was not interested in him as she focused on Steve._

" _Howard has some equipment for you to try. Tomorrow morning?" Carter asked._

" _Sounds good." Steve said, then Carter looked towards the front of the pub as Steve admired her in the red dress. Bucky looked at him and thought to himself: 'Compliment her, say something Steve.'_

" _I see your top squad is prepping for duty." Carter pointed out._

" _You don't like music?" Bucky asked._

" _I do, actually." Carter said never taking her eyes off of Steve. "I might, even when this is all over, go dancing."_

" _Then what are we waiting for?" Bucky asked, again Carter never took her eyes off of Steve as she answered. The term 'I've only got eyes for you.' came to mind right then._

" _The right partner." If Steve did not get the hint Bucky was going to hit him. "0800 Captain."_

 _With that Carter walked away, and suddenly Bucky realized that there was some role reversal happening here. "Yes ma'am. I will be there."_

" _I'm invisible. I'm turning into you. It's like a horrible dream." Bucky had to laugh at the irony of it all. Before the ladies treated poor Steve like he was invisible, now it was his turn._

" _Don't take it so hard. Maybe she's got a friend." Steve said clapping him on the shoulder. However that hand on his shoulder tightened to a vice-like grip._ "James!"

The voice was Three's as his eyes flew open and he looked at her. She was practically in his lap with her foot mashed down on his on the brakes. One hand gripped the steering wheel while another gripped his shoulder. He looked around a moment trying to figure out how she ended up in his lap. The honking of a horn and someone yelling in Russian made him look around. Somehow they were only partially on the pavement, and had not crashed. Mostly he guessed they did not crash because of her. Seeing the confusion on his face, Three released the breath she had held.

"Maybe I should drive."

"Yeah, that is probably for the best." Bucky replied shakily, the flashbacks that allowed bits and pieces of memories through was becoming more frequent as well as painful. At least this memory was not as bad as some of the memories he knew he would have. Once they had changed drivers, Three pulled back onto the road.

"Does that happen often?"

"At times, but now it is like someone is driving a steel spike through my skull. It's also random." Bucky answered.

"Great so this was random. No operating heavy machinery for you then." Three replied.

"Actually it was not so random this time. It seemed to be triggered by what you said Violet."

"You insist on calling me Violet now?" She laughed.

"I am not calling you Three. Besides Violet suits you." Bucky said trying to tease her. Instead Three shook her head as she drove looking a mixture of annoyed and amused. "If it helps I also go by the name Bucky."

"Bucky?" Three laughed, "Okay and here I thought the name Three was bad."

"And what is wrong with the name Bucky?"

"Oh no! I am pleading the fifth on that one." Three replied refusing to answer his question. Instead she seemed to be testing the name out. "Hmm Bucky... Okay it does not sound so bad. Just out of curiosity what is your full name?"

"You are kidding right? What about Captain America? Steve Rogers?"

"Yes smart ass I know who Steve Rogers is."

"Great so even now I am invisible." Bucky grumbled.

"What are you talking about?" Three asked as Bucky dug through his bag and held up the Smithsonian's Captain America exhibit guide.

"Sorry Bucky but with fighting HYDRA and trying not to die in the process I don't go to many public places and place a target on my back. Care to elaborate?" Three replied sarcastically as she drove. Sighing she grew serious. "Besides I kind of have problems with crowds. I did okay in the shopping centre, but much more of a crowd and I would have been facing a panic attack. The Captain America exhibit I would have definitely panicked had I gone there."

"You get panic attacks in crowds?" Bucky asked sceptical.

"Well when you are raised in a HYDRA facility with five other kids and the only others to visit are guards and doctors. Not to mention never ever setting foot outside until you are sixteen or seventeen, then yeah you would panic too. It took time to get used to so many people in one area, and even now I can still fall into a panic attack if there are too many people."

"So how did you get over that?"

"With help the father and daughter that took me in helped me gradually overcome my fear. It is a breathing exercise I do where I count down from ten to one in Mandarin between deep breathes." Three answered. For a moment Bucky grew quiet considering what he had just learned about her, then she interrupted his thoughts. "So you going to answer my question or not?"

"James Buchanan Barnes." Bucky answered remembering her earlier question, "I was Steve Rogers best friend, and a Howling Commando." Again it grew eerily quiet as Three seemed to be considering the information.

"So that is why you never aged the two times I saw you." Three finally said, "I figured there was a reason they called you the Winter Soldier. They must-"

"They froze me." Bucky said then had to ask as a frown came over his features. "How come you didn't notice it was me before?"

"Your face was always covered." Three pointed out.

"Then how did you know it was me those two times?" Bucky asked.

"Your eyes." Three replied, then realized some elaboration was required, "I have a perfect memory. I can recall even my earliest memories perfectly."

"You can recall everything?" Bucky asked sceptically.

"Three hours forty-seven minutes, and twenty-four seconds ago the sales clerk at the clothing department store asked if you wanted to purchase the new scent by Boss for half price. You spent nine minutes thirty-five seconds in the changing room, and nearly jumped out of your skin when a girl burst out laughing behind you at the food court two minutes and four seconds after you sat down. Now you tell me how perfect my memory is."

"That is...creepy." Bucky admitted as Three laughed a little.

"Nah creepy is remembering what you had for dinner seven years ago on August second. FYI it was macaroni and cheese with some salsa added."

"Very funny, but can we get off the creepy subject. You said you knew it was me because of my eyes. Yet you did not recognise me the day you met me outside the airport."

"That was because your eyes are different now. Back when I first saw the Winter Soldier you had cold vacant eyes, same as on the Nanjing bridge. So I knew it was the same person, but when I offered you a lift your eyes were not cold nor vacant. Also I am not psychic Bucky."

"Alright fair point, but before you said you were in SHIELD's and HYDRA's systems. Wouldn't you have looked me up?"

"I did not look into you for the same reason a child does not look in their closet for the monster hiding there. I figured the less I knew the safer I was, if I went digging HYDRA might call on you to come after me." Three said as she looked for a motel or some place to lie low for the night.

"Wait you did not look into me because you were scared?" Bucky had to laugh at that, Three did not look the type to scare easily. However his laugh was taken another way as Three glared straight ahead.

"Yes alright! I was scared! Give me HYDRA and all their assholes. Give me an alien invasion and Loki. Give me some terrorist calling himself the Mandarin. I will take them all on, but when HYDRA sends you I will hide first!"

For a few minutes they were quiet until Bucky sighed. "Sorry." She peeked at him, but kept driving with the silence driving him crazy. Finally he had to ask even if he dreaded the answer. "Do I really scare you?"

The question made Three's lips part as she stared straight ahead. Then she started chewing her bottom lip nervously and she squirmed in the seat. "Yes, but not as you are now. There is another reason you scare me as the Winter Soldier." Three said as she pulled into the parking lot of a old motel. She parked and cut the engine then blushed as she looked at Bucky. "They—HYDRA or Pierce. I found out their plans for me, and it involved you."

Bucky watched her closely as she seemed to go even more red. Something told Bucky that he would not like what she told him as he watched her. "It was called Project Trinity and they were going to give me...to you."

"To me? Why?"

"It was a breeding program. They wanted individuals with both the super soldier and super intelligent serums." Three answered as she looked like she would be sick, and Bucky understood why. Right then he too felt sick as he could well imagine what HYDRA intended to do. He closed his eyes to try and block out the thoughts, but his imagination did not help. While he would have loved to have claimed he would never harm her, he knew they would have ordered him to rape her and being under their influence he would have had no choice. The thought made him clench his fists as he imagined crushing Pierce's head in his hands.

What was worse was she was afraid of him. The mere idea of her being afraid of him, or of him hurting her made him sick. He remembered enough to know that hurting her was the last thing he wanted to do. Yet had she not escaped and had HYDRA given her to him, he would have and both of them knew it. It made Bucky feel even worse about the stolen kiss, as he finally looked at her. She was blushing some and watching him with a worried expression as though afraid of how he would react. The atmosphere in the car became thick with tension that could be cut with a knife. Bucky just looked at her as he thought about all the things he wanted to say. He wanted to tell her he would have resisted. He wanted to tell her he would never hurt her. He wanted to promise that she never needed to be afraid of him. Sadly saying all those things would not change how she feared him—nothing would.

Realizing nothing he said would reassure or comfort her, Bucky could not help the hurt look on his face. He needed air and time to think as he almost ripped the handle off the car door as he got out. The door slammed shut as Bucky quickly walked away. He went around the motel into a side alley, not the place with the most fresh of air, but the cold snow covering the trash cans helped. What happened next was a blur as Bucky lost his calm, and vented his anger. Could anyone really blame him for needing to punch something? His metal hand went through a large dumpster like a knife through melted butter. He literally tore apart everything in the alleyway imagining it was Pierce, Rumlow, Zola, and any other HYDRA personnel.

Then someone grabbed his shoulder trying to stop him, and he forgot himself for a moment. Bucky turned and shoved the person against the wall. Holding them there he was about to punch when a familiar voice called out. "Bucky!"

Immediately he relaxed as he realized he held Three against the wall, lowering his fist he released a shaky breathe. "I'm sorry," Three said after a moment, "I should not have told you about Project Trinity. Believe me I reacted to the news badly too. I imagined the worst, and had nightmares about it. I should have known better-"

"No I needed to hear it," Bucky said stopping her. He looked down between them having not stepped back he still had her pressed against the wall. "It now makes sense why you wanted to get away from me. Why you were so upset over that kiss, and being near me. For what it's worth, I am glad you escaped HYDRA and me."

* * *

 **Author's Notes:**

 **Firstly thank you all for the lovely reviews. I love hearing from those reading and following the story, and am glad you are enjoying this story.**

 **This chapter was a fun one to write as both Bucky and Three learn more about each other and they found their footing when it comes to situations. In a lot of ways Three is beginning to see that what she thought she knew of the Winter Soldier is turning out to be false or just one big oversight on her part. Her instincts are telling her sticking with Bucky is bad but it is purely based off of two small encounters with the Winter Soldier. The image of what she thought the Winter Soldier was is not the same image Bucky is showing her. It is for this reason she decided to go against her instincts and stay with him, that and she doesn't like being alone.**

 **While Bucky feels her experience and knowledge will help compliment his own skills increasing his chances against HYDRA. Not only is there a strong physical attraction to her but he feels she is the only other person that understands what it is like to be at the mercy of HYDRA. So in short he wants to keep her with him.**

 **Anyway what did you think of this chapter? Please let me know in the reviews.**

 **Lesliezin**


	26. A First Time for Everything

**Hello everyone,**

 **Here is chapter 26, but before you read it. There is an M-rating warning for this chapter. It does contain content not suitable for those under the legal age. Please be aware of this and use discretion. Thanks. Anyway onto chapter 26, enjoy!**

* * *

 **February 13** **th** **, 2015**

 **Russia**

Three laid in the bed unable to calm down as she stared at the ceiling. Since the alley, Bucky, as he preferred to be called; had grown quiet and withdrawn. The next day was no better as he barely said two words to her since they checked into the motel. Rather than show how unsettled she was she toyed with her phone and laptop checking the status of the Avengers and Coulson's team. However that could only occupy her time for so long. The next day they acted like an invisible barrier was between them. Bucky had gone and showered, while Three removed the tags from her clothes they had bought at the shopping centre the previous day. Removing the tags only took a few minutes though, so she got curious and found the guide book Bucky had sticking out of his backpack. Picking it up, Three sat down on her bed and leaned against the headboard as she started leafing through it. Mostly it was about Steve Rogers as Captain America, but as she continued to read she learnt more about Sergeant James Buchanan Barnes. She read about Bucky being born March 10th, 1917 and was the eldest of four children. She read about how he met and saved Steve Rogers from bullies at school trying to steal his lunch money. Reading about him made her smile as she looked at a early picture of the two boys. Both were cute in their youth, though Steve looked anaemic.

So focused on reading, Three did not hear the shower turn off signalling Bucky was done showering. Instead Three continued reading about how Bucky was a three time YMCA welterweight boxing champion, and when the war started he took Steve to Goldie's Boxing gym to train him up. Again there was an old picture as an older more handsome Bucky held a punching bag and the all too slim Steve was in a fighting pose. She did not hear the bathroom door open or Bucky step out. However he stopped short, watching her as she read the guidebook he had. Meanwhile Three could not help but giggle at how adorable the pictures were, Bucky the ever protective friend looking out for his little friend Steve. It made her realise that he was a good person before HYDRA got their hands on him. The more she read, the less scary he became, it was a relief in a way to know that the man she so feared was this good, caring, person.

However Three blushed as she read about Barnes being known as the charmer of the ladies out of the pair of them. According to accounts given by girls that dated the pair, Bucky was the one to set up double dates for himself and Steve. Sadly both girls showed more interest in Bucky rather than Steve. _'Huh, no wonder he was a good kisser. He has had practice.'_ Three thought as she chewed her bottom lip and read on.

"Find anything interesting?" The question from Bucky made her look up shocked, then she quickly closed the book to give it back to Bucky.

"I am sorry. I was just curious." Three admitted, but Bucky did not take the book back as he came to sit on the bed opposite.

"It is kind of like reading about another person at times." Bucky admitted as he looked at the guidebook in her hand that she slowly lowered into her lap.

"War changes people." Three pointed out.

"And what would you know of war?"

"I have been fighting one for over ten years." Three stated, the comment seemed to surprise Bucky as he watched her as she resumed looking through the book. She could still feel him watching her as she opened it to the last page she had been on.

"You have been fighting HYDRA that long?" Bucky finally asked.

"That was the reason I was at the top of SHIELD's most wanted list. HYDRA put me there, then your pal Steve stole the top spot." Three answered like it was nothing, though it did annoy her a little. It took years and being falsely accused of murdering someone she didn't to acquire the Most wanted slot, and Captain America went from top agent to most wanted in a single day! _'Damn super Soldier show-off!'_ After a couple of moments, Three looked up to see Bucky watching her. "What?"

Bucky immediately looked down to avoid looking at her further. "It is just I cannot believe you agreed to stay. You were trying to escape me earlier, and with what you told me after-"

"Yeah but the lost, kicked, puppy look pulled on my heartstrings." Three joked not wanting him to bring up Project Trinity. Nor did she want to admit that she did not really want to be alone either. Instead Bucky smiled a little giving a soft chuckle, so she decided to continue lightening the mood as she sat up and set the guidebook aside. Now facing him she tried for a serious expression. "So, how many?"

"How many what?" Bucky asked confused.

"Don't play coy, Romeo. How many girls did you charm back in the Forties? The guidebook just says you were a charmer and set up double dates for yourself and Steve. Details please." The answer got Bucky blushing and chuckling more as he shook his head.

"I don't..." Bucky trailed off still chuckling.

"C'mon this information is vital intelligence that could be used. What you know could very well finally save your friend from his single status, as Sharon has-" The words were cut off as she remembered there would be no more contact with Sharon, so her face fell. "Sorry forget I asked."

Remembering that her closest friend would want nothing to do with her, Three rose from the bed and was going to head for the bathroom when a metal hand caught her wrist. "What is it? What's wrong?"

"Nothing that can be helped now." Three smiled faintly, but Bucky did not release her wrist – wanting more of an answer. Giving a long sigh Three gave in, "My closest friend. The one I lied to since I first met her. I just didn't want to put her in danger and she was with SHIELD. We had known each other for years, and when HYDRA was revealed I was in the Triskelion. I saved her and some other SHIELD agents but she recognized me. After that I knew our friendship was over, and she will never forgive me for lying to her all this time."

The situation must have mirrored the situation Bucky faced with Steve because his lips pursed as he stared up at her. For a moment his blue eyes just stared at her making her feel self conscious, then she noticed the way his metal hand softly caressed her wrist. Aside from the cool metal the grip was gentle but firm and his metal thumb gently ran over her wrist. "You did the only thing you thought you could to protect her."

"I lied to her." Three pointed out.

"And I tried to kill my best friend." Bucky countered as he looked down ashamed, "I...beat him up, and left him. I could have killed him, I shot him, and I-" Bucky released a shaky breath and when he looked up at her he looked like he would start crying.

"It wasn't you." Three said knowing the words did not help, but she had to say something. She couldn't just stand there and let the guilt eat him alive. "I met Steve once, and in that single meeting I know he is a good guy. He would say those same words too. It wasn't you. HYDRA controlled you. Steve will forgive you in a heartbeat if he hasn't already. What HYDRA had you do, you had no control. I on the other hand knowingly and willingly lied to my friend from the moment I met her. My intentions were in the right place, but if either of us is going to get the World's Worst Friend award it will be me. Not you."

Bucky stared up at her with wide beautiful blue eyes, then after a moment he swallowed. "You met Steve?"

"Yeah, it was rather amusing. Sharon was assigned to pretend to be a nurse and neighbour and protect Steve. She always had this crush on him so I thought I would help her out. I asked for Steve's phone and programmed her number into it asking him to call her and take her out to dinner. Had I waited for Sharon to make a damn move Hell would be an Ice Rink I could skate in." Bucky chuckled at the comment and shook his head.

"That action alone says you are never getting the world's worst friend award. After he was given the serum Steve was a magnet for beautiful dames, and yet you only wanted to help your friend."

"Well Steve is handsome, but I am not into blondes." Three said then blushed realizing she should have thought before speaking.

"Then who are you into?" Bucky asked making her blush. This entire time his metal hand still caressed her wrist. The tension in the air was so thick she could barely breath, as a charming smile began to form on Bucky's face. That was when she realized her cheeks had gone a lovely shade of red at his question effectively answering his question with no words needed. Her heart began hammering in her chest as she was brought back to that night after meeting Steve and having a movie night with Sharon. When she spoke of being unable to decide which dwarf she liked from the Hobbit. Moody Thorin or charming Kili? _'Oh dear god! I described Bucky!'_ Three thought as Bucky still waited for her to answer.

Immediately her nervous habit had her biting her bottom lip as her mind drew a blank. She gasped softly when Bucky reached up with his flesh hand and ran his thumb over her lips. "Surely the question is not that hard to answer."

Three shivered and felt the metal hand slide up her arm, the contact reminding her of the kiss in the shopping centre. "I—I—I...ne—eed to go. Shower now." _'Cold shower!'_ She thought turning to head for the bathroom, but the metal hand stopped her. Now Bucky stood and being taller Three had to look up at him. He was standing too close, and Three blushed even more.

"I guess I have my answer." Bucky finally said with a smirk. Was he this smug and arrogant back in the Forties?

"Don't assume to know me, Sergeant Barnes. I am not a girl from the 1940s that is so easily read. I am not going to fall hopelessly in love with you like every other girl you have charmed." Three said trying to resist the charming smile that came over his lips.

"Yes ma'am." Bucky said the smile never leaving his lips, but Three figured that was the end of the conversation. Nodding Three was about to head off to take a shower, but her destination was detoured. Instead she was against the wall at the foot of the bed and Bucky was pressed to her. The contact made her panic a little as it was a scary reminder of her in the shower when Loki attacked her mind. She was on the verge of another type of panic attack as the idea of a man touching her sent a spike of fear through her.

"Wait! You—you said you would not kiss me again." Three replied putting her hands up to stop him from leaning in.

"I never said that, nor did I agree." Bucky replied chuckling, and Three blushed. _'Damn him! He is right!'_ Three thought as she recalled the situation in the parking lot. There was no formal agreement that Bucky would not kiss her. The press of his well muscled body made her tremble as he leaned in, and the panic made her react.

"Bucky please!" Three pleaded stopping him from what he intended to do. Looking at her she had a wide-eyed scared expression on her features, it made Bucky release her with an hurt look.

"I am not going to hurt you." Bucky said softly.

"I—I know, it's just." Three said, but what could she say? Instead of giving a lame excuse she sighed unable to meet his gaze. "Excuse me..." With that she slipped away into the bathroom to take a long cold shower.

* * *

In the small bathroom, Three pressed herself against the bathroom door trying to calm herself before her distress watch beeped and warned Aida of a potential problem. Why it didn't go off beforehand, Three did not know. Maybe she was just calm enough to where it did not register on the watch. Regardless she quickly took it off for her to have a shower. Setting it on the sink counter, Three tried to do breathing exercizes to calm down. However calm was the last thing she was as she relived the memory of Bucky being so close. The idea of him kissing her, touching her, and perhaps more made her hug herself protectively. Every terrible nightmare that she had had after learning about Project Trinity came back to haunt her in terrifying detail.

This made Three grip her hair in a ball, as she tried not to fall down the rabbit hole of memories, but with a picture perfect memory and her panic attack falling into that rabbit hole was unavoidable. "Not real, not real, not Real!"

Her repeating the words in a chant gradually worked since the nightmare memories were just that: nightmares. The Winter Soldier in those nightmares was not Bucky, not anymore. Her rational mind was slowly showing her that these fears were baseless and irrational. Yet this did not dissuade the fear of a man touching her, so she needed a distraction and looked to the shower. _'Take a shower and calm down. Everything is better after a nice long shower.'_ Three thought, but the thought of a shower caused other involuntary memories to surface. Memories long since buried.

" _You are innocent, you have never experienced the touch of a man. The mere idea terrifies you, you witnessed it. Someone dear to you her legs being forced apart and made to accept a man before she was ready. Her screams still echoing in your mind as she calls to you, begging pleading for help. You never want to feel that helpless, that vulnerable."_ Loki's words triggered the pained scream from Six as Berk was raping her.

" _THREE!"_ Three covered her ears wanting to block out the agonized screams, she crumbled to her knees shaking. The memories of Six's assault had always been traumatizing for Three, to be helpless to help her friend still haunted her even now. However her mind instinctively shied away from the memory of Six and shifted to her own mental assault at the hands of Loki. Making her feel sick at the idea of a shower. It was in the shower that Loki mentally assaulted her, and she had a type of experience with what Six went through. The memory of the malicious Asgardian made her sob softly as she shook.

Then abruptly there was knocking on the door which made her jump slightly as Bucky's voice brought her back to the present. "Violet? Are you alright?"

Swallowing the lump in her throat Three hastily wiped her eyes clean of tears. "Ye-ah. Yes I was just taking a moment."

The excuse was flimsy as she felt Bucky lingering outside the door, it was as if the man wanted to say something but couldn't find the words. Instead he sighed softly not wanting to intrude on her. "Okay let me know if you need anything. I will be just a call away."

Three sighed when he moved away from the door, and she got to her feet. She looked in the mirror and shook her head annoyed that she fell down the rabbit hole of memories. It was literally one of the biggest problems with the Mastermind serum. She was usually good about not thinking about her past and was equally good at avoiding it. Otherwise episodes like what had just happened would be a common occurance and could be overwhelming. Instead Three focused on the main issue and went to take a shower. She put all of her attention on showering and washing her hair. She wanted to linger and enjoy the water spraying down on her, but ever since Loki invaded her mind she never lingered for very long. The Asgardian may be off planet, but she always worried he might escape and return. Finishing in the shower she dried off, wrapped the towel around herself, and put her watch back on. However in the next moment Three wanted to hit herself, she had not thought to grab clean clothes. Opening the bathroom door she peeked out and looked towards Bucky's bed. He was laying on top of the blankets fully clothed, but he also looked asleep. Perhaps he dosed off?

Three bit her bottom lip as she looked to her own bed and the bag there with her clothes. She looked back and forth between Bucky and her bag and decided to risk it. Moving forward and wrapped in only a towel she quietly moved to her bag. She was just starting to pull clothes out when she heard a chuckle and her face went scarlet. "That is a lovely new look for you. You should wear that more often."

Three couldn't help it she was now glaring at Bucky. "Why did you pretend to be asleep?!"

"I didn't, I was just resting my eyes. You were the one to assume I was." _'Damn him! Must he be so smug about it?!'_ Three wondered as he was looking her over and enjoying the view.

"Eyes up Sergeant Barnes."

"Yes ma'am." Bucky chuckled giving her a charming smirk. Three had to wonder how many girls he used that on, and if they also felt weak-kneed after it too. She quickly looked back to her bag and began to take some clothes out to wear. However she did not hear the bed even squeak as Bucky got up. She did not even know he was behind her until his flesh hand ran over her arm making her jump and turn to face him. She gripped her clothes to her chest as she looked up at Bucky. She was not sure why but he grew serious. "I am not going to hurt you Vi."

Now he was shortening his given name for her which actually sounded sweet coming from him. She stared up at him wide eyed and speechless, knowing full well that she must have looked like an idiot. His flesh hand slipped up to touch her cheek, and she felt her cheeks heating up under his hand. His metal hand came up taking the bundle of clothes away from her as her heart was pounding in her chest and he began to lean in towards her. Her breath caught in her chest as the metal arm slid around her waist. She felt dizzy as she was pressed against him, and wondered what was wrong with her.

Bucky leaned in even closer as his flesh hand slide into her wet hair at the back of her head, and his lips started to brush her. BEEP BEEP BEEP! The distress watch was going off as her heart hammered away, her pulse rose, and everything spiked like she was having a panic attack. The mistaken signal and beeping made her blush. She may not be panicking, but her damn watch didn't know that. Hearing Bucky chuckle only cemented her embarrassment as he must have known he caused such a reaction in her. She bit her bottom lip and looked down embarrassed.

"It's not funny." Three mumbled, then her cell phone rang as Aida obviously noticed the alert. So Three moved past Bucky and picked up her phone. "Hi Aida."

" _Kat? Are you okay? Your distress level sky-rocketed."_

"Yeah, I am fine." Three mumbled still embarrassed.

" _Are you sure? Your heart rate and pulse suggest you are under extreme distress. Or it could be that you're... excited?"_ The resulting chuckle from Bucky meant he was hearing the conversation, and Three turned away trying to keep him from the conversation.

"I assure you I am not panicking or excited!" Three said making her words biting as she peeked back at Bucky, "My watch must have a glitch is all. I am perfectly fine."

" _If you are sure."_ Aida said worried, _"_ _Have a good evening."_ Hanging up the phone, Three bit back an angry retort as she remembered Bucky had a long history of charming girls, and obviously toying with them. How many hearts had he broken with that smile alone? He had a nasty advantage over her because she lacked the experience, and he damn well knew it! The moment he touched her arm she whirled on him.

"How many?!" Three demanded.

"Wha-" Bucky asked confused.

"Don't play coy! How many girls have you charmed? How many hearts did you break with that sweet smile?" Bucky stood there stunned by the questions as he opened and closed his mouth unsure of how to answer.

"I-"

"Let me guess because I am inexperienced, I am good practice and it is oh-so-funny that I have to wear a distress watch! Th—that I am this twenty-plus virgin that has no clue and so far out of my depth around people—men especially that it is one big joke to you!" Again her watch began beeping as her vitals jumped, "Damn it!" She cursed as she looked down at the damn watch, and began taking it off. As she fought with the strap she continued. "I am not stupid or blind, James Barnes, and I am not going to be another notch in your bedpost!"

With the watch off she put it by her phone glad to have the damn beeping stop, and turned to glare up at Bucky who was now inches from her. This time the metal arm wrapped around her waist and harshly yanked her against him, his flesh hand gripped the back of her head. She went to pull away panicking a little as his lips pressed hard against hers. Her eyes widened in fright as he kissed her and she tried feebly tried push him away. The soft whimper she gave made Bucky soften the angry kiss as it became passionate. She shivered as it felt like her strength had left her and her struggles died down. Even the panicked thought of being in just a bath towel faded as Bucky kissed her deeply. Then he gently bit her bottom lip, causing a soft moan from her before pulling away. Three stood there stunned, blushing, and breathless while Bucky regained his composure faster. He was still angry, she knew that much as his eyes looked stormy.

"I am not the same man I was," Bucky growled out, "and I was not going to take advantage of you. If I did anything you didn't want all you had to say was 'No', and I would back off! Yes you are inexperienced and awkward. It is one of the things I love about you, but you are wrong about me! I was not 'practising because you are an easy target!' I want you because you understand, because you are the only dame that will ever understand! Never! Assume that I am toying with you!"

Three stood there stunned and shaken by what he had admitted as she tried to think. However right then, thinking was not happening, her mind was too jumbled by everything. Suddenly she realized she was afraid of him, not because he was the Winter Soldier that particular ship had long since sailed and hit a ice berg! No this was a different fear, not the 'Oh-shit-not-the-winter-soldier-fear, no more like 'Oh-shit-this-man-wants-me-fear.' Which made absolutely no sense to Three, but considering her fear of the opposite sex and all she guessed it was understandable.

She just stared up at Bucky a little shaken by his actions, she did not even know she was shrinking back against the wall. However Bucky did and his eyes softened as he looked her over, he started to reach up then stopped. He looked angry again which made her bite her bottom lip nervously, and he groaned as he stepped back. "Just get dressed."

The order sounded more like a plea, as if seeing her like this caused him some type of pain. The realization that he did not really want her to get dressed made her blush evening more. However James shook his head and quickly left the motel room rather than stick around. Once the motel room door slammed shut, Three felt her knees give out as she slide down the wall shaken. Men had wanted her before: Eckhardt, Berk, Loki to name a few that would have raped her. However Bucky was the first to want her, but not willing to hurt her. There was a first time for everything and it seemed she would have to get used to it.

* * *

 **February 18** **th** **, 2015**

 **Russia**

Six days! Six, long, painful days Three had been travelling with James Barnes. After Bucky had left the motel room, Three had shakily gone to the bathroom with her clothes and dressed. She dressed in a grey tank top and matching sleep shorts. After that she had climbed into her bed, but could not sleep. She laid awake for hours until Bucky returned to the room and laid on top of his bed. For even more hours an awkward silence was between them and Three worked up the courage to apologise. She peeked over at Bucky to find him staring at the ceiling unable to sleep anymore than she could.

"Bucky I-"

"Go to sleep Violet." Bucky interrupted cutting off her apology.

"But Bucky I-"

"Please." Bucky pleaded and Three sighed softly giving up on trying to apologise to him. It hurt to know she would not even be allowed to make any type of amends. Guessing he wanted her to suffer some, she quickly rolled over so her back was to him and hugged the pillow to her. She buried her face in the pillow to try and block out the rest of the world, then somehow at some point she fell asleep. It was not for very long, then it was time to go. She decided to try to focus on her mission which was to intercept the convoy and get the Mastermind serum. What Bucky planned to do she tried not to care, but if he wanted to tag along he would just have to try and keep up.

Thus far it was working—mostly. She would barely say two words to him, and he barely spoke to her. Both felt the uneasy tension, but both were trying their damnedest to ignore it. It was at the table of another ratty motel that Three took to breaking apart a phone she got at a pawn shop to help 'adjust' her distress watch. The damn thing would be beeping the entire time telling Bucky just how he was affecting her emotions if she allowed it. So she text Aida claiming the damn watch as 'acting up and was repairing it', so to not scare the AI.

She was nearly done changing it so that only extreme distress would register alerting her, not every time her heart rate picked up in the presence of Bucky. As usual Bucky was doing his own thing, she knew he was in the bathroom taking a shower, but paid no real attention. She had just put the watch back on and was checking it when she peeked back on hearing a noise. _'Oh god!'_

Again Three shivered as every fibre of her being screamed at her. She was overly aware of the fact that James Barnes was tall, well muscled, and fucking gorgeous! However him stepping out of the bathroom in tight jeans and shirtless with long wet hair and—BEEP! _'Shit!'_ Her hand covered the beeping watch as she whirled around to fix it and quickly took it off.

Ever since he had grabbed and kissed her at the shopping centre and in the motel room six days ago there had been a sexual tension that left her frazzled. What made it worse was Bucky confessed that he wanted her and was taunting her with his well-muscled body! It was more frightening than Three wanted to admit as she tried to pretend he was not behind her and was going to take the damn watch apart again. After all contact with people was simply not done anymore, and now she was alone with a man that had once been sent to capture her. _'He is the Winter Soldier! He is the Winter Soldier! He is the Winter Soldier!'_ She chanted in her head even as her mind recalled the scene with crystal clear accuracy. _'Damn picture perfect memory!'_ Three thought as she gasped softly. The feel of his lips, being pressed against the wall both times, his mouth growing demanding as her mouth yielded, and she tasted him. She remembered moaning as the kiss deepened, and he gently bit down on her bottom lip.

"Violet?" The soft voice of Bucky made her jump slightly then her cheeks coloured red at being caught remembering him. The desire burned inside her as she tried to shake it away.

"Yee—yes?" Three asked answering to the name he had given her and shakily avoiding looking up at him.

"Are you still upset?" The question made her shiver. Upset? He thought she was upset? Swallowing Three tried to answer, but her mind went blank. Out of the corner of her eye she saw Bucky draw closer still in just his jeans. The cologne he wore mixed with the smell of shampoo and soap. Daring a peek up she noticed his dark hair was wet from when he showered. Immediately she looked away and dropped the small screw driver she had for her watch.

"I need some air." She managed then made for the door only to be grabbed as she neared the motel room door. "Please I just need some air."

"We have not spoke in six days. You keep avoiding me and fiddling with your gadgets." Bucky pointed out refusing to release her. Her avoiding him?! Where had he gotten that idea?! He was the one refusing to let her apologise! Regardless she was too shaken to point that detail out.

"Please I just need to think and I can't here. It's too much, I can barely breathe-" Three said starting to panic a little until Bucky grabbed and kissed her. Immediately Three froze as Bucky pressed against her. Now pinned between the soldier and the door, Three trembled as the kiss quickly went from gentle and sweet to fierce and full of need. Again her mouth opened at the slightest pressure, but this only emboldened Bucky. Immediately she was pressed hard against the door, with his strong hands he grabbed her behind the knees and lifted her thighs onto his hips. She gave a surprised moan as he gripped her ass, and to keep balance she was made to hug him around the neck.

A surge of desire ran through her as she felt something hard press through his jeans against her. Her inexperienced body responded on instinct as Bucky broke the kiss only to kiss down her neck. Her soft moans and gasps spurring him on. "Bucky..."

Her voice was music to his ears as he yanked open her shirt revealing her black lacy bra, then his flesh hand was running over her flat stomach. The sensation of his hand on her bare skin made her gasp. Like the kiss at the shopping centre and the motel she had never experienced such contact. Then she heard Bucky chuckle as he pulled away and smirked at her. "Still need air? Or are you going to admit that you feel as I do?"

Again Three blushed as she felt something hard press against her inner thigh. Curiosity warred with caution as she remembered Six and the HYDRA guards as well as her encounter with Loki. Then there was the report that they would have given her to the Winter Soldier. But HYDRA was not here, nor was Loki; this was between her and Bucky. Her body shivered wanting to know more as she was overwhelmed with desire.

"I do not know what I feel," Three bit her bottom lip nervously as she continued, "but I don't want you to release me."

The smile that came over Bucky's lips made her blush. "Do not worry I have no intention of releasing you any time soon, if ever."

Shivering at his words Three held onto him as his lips resumed kissing her neck and chest while his flesh hand undid her belt and jeans. Regardless Three merely enjoyed the contact not really taking stock of what Bucky was doing. She knew the 1940s man was experienced, but then his fingers dipped into her jeans and panties causing a surprised cry as his hand ran down between her legs. At first he just rubbed her there. His fingers gently exploring as her nails dug into his shoulders. Then without warning he dipped a finger into her.

"James!" She cried unable to think clearly. Being touched so intimately sent her rational mind to la-la land as she clung to him. His finger seemed to know exactly where and how to touch her, while his thumb ran over a spot she never even knew existed! Whatever he was doing to her felt like it was setting her on fire. This overwhelming need was burning inside and to make matters even more overwhelming Bucky added another didget, two of his fingers moved in and out of her while his thumb pressed on a bungle of nerves she had not known was there—until now. She started crying out more as his fingers slowly worked her. Bucky leaned in pressing to her as his mouth kissed her neck working up to her ear. Then she started to scream as he pushed a third finger into her stretching her.

"Shhh beautiful. You don't want everyone to know what I am doing to you, do you?"

"Wha—what are you doing to me?" Three gasped trying to keep her cries down as she tilted her head back against the door.

Bucky chuckled as he kissed her neck. "I thought that was obvious. I'm showing you that you have nothing to fear from me. That way when I make love to you, you won't be afraid and will enjoy it."

His words made her shiver with excitement. He wanted to make love to her? A number of men wanted to fuck her but make love? The idea that he intended to make the extra effort made her dizzy, or it could have been his fingers moving in and out of her faster. In a way she felt helpless as all she could do was cling to him, her nails ran over his back as his thumb flicked at that sensitive spot making her squeeze his fingers. It was all becoming too much as she could barely keep from losing herself to it all. She could barely think coherantly as she tried to speak. "James, please. I can't take much more..."

However that did not make him stop instead it made him work his fingers in and out of her even more. The entire time Three had had her eyes squeezed shut. Now Bucky growled into her ear. "Look at me, Vi."

It took her a moment to get herself to comply, eventually her eyes fluttered open. Three could not help but look up at Bucky, his commanding tone was not something that could be ignored. The look in his eyes could have been quite intimidating and scary for Three but she only wanted him more. His piercing blue eyes looked at her with intense desire. Every rational instinct shoud have been screaming at her to get out of this situation, but seeing the longing and need in his eyes had her transfixed. Then her last ounce of willpower seemed to break as a wave of pleasure ran through her and she screamed. "James!"

From there everything came undone as she felt wave after wave of pleasure unlike anything she ever felt before. At the end of it Three felt as boneless as jelly, and she was left trembling from the aftermath of it all. It was a good thing Bucky was holding her otherwise she was certain she would be a pile of goo on the floor. As the last waves of pleasure hit then ebbed away, Three realised several things in her dazed state. Her panties were completely soaked. She was still trembling and shocked by what Bucky had done to her. There was something hard pressing against her inner thigh, and lastly Bucky still looked at her with desire. She moaned softly as he removed his fingers, but barely registered anything else.

Meanwhile Bucky removed his fingers now certain that she was ready to experience more. As it was he could no longer ignore how much he wanted her. He was painfully hard after pleasuring Three but it was more than worth it. He enjoyed hearing her cries and feeling her dig her nails into his shoulders as well as her squeezing his fingers. Removing his hand from her jeans he gripped her ass as he carried her back to the bed. Laid down on the bed, Three was still dazed as Bucky stood there admiring her for a moment. Three trembled as he leaned over her and pulled off her jeans before he climbed on top of her.

Staring up at Bucky he brushed his dark hair back then leaned down kissing her deeply. The passionate kiss sparked an intense reaction as Three tried to unbuckle Bucky's belt. What she intended to do, Three was not even sure. But her nervous fingers merely fumbled about. Finally Bucky took over as he undid his belt and jeans, and Three pushed his jeans down some. Next Bucky pulled off her panties making Three blush at being so exposed. However the view Three got as she looked up at the handsome dark haired man distracted her. He was certainly impressive and as her eyes trailed down his chest over his muscled stomach her eyes widened at finding him... well endowed. Before she could do anything he gently pushed her legs apart and positioned himself above her. By then the gravity of the situation came back to hit her still dazed mind. _'He is so big! There is no way he will fit...'_ Three thought chewing on her bottom lip. She must have looked very nervous about this for Bucky gently brushed her hair from her face.

"Shh just try to relax. I promise I will be as gentle as possible." The soft words were reassuring as Bucky stared into her eyes. Then he gently pushed into her making her gasp. Gripping her hips she was pressed to him and he pushed further. He was trying to be careful as he slowly eased into her inch by inch. She could feel him stretching her then he stopped. She was about to ask why when he pushed even deeper. Throwing her head back Three gave a cry as she felt the briefest moment of pain followed by him pushing fully inside her. Holding onto him she tried accommodate him as he filled her, and she knew he was trying to be slow and gentle with her. However after a moment of being still Bucky began to move in and out of her. She expected more pain as she remained still bracing herself.

"Easy Vi, just relax. I promise it won't hurt anymore." Bucky whispered and she did as he said. He began moving in and out of her stretching and filling her more. He was right it didn't hurt with each stroke it became even more pleasureable! Instinctively she started to moved with him until their rhythm grew faster and harder. As the pleasure grew Bucky lifted her up onto his lap so she could feel him even more as she gripped his shoulders. Another cry escaped as she felt like she was being impaled on him.

Pressing to him, Three tilted her head back as Bucky kissed his way down her neck then further down to her bra and breasts. Gasping with each thrust Three closed her eyes as she became lost in the feeling of him. Eventually it became too much and gentle and slow were little more than a distant memory. Instead Bucky pressed her against the wall the bed was against so that she was again pinned between him and the wall. After close to fifty years with no female companionship and the sexual tension between them, Bucky needed her in the worst way. For an inexperienced recluse Three was certainly 'accepting' him well as she felt like a tight silk glove around him.

Regardless a tiny voice at the back of Bucky's mind told him to slow down and be gentle with her. He should not be taking advantage of a pretty dame and having her so roughly when she is innocent. However instinct had him ignore reason as he groaned he had denied himself before when he was pleasuring her against the door. It took everything not to just tear off her clothes and bury himself inside her til she screamed his name in pleasure. No he could not begin to think about slowing down. Instead he began thrusting harder into her extracting louder cries from her.

"Bucky." She gasped uncertain if she could take much more.

The uncertainty was easily heard as Bucky kept going, then growled into her ear. "I need you now!"

Holding onto him Three's cries grew as he kept going. Regardless of how nervous and uncertain she was she could not bring herself to stop him. However just when she thought he could go no further or faster that was just what he did. If nothing else her head spun as she felt a flood of pleasure, and did not even know she had screamed out. "Bucky!"

A moment later Bucky gasped as he jerked inside her as he came. Her screaming his name sounded like sweet music to his ears. After a couple more jerks he laid her down on the bed, but didn't pull out of her. Instead he leaned over her and watched as she caught her breathe. Three was trying to figure out how this happened, how she ended up in bed with the former winter soldier. Thus it meant it took her overwhelmed mind a moment to realize Bucky was talking. "-sorry I just... I needed you. God I needed you. I didn't mean to lose control and just take you like that. I was raised better than this. "

Feeling him start to leave her she gripped him about the waist and pulled him back against her. "Don't please! Don't go. I needed you too."

"But-" Bucky stared down at her confused as she felt him pull out of her anyway, but he did not move away. "I promised to be gentle with you, I-"

"Gentle or not that was amazing!" She answered softly, though Bucky looked doubtful. Thinking a moment Three moved her hips suggestively to show she wanted him and caused a groan to escape his lips.

"I am telling you I have never felt anything like that, and I enjoyed it. If you don't believe me than I will be yours again and again however you like." Three said as she stared up at Bucky. Already she could feel him still hard and wanting her. However he was still hestiating, so Three used all the strength she had to roll them over on the bed until she was on top of Bucky. Straddling him she moved her hips suggestively against Bucky and guided him until she felt his rather large length slip into her. Bucky gave another groan as Three moved up and down on him. While she was not one-hundred percent sure of what she was doing, she could make a educated guess. In the next moment one flesh hand the other metal gripped her hips as Bucky thrusted up against her. Okay now she knew what she was doing was right, and he knew with absolute certainty that she was willing. It was the start of a very long night as it continued like this for hours. During this time they tried different positions which eventually led to the rest of their clothes coming off. Three quickly learned that super soldiers had excellent stamina.

It was not until the very early hours of the morning that both collapsed on the bed and fell asleep. Even more hours later Three awoke with a soft moan, her body ached but in a good way. She was naked under the covers and against a equally naked Bucky. Her head rested on his flesh shoulder and she could hear his steady and strong heartbeat. From the look of it, he appeared to be asleep so she did not move. Instead she laid there enjoying the contact and aches from what they had done earlier that night. _'I cannot believe I slept with him. Not just once or twice, but nine fucking times!'_ Three thought as a blissful smile spread across her lips. Now that she was just laying there she looked him over more carefully. His handsome face looked carefree asleep as she reached up and brushed some of his dark strands from his face.

Her eyes trailed downwards looking over his neck and well-muscled chest. Her fingers carefully trailed over his chest enjoying touching him. Then she noticed more acutely the scars where flesh met metal. While she knew it could not be pleasant to have a metal arm, and that it being attached had to have been a painful process she realised she had been naïve in her thinking. Gently she ran her fingers over one of his scars that came towards his chest.

"Does it bother you?" The words from Bucky made her jump a little.

"I am sorry I didn't mean to wake you." Three said looking up at Bucky, then looked back at his scars, "I was just worried. I mean I know it can't have been pleasant having a metal arm... does it still hurt?"

"Not really, I am used to it I guess. HYDRA had me with this arm for so long that it may have hurt when they first attached it. I do miss 'feeling'." Bucky explained as his flesh hand ran over Three's back. "Like this, I feel the softness of your skin...the warmth."

Then his metal hand ran up her arm in a similar fashion. "Whereas this one has sensors that tell me I am touching you. I feel the pressure, but nothing else."

"I'm sorry." Three said not sure what else to say to the loss of his arm, then decided to change the subject as she smiled. "So... uh earlier... wow! You must have had a lot of pent up tension over the years."

Bucky chuckled at her remark, but said little else so Three had to add. "You have had a lot of practise it seems."

"No not really. I could charm girls pretty well, but there was this nurse Kaitlyn she and I were very close. I planned to ask her to marry me once I got back from the war, but as you know that never happened. Before I was to ship out she was scared she would never see me again so she insisted that we do it." Bucky said as he brushed some hair from her face.

"I am sorry." Three answered as she felt bad for bringing it up. She had thought the change of subject would be better instead she made it worse.

"It is alright. Anyway in the end she was right to be scared. I do not even know what became of her. I like to hope that she found a good guy better than me that took real good care of her." For a moment the pair were quiet until he chuckled. "Now I cannot imagine being with any dame other than you."

"Then don't be." Three said simply as she leaned in kissing him. However a moment later there was a soft beeping noise. Hesitantly breaking the kiss Three sighed. It would be time to go soon. "We will have to continue this later sadly. It also looks like we will both need a shower."

"Ladies first." Bucky said trying to be a gentleman, and so Three gathered her bath items and her bath robe before looking back at Bucky.

"You could join me you know. Save on water and time."

"If I join you we will never leave this room." Bucky replied with a grin.

"Hmm tempting, but you have a point." With that Three went into the bathroom while Bucky relaxed on the bed.

* * *

 **Author's Notes:**

 **First off thank you all for the lovely reviews! I always enjoy hearing from each of you. Whenever I post a new chapter and get an e-mail alert on my phone I am looking eager to read what you all thought. So again thank you.**

 **On this weeks chapter as stated up above we have the smut chapter! It is a long awaited chapter for anyone that wanted to see Three and Bucky finally 'hooking up'. Just some things to note aside from the saucy scene. The information from the guide book was from the Wikipedia site on the character Bucky Barnes. The first Captain America movie did not really touch on this information, so I thought it was a good way to humanise Bucky for Three. For example the fact Bucky was always looking out for and protecting Steve, even when they first met on the playground.** **The first part of the chapter was set to basically tear down everything Three thought she knew about the Winter Soldier.**

 **The other thing to note is the huge issues Three has like when she goes to take a shower. Just as Bucky has to deal with his memories coming back, Three has to focus on keeping bad memories away. She has a lot more bad memories than good ones thanks to HYDRA. Most of the time she has to shove the bad ones down deep and bury them otherwise she would be lot worse off mentally. I know in this chapter her age old fears crop up a lot, but that is because she remembers easily. Never forgetting might sound cool to some but for Three having largely bad memories it is downright awful at times.**

 **Anyway I hope you enjoyed this chapter. Please write and tell me what you thought.**

 **Lesliezin**


	27. A Distressing Situation

**Hello everyone,**

 **Here is chapter 27, enjoy.**

* * *

 **February 19** **th** **, 2015**

 **Russia**

Stretching out on the bed Bucky sighed. It had been so long since he had felt this "at peace". This was perfect: no horrible nightmarish memories, no painful recollections. Only peace given to him by a beautiful dame that understood what he was going through. Vaguely he thought on Kaitlyn and decided he would not make the same mistake twice. No if he had his way he would marry Three and keep her with him so that neither of them were ever hurt again by HYDRA. The idea of her being his wife made him chuckle: Violet Barnes. Though, thinking on it she would have to choose a name and stick with it first. Violet was just what he called her rather than Three or some fake random name. Another thought came to him as he wondered if Steve would like her. His friend's approval meant a lot, but then he sighed as he remembered beating his friend nearly to death. No his friend would sooner shoot him than look at him.

Shaking his head, he listened for a moment to the sound of the shower running and smiled. Even if it were just her and him she brought more joy to his life than he ever thought possible. BEEP! BEEP! BEEP! The noise of Violet's phone made Bucky sit up and look at it. Such things were alerts warning of anything: from HYDRA attacks to weather warnings. So Bucky picked it up to see what it said. It was a message from someone called Aida. _**'A lot of activity Shield base. Monitoring situation. Will let you know if things escalate.'**_

The message itself was not overly distressing, but apparently this Aida was watching the group closely. After studying the message a moment Bucky was about to set her phone down when the screen saver came up. A picture of Three in the middle with a Siamese cat in her lap. To her right was a very familiar face of a young Asian lady smiling. Her and Violet looked to be about that same age, but why was the girl so familiar? Then Bucky noticed the man on the opposite side older with grey in his black hair also smiling. He looked familiar too.

A sharp blinding pain shot through Bucky's skull as he dropped the phone and was taken to a distant memory. _It was dark in the quaint home as he moved through it, gun drawn. He went from room to room only to find each empty. Eventually he returned to the living room where apparently he had left the residents bound. The father glared up at him, his daughter looked relieved to find him return empty handed. He reached up and clicked his ear piece. "Subject Three is not here." He heard himself say in a cold unfeeling voice._

" _Interrogate the family, use whatever means necessary. Afterwords kill them, we can have no witnesses." The person on the other end said. So he saw himself raise his gun towards the father._

" _Where is Subject Three?!" He demanded. The man, Takai; Bucky recognised him – spat at him. So many begged and pleaded for their lives but this man was a warrior, a fighter. Begging was not in his nature, nor would he beg. He was a proud man and was determined to die with honour._

" _Go to hell!" Takai responded coldly, Bucky saw himself turn and point the gun at Amaya._

" _Last chance, where is Subject Three?!"_

" _Tell him nothing father! Sakura deserves to be free of these monsters!" Amaya replied glaring up at him. He had to admire her and her father both were strong honourable people. It was clear neither would talk, and he saw in his memory that he was about to shoot Amaya. Then he heard it a low growl and turned towards it to see the beautiful Siamese cat on the back of the couch. The vicious feline hissed at him with her ears turned down. It surprised Bucky when he saw himself suddenly turn the gun on the cat, and the last thing he recalled was the loud bang and Amaya cry out. "Sake!"_

Bucky was gasping and shaking on the motel room floor as tears escaped. He stared down at the cell phone with the happy picture, and was glad the flashback ended before he could see more. However he just knew that he was the one that had killed Takai and Amaya. He did not need a flashback to know he was the one that had interrogated them, then killed them, and the mere thought made him feel ill. All over again he was made to feel the guilt for his actions as the Winter Soldier. "No no no no no no!" He sobbed softly realising he had taken Three's loved ones from her. Shakily he began to get to his feet then noticed the light red stain on the bed and looked away ashamed. Hours ago he had taken her innocence and made love to her. What would she think of him when she found out he killed Takai and Amaya? His stomach turned at the idea that he had just added to her pain. His heart sunk into his stomach as he dressed and packed his clothes and belongings. He could not stay he knew that much. So occupied with his thoughts and actions he did not hear the shower turn off or the door open.

"Bucky?" The soft concerned voice made him freeze as the girl he care so deeply for found him packing. "Are you alright?"

 _'No,'_ He thought as he could not face her and when he took too long to answer she came to stand next to him. He dared a peek and saw her in an black satin bath robe that only came down mid-thigh. Her hair was free and ran down her back still damp. He tore his eyes from her feeling unworthy of looking at her. "Bucky? What is wrong?"

"I have to go..." He managed as he stuffed the last of his clothes into his bag.

"Did I do something wrong?" She asked innocently. Thinking she must have disappointed him when they were in bed together.

"No!" Bucky said looking up at her. "You did nothing wrong."

"Than why are you leaving?" She asked sounding hurt that he would go. However again Bucky looked away ashamed.

"I just have to go. Now." As Bucky went to move past her though she caught his arm.

"No! No you do not get to just ditch me without any explanation James not after what we just did! Not after you were adament we stick together! Now tell me what has gotten into you!"

"I can't..." Bucky said feeling like a coward.

"Then no you can't go until you tell me why!" Three replied her voice shaking and sounding hurt by his actions.

"Please do not ask me that." Bucky begged hoping she would release his arm.

"Then please don't leave." She begged, "I won't ask if you just stay. Please." For a moment the selfish part of Bucky took over. He wanted to stay more than anything else. Her pleading made him drop his bag and whirl around to face her. Grabbing her about the waist he pulled her to him and his lips crushed down on her fiercely kissing her. Three gave a soft surprised moan, but didn't stop him; and after a moment she pressed to him kissing him back. They kissed each other until out of breath. However as they were catching their breath Bucky realised he could not do it. He could not be that selfish ass that stayed and lied to her. He wanted to be, but he had been a good honourable man once and he was trying to be that man again.

"I killed them." The words tumbled out before Bucky could stop them or think. For a moment Three looked confused then gently touched his cheek.

"Killed who Bucky?" She asked not following his chain of thought. Again Bucky felt like a coward unable to verbally answer, and so he looked to her phone. She inevitably followed his gaze to her phone then looked at him confused. Finally she stepped away and picked up her phone to find out what he had seen. Feeling her slip from his arms Bucky felt ill all over again knowing she would never enter his arms again. Picking up her phone she seemed to look at it a moment then back at him with a frown. At first she was looking at the message Aida sent.

"Bucky I am sure while under HYDRA's control you killed many SHIELD agents. It is not your fault, you had-"

"That's not it. That isn't who I killed." Bucky interrupted and felt like his throat was constricted. Three looked at him confused then back at her phone which now had her screen saver on it. The picture she saw made her go rigid. It was a favourite of hers, a happy memory with ones she loved like a father and sister not to mention the temperamental feline in her lap. She sucked in a horrified breath. _'No, No! He doesn't mean them. He can't!'_ But there was nothing else he could have seen on her phone.

"I am sorry. I had looked at the message then saw the picture and it all came back to me..." She numbly heard Bucky saying and the more he spoke the more it confirmed her thoughts. _'He killed them!'_ The thought repeated in her head like a broken record. She felt the phone slip from her fingers and hit the floor as she looked up at Bucky. The man in question wore the most pained and concerned look, but her mind was still reeling from the fact that he had killed Takai and Amaya. He went to reach out for her but she stumbled back not wanting him to touch her. Her back hit the wall causing a sob to break loose as she started crying.

"I am so sorry." Bucky said as he stepped backwards. Figuring it best to leave before he caused her even more pain, Bucky snatched up his bag and left the motel room. Somehow despite all the pain and turmoil he was in he managed to walk until he found himself in an abandoned warehouse complex and as it got colder he decided to take shelter there. Luckily no other homeless were using the building. It was here that he allowed himself to vent. Venting his anger he let his metal hand punch the hard brick walls. Blaming himself for not being strong enough to resist HYDRA, for not finding a way to spare Takai and Amaya. For not breaking free of them sooner, and most of all for being one of the main causes of pain to Three. After turning the wall into rubble, Bucky slid to the floor against one of the pillars and cried.

* * *

 **February 19th, 2015**

 **Russia**

At the motel room Three had not moved. In fact she had slid down the wall and cried too. At first she was in denial, not wanting to believe Bucky had killed two people she loved. It was impossible to believe he would never hurt them. Yet her rational mind had a way of pointing out facts for her. He had been made to kill many for HYDRA. Takai and Amaya would have been no exception to that rule. Which led her to her next emotion—horror. She had slept with this man! Not only that but he was the first person allowed into her life since Takai, Amaya, Peggy, and Sharon. He had kissed her, touched her—oh God! The problem with eidetic memory was she now got to remember every single intimate act as he had sex with her. However, now it played over like a horror movie of her sleeping with her family's killer. It only made her cry more and wish the memories away. However as she looked around the room she noticed the bed they had been in together and she suddenly felt sick.

Feeling her stomach turn, Three stumbled to her feet and rushed for the bathroom where she lost the contents of her stomach in the toilet. Once done she leaned against the bathtub shaken and crying, but as it began to hurt to cry, the third and final emotion came into play—anger. Long ago she had wanted to get a hold of the bastards that murdered Takai and Amaya thinking it a nameless agent. She never really learned who exactly murdered them until now. However it was not just anger at losing them that had taken hold, but anger at it being the Winter Soldier. A man that once terrified her until she met the man behind the mask. Now though she was outraged and in times of heightened emotional distress her rational mind, that tried to tell her not to do anything drastic; was now taking a back seat.

Numbly she got to her feet, suited up, and armed herself. She put on her emotion sensor watch so that Aida could monitor her, and put on her backpack with her other gear. She picked up her phone and started tracking Bucky's phone which he had taken. Despite not thinking clearly Three knew exactly what she was going to do.

* * *

 **Hours Later...**

Bucky had finally calmed down and let himself go numb to avoid the pain. He tried not to think of the beautiful girl he left crying in a motel room. The girl that understood him and would have given his life new hope and meaning. Before he had flirted with girls and even became close to one particular nurse; but none could compare to this beauty with a genius level IQ. He stood before an old trashcan turned into a fireplace and looked down at his hands. One metal, one flesh, and both had caused so much pain. His mission had not changed he still wanted to hunt down HYDRA, but what then? _'Then? Nothing! I have no right to a life beyond destroying HYDRA. I am just a ghost of who I used to be.'_ Bucky thought dropping his hands to his sides. No he would not continue on after HYDRA was gone. The mission would be complete and if not dead already he would end it. _'Maybe offer myself up to Violet let her kill me, so she can have some measure of peace and justice for those I took from her.'_

The idea had merit, but the one in question would come seeking him sooner than he thought as he realised he was being watched. He discreetly looked around but by then the warehouse was dark with many hidden areas. However what happened next took him completely off guard. Out of the shadows he saw a flash then was knocked to the ground. His attacker was certainly quick, as he looked up, his eyes widened. The same purple black suit Three always wore was seen in the firelight, though Three did not bother to cover her face or pull the hood up. In truth Bucky was not really surprised, but it did still hurt to be attacked by the woman you had feelings for. She was faster than he recalled her being back in Nanjing China. She flitted around angling to attack him again and he narrowly avoided another kick. Rolling to his feet he tried to avoid the onslaught.

As much as he avoided attacks she was always quick to attack again and again. Regardless, Bucky refused to lift a hand to her no matter what she did. While he avoided some of her attacks, others hit and Bucky grunted through the pain. Eventually Bucky had his feet swept out from under him and he lay on the littered floor, dazed. A weight was added to his stomach and he found Three above him. Her left hand held one of her boot daggers angled above his head while her right hand rested on his chest as if to hold him in place. She was so beautiful regardless of the tear-stained cheeks, trembling lips, or glaring green eyes. She definitely wanted to kill him, but for some reason was hesitating. For a moment they remained like that until Bucky released a shaky breath and spoke up.

"It's okay. I understand. I took them from you. Two people that loved you and you loved them. I am so sorry I took them from you. I know nothing I say will ever make up for what I did. All I can do is say it is okay. I won't fight you. I have taken so many lives, and destroyed so many that this is no more than I deserve. I will finally pay for everything I have done." Closing his eyes, Bucky waited for her to finish him off.

While above him Three felt more tears fall as she looked down on the man waiting for her to kill him. This was not what she was expecting, she had planned to kill him. Instead she could not understand why it was so hard to kill him. She had killed many HYDRA agents before and had a zero tolerance for them. But killing him, even the thought of it, was too painful. Then it was like her rational mind sent her reminders as she remembered first meeting him at the airport and everything that happened up until now. He was a good kind man that had been used by HYDRA. She wanted to shake the memories off until another one came to mind, but not of Bucky.

 _It was of Amaya. They were back in the Museum dedicated to the Nanjing Massacre._ _"_ _Why are we here, Amaya?" Three had once asked, though at the time it was the name Sakura she went by._

 _Amaya had knelt by one display of bones as if trying to discern who they might have been. However after a moment she came to stand in front of Three."I brought you here because I want to prove a point. You are a hero, and I do not want you to lose sight of that. There are too few heroes in the world, and too many monsters. Monsters like the ones that held you, monsters like the ones that took my mother, and monsters like the ones that took all these lives."_

" _How am I a hero? And why did you stop me? I should have ensured Shen could never hurt you or anyone again." Three asked._

" _Because heroes are good. They do not kill, and as much as I hate Shen I do not want you to lose yourself by killing him. You are better than that I know you are." Amaya spoke as if she still believed that, even now._

" _He could come back to hurt you." Three pointed out._

" _True, but I also know you won't let him," Amaya said smiling at her then asked. "Do you know the greatest act a hero can do?"_

" _Save a life?" Three had guessed, but Amaya shook her head._

" _The greatest act a hero can do is to forgive an enemy," Amaya answered making Three want to shake her head. "I already forgive Shen for what he tried to do, one day you will too. Hopefully those that died here have found peace, and perhaps forgiven their enemies."_

" _So what your saying is everyone should forgive and forget?" Three asked._

" _No! Never forget that would be burying your head in the sand and pretending it never happened. I say forgive because holding onto the anger and pain would consume you." Amaya said_.

The wise words Amaya had spoken came back to haunt Three as she looked down at Bucky. The memory of Amaya just made this more painful. Would her sister be so forgiving of the one that killed her? Three tried to tell herself that Amaya would want this, but she knew her sister was too kind and gentle to ever want anyone to die. Angry Three stabbed down, but the blade stabbed next to Bucky's head instead. She knew she couldn't kill him and it made her feel like a weakling. A moment later Bucky opened his eyes wondering why he was not dead yet. His beautiful blue eyes that had been so intense earlier was all a painful reminder now. For a moment she was not sure what to do until Bucky reached up to touch her. "Violet I-"

Instinctively she smacked his hand away. "Don't touch me!" Again Bucky went still beneath her. "Stay away from me. If I ever see you again I will kill you. I never want to see you again!"

With that Three rolled off him and to her feet. Without looking back she walked away numbly. The dagger she would have used to kill him slipped from her fingers and hit the concrete echoing a ringing noise. Stepping outside the cold air hit her and she leaned against the building for support. Shaken by her lack of willpower to kill him, she only now just realised her phone was vibrating. Taking it out of the belt compartment she looked at it. **Aida**

Clicking the talk button she answered it. _"_ _Oh finally you answer! I have been calling for the past two hours ever since your distress watch indicated distress! You had me worried!"_

"Sorry Aida..." Three answered in a shaken voice.

" _Are you alright? What happened?"_

"It doesn't matter now..."

" _Your emotional distress patterns are still too high. Which tells me something is wrong. Now please tell me what it is. Otherwise you will have to abort the mission to retrieve the serum. The window is closing."_ Three sucked in a breath as she remembered the main reason for coming to Russia was to steal the serum.

"I will be fine Aida." Three said trying to calm down, "I will call you when I have the serum and am leaving this horrid place."

" _It is not recommended that you attempt to steal the serum when your emotional distress levels are so-"_

"Aida! I will get the serum, I will call you when I have it!" Hanging up Three pushed away from the wall. She would focus on this mission and for the moment forget about her pain. Somehow she found herself back at the motel and was quickly packing her bags. She could not sleep in that room, so she threw her stuff in the car and got in. She had three days before the HYDRA convoy would move through the back roads to the ambush point. Rather then stick around in that motel room where Bucky could find her she hit the road. Turning on the radio she plugged in her Ipod turning the sound up to blaring: Taylor Swift, Katy Perry, Paramour, anything to distract her.

Music usually calmed her down, but the lyrics were painful to listen to as she skipped to the next song, then the next one, and yet another one. Did these bands always have to sing about relationships and love?! Three gripped the steering wheel tighter and again ignored her cell phone knowing it was Aida trying to talk her out of her decision. She drove for hours to reach Ivanovo Russia brining her closer to her destination. The serum amongst HYDRA's other secrets would be arriving in St Petersburg at the docks and from there travelling south-east towards the Ural mountains. If it made it there, she would stand no chance of getting the serum before it reached HYDRA's secret base.

Booking into a motel, Three felt physically and emotionally exhausted as she came into the room. Locking the door, she decided she needed a shower first and foremost. However as soon as she stepped under the hot spray the numb feeling that had allowed her not to feel melted away. Instead she looked down at herself remembering every last detail of her night with Bucky, and she started crying. A lot of their 'activities' were not gentle and so she had marks and bruises reminding her of everything! The cries turned to screams as she leaned against the tiles wanting to hit something. Instead the cold tile helped ground her as she cried more than she thought she could. "I am so sorry Takai...Amaya. I'm sorry! I'm sorry! I'm sorry!"

The soft words echoed softly, but her words seemed hollow and meaningless when she didn't kill the one that killed them. Eventually she slid down hugging her knees to her chest and burying her face in her knees she let the hot spray continue to hit her as her black hair fell all around. Right then she wanted Sharon, Peggy, Takai, Amaya, her friends at the Shadow Network. Someone to be there, but no one would be there because some of them were already dead, Peggy's dementia was getting worse, and Sharon did not want a thing to do with her. She was alone again, she was always alone in the end, and she would always be alone. She stayed there until the water turned cold and was forced to take a cold shower then climb out. Coming out she was numb again, her eyes sore from the tears she shed as she dried and slipped on some night clothes. After that she climbed into bed and hugged the pillow tightly. Her final thoughts as she closed her eyes was: _'I deserve this pain for not learning my lesson. I have to be alone until the end.'_ Then the brief image of Bucky had her wondering. _'I wonder where Bucky is now.'_

* * *

 **February 20th, 2015**

 **Ivanovo Russia**

Waking, Three saw the sun shining into the room under and around the curtain. She was glad to awaken, still emotionally numb, then looked at her phone. **9:13am 17 Missed Calls 4 Voice mails**. No doubt from Aida, the AI must have been terrified to get no signal from the distress watch or an answer on the phone. Three set the phone down and rolled onto her back running her hands through her hair. She was not ready to tell Aida what happened, why her emotional distress was through the roof. She did not want to be told to call off the mission to get the Mastermind serum not when she was so close, not when it could help Peggy's dementia or fix the damage done to Fitz. No she could do this, her emotions could be put under control! She did it before with Eckhardt, she needed that cold hearted resolve. If she could tap back into that and become ruthless she could finish this mission and worry over what happened later.

Slowly she sat up and looked around her finding herself alone. _'Of course I'm alone! What did I expect?! I told Bucky if I saw him again I would kill him! I am always alone...'_ Three thought as she pushed back the covers. Two days to get into position and jump the convoy. Getting dressed she again threw her stuff into the car and climbed in wanting to get closer to the intercept point. That meant travelling through Kostroma to Vologda Russia, so most of her day would be spent driving. Again she put on her Ipod and set it to shuffle as she tried to ignore the recent memories that kept trying to flood back to her.

Three only stopped for gas, bathroom, or food breaks wanting to get this over and done with and go home. She took to remembering how many close calls she had when fighting HYDRA. How she used to have to tip-toe around SHIELD. How many times she laughed with Sharon, or took advice from Peggy. How many times Aida saved her life, and how she just barely avoided the Avengers. How many times she practise spared with Takai, or how many times she went to the Ice Rink with Amaya. Her grip on the wheel tightened as she remembered the man that should have been her father, and the girl that was meant to be her sister. HYDRA took them away, but that should not be such a surprise they loved ripping loved ones away. So she was going to relish cutting down every last HYDRA agent at that convoy mercilessly.

The screech of tires and the honking of a horn brought Three back to what she was suppose to be doing. "Shit!" Three gasped as she corrected her driving, she never became so lost in focus. She shook her head and redoubled her efforts to watch the road. _'Maybe Aida is right my distress is effecting me.'_ Again she shook her head at the thought. _'No! Too late to turn back now. I can do this, my distress levels will go down by the time I am ready to hit the convoy.'_

* * *

 **February 22nd, 2015**

 **Vologda Russia**

 **32 Missed calls 13 voice-mails**. Aida really needed to stop worrying over her, Three thought as she checked her phone that morning. Thus far Three could still not bring herself to wear her distress watch which was probably what had the AI so damn worried. Regardless Three gathered her gear together, she checked her weapons one last time. She stored her clothes in the trunk of her car, and decided to park the car at a safe location. The day before she bought a more easier mode of transport for this mission—a motorcycle. Driving out she came to the back roads where the HYDRA convoy would be coming through. She quickly changed into her suit and ditched her regular clothes. She briefly went down to the road ahead and placed explosives to take the fight out of the convoy. She also placed some towards the back too knowing the middle truck would be the prize.

Returning to her spot by the motorcycle, Three waited. Again her phone vibrated as Aida tried to call her, the AI knew today was the day. However Three ignored the call and looked towards the empty road just down hill. At the back of her mind this little voice was telling her not to do this as she was making mistakes and this was beyond reckless. However Three refused to listen, she needed to do this if for no one else than for Peggy and Fitz.

Like clockwork the HYDRA convoy came into view, and Three prepared her sniper rifle. As soon as the middle truck was away from the first set of explosives, Three clicked the button causing two loud explosions. The front cars flipped like flaming pancakes, one of the lighter cars flipped twice mostly from the blast as it was not really on fire. The second car was a toaster strudel as was the people inside.

The car behind was a heavier truck which was flipped onto it's side. Poised with her sniper rifle, Three watched as men shouted and scurried around to safeguard the middle truck. The first shots were to kill some of the men and shoot out the tires so that the truck could not escape her even if it could get around the blown vehicles. Some of the men grew panicked and shot wildly into the woods where she was, but was missing her by a mile. Again she shot taking out more of the guards until none were left standing. Looking carefully it almost seemed too easy as Three crept down to the convoy. A bullet zinged right by her as she ducked turned and shot another man in the shoulder, that was too close! Maybe she was being reckless, rising to her feet she went to the man kicking away his gun. She noted that he had the keys to the middle truck, so she yanked him to his feet pushing him towards the back.

"Unlock it, or die here!" Three growled, the man shakily unhooked his keys and began to unlock the back. Three aimed ready to shoot anyone locked in the back with the transport items, but as the man opened the doors her eyes went wide. The man turned around with a big grin on his face as he knew the truck was empty.

"You did not think it would be that easy did you?" The man asked smugly, "We knew you were-" She shot him in the head not at all interested in hearing his big gloating speech. This whole damn thing was a trap, and she was not going to listen to him stall for time. Instead his brains could colour the inside of the empty truck! Immediately she rushed out to head for her motorcycle, but shots zinged by her from the back of the convoy forcing her to flee towards the two cars. As she ran she shot back at them downing a couple of them, but there were more—a lot more! Racing for the car that had flipped twice, Three slid over the hood then cried out as a bullet hit her side. Armour piercing round, it went right through her suit, and she fell on her good side as she slid off the car. Still she gasped in pain as she clutched her side.

Sitting up as best she could she sat in front of the front tire, trying to apply pressure to the wound. She could hear them coming for her as she leaned down to shoot at them from around the front of the car. She shot a couple more, and more shouts were heard followed by more bullets pelting the car and breaking the windows. Next they fired smoke grenades causing a nasty smoke around the car, as Three tried to hold her breath and continued shooting blindly in their direction.

However she had to breathe at some point and began coughing. The smoke was a strong sleeping agent that made her dizzy and weak. She could still hear shouts and even more gunfire. Strange she heard gunfire, but no bullets hit the car. She kept coughing as more and more smoke effected her. Her limbs were growing heavy, and she knew this was it HYDRA would catch her...unless. Three took out a bullet from her breast pocket of her suit that she had saved as a 'last resort'. Better to die than to be HYDRA's lab rat again. She was fighting to load the round into the chamber, as her eyes wanted to close. She weakly slid the slide forward chambering the round as everything began to spin.

Footsteps! She heard footsteps they were too close it was now or never! She shakily tried to aim the gun at her own head, but a hand yanked the gun from her. "Nooo...please!"

She tried to look up at the figure but everything was shadowy forms. The figure pulled her up into their arms and she cried out a little causing the figure to pause as if looking her over. Her side burned as tears escaped hoping her captor would just kill her, but no, she knew HYDRA was never that merciful. Her head lulled back as she saw another figure on her left approach, but then the one holding her raised his arm, and she heard the loud pop of a gun being fired before the other figure fell. _'Why did the shadowy person holding me shoot the other shadowy person? It doesn't make sen-'_ The thought trailed off as everything went black and she went limp in the figure's arms.

* * *

 **24 hours earlier...**

The biting cold never bothered him not even for a second, why should it? They froze him repeatedly, so the cold blast of air barely registered as Bucky trudged through the snow. He carried the bag over his shoulder like it weighed nothing, and he stared ahead from under his baseball cap. As much as he tried to focus on keeping on the move, his thoughts lingered on Violet. No that was not her name, but he knew of nothing else to call her. Her lovely black hair highlighted with streaks of purple stuck in his mind. Her soft skin, her sweet lips, that beautiful lingering perfume, the sound of her voice; it all stuck in his mind reminding him of what he could not have. What he had no right to now. The one person that understood what it was like, the only person that could have made him feel like a human being again was gone.

All that was left was destroying HYDRA, nothing else mattered. He would slaughter every last one and ensure Three was free of them. He just needed to get a car, and see if the phone or tablet Three got him would give him anything he could use. Bucky looked around the quiet street abruptly when a phone started ringing, then realized it was his phone. Who would call him? Violet? No she did not want a thing to do with him. He looked at the caller ID wondering who it was, but it said blocked. Hesitantly he slid his thumb accepting the call and held it to his ear waiting.

" _Hello?"_ A female voice asked hopeful, but not Violet's. Bucky was unsure if he should speak as he waited. _"_ _Please! I need your help. It's Kat, she is going to get herself killed! She refuses to answer her phone, and she recently added this number to the network. Please whoever you are, you must be fighting HYDRA to be added! She will attack them when her emotional distress is too high!"_

 _'Emotional distress? Who the hell was Kat?'_ Bucky wondered as he listened to the desperate female voice. _"_ _My name is Aida! Please answer me!"_

 _'Aida! That is Violet's friend! Kat must be the name Aida calls her!'_ Bucky thought as he swallowed hard. "What do you mean she is going to get herself killed?!"

" _Oh thank God you answered! I was worried I would have to call the Avengers or something! My friend Kat she is the one that programmed your phone into our little network. She is in Russia to retrieve a serum called the Mastermind serum. Everything was fine until yeaterday when her emotional distress sky-rocketed! Whatever happened she is not thinking clearly and is going to get herself killed going after that serum!"_

"Wait, hold on. Emotional distress? I know she wears a watch, but-"

" _A side effect of the Mastermind serum! She has to watch her emotional distress, if it goes too high she will not be thinking clearly. An example is the Hulk, when the Avengers go into battle they want the Hulk angry, but with Kat it is the opposite! If she gets angry or upset her rational mind takes a back seat! You want her calm and in control in a fight, even now she refuses to wear her distress watch! I do not know how emotionally distressed she is, but she has already made several mistakes! I fear HYDRA already knows she intends to hit the convoy carrying the serum!"_

This new knowledge from Three's friend was certainly an eye-opener, as Bucky looked around him. "Aida, right?"

" _Yes, Artificial Intelligence Defence Associate."_ An AI? This was Three's friend?! No wonder the girl lacked social skills.

"Aida, I need details. Where is Vi—Kat? Where is this HYDRA convoy suppose to be?"

" _In twenty-four hours it will be just north of Vologda Russia. I am sending the coordinates in a text now. She plans to hit them on a back road there and retrieve the serum."_ Twenty-four hours did not give him a lot of time, he would need to find a car fast and race there. For an AI, she could certainly worry as Aida continued to rattle on. _"_ _Please help her! HYDRA will kill her or worse catch her. I know Kat always says being captured by HYDRA is a fate worse than death!"_

 _'That is the understatement of the century right there!'_ Bucky thought as he picked up the pace and headed around the corner of a building. He eventually spotted a fast reliable car, no time for niceties not if he was going to get there in time. "Alright, look I am on my way. Keep trying to call her alright?"

" _Okay."_ Aida replied and hung up as Bucky moved down the street towards the car. He looked around quickly as he moved, but there was no one around. Good makes this easier, as his metal elbow connected with the driver side window. Letting himself into the car and sweeping away the glass he got in to hot-wire the car. Once the engine came to life he sped off down the road heading that way he put his cell phone on the dash in case Aida called back which she eventually did. Putting it on loudspeaker he asked her if she was successful in contacting Three.

" _She isn't answering. I have called repeatedly, but she won't answer. I tracked her GPS she is in Vologda preparing."_ Aida answered worried. Bucky knew enough to know if Three was ignoring Aida than something was wrong. He already felt guilty, he had taken her family from her. Hunted her like an animal, injured her, and intended to drag her back only to suffer even more by his hands. Stomping his foot to the ground, he would be damned if he was going to let anything happen to her. It was a damn good thing he picked the fast car, he was sure some cops would give chase. However if it came to that he knew how to lose them easily. _"_ _I am tracking you via GPS, and changed the plate numbers of the stolen car so that no cops try to stop you. It should help."_

The announcement from Aida surprised Bucky as the AI was covering for him and helping him to avoid getting caught by the cops. "Uh, thanks."

" _No problem. May I ask who you are? Kat only added the number she did not state who the owner would be."_

"My name is James Barnes; but everybody just calls me Bucky." He answered there was a long pause.

" _You would not happen to be a Howling Commando would you?"_ Aida asked.

"I, huh, was actually." Bucky answered as he drove. This was followed by another long pause from the AI.

" _Sergeant James Buchanan Barnes. Captain Steve Roger's best friend. Age ninety-six years old, born March 10_ _th_ _, 1917."_ Aida continued to rattle off the information she had obviously pulled up on her end.

"Okay I get it I am an old man," Bucky said then muttered, "Who robbed the cradle." He said thinking of his night with Three.

" _Robbed the cradle is a term used to refer to an much older individual seducing a much younger individ—Oh! So you are the cause of Kat's distress."_ Aida said shocked.

"Yeah I am. Sorry." Bucky replied softly suddenly feeling uncomfortable with the silence. The otherwise talkative AI was now very quiet, and he sighed wanting to explain himself. "I never meant for this to happen. I didn't know I killed them until afterwords, and had I known I never would have touched her."

" _Killed them? Killed who?"_ Aida asked confused.

"I killed Takai and Amaya, her family." Bucky said swallowing hard and feeling like he was swallowing dozens of tiny knives. The words being spoken only drove the spike of guilt home as he kept driving.

" _Judging by what I just pulled up. I know you were the Winter Soldier. I also now know HYDRA made you kill all those people. If you killed Takai and Amaya I know you were not given a choice."_ Aida said softly.

"That doesn't absolve me of what I did, Aida. I still killed them, I still hurt her, and I will understand if she wants to keep her promise." Bucky said miserably.

" _Promise?"_

"She said she would kill me if she saw me again." Bucky said remembering the hurt look on her face, the tears, and pain in her voice.

" _She will not kill you, I won't let her! If she wants to blame anyone she can blame me for calling you! Feel guilty later, right now be mad at her for putting herself in reckless danger."_ Aida said trying to encourage him. The AI was really sweet and obviously took after her creator as Bucky smiled faintly. However much the AI would be able to protect him was another question in itself.

Hours of driving later, he eventually reached Vologda Russia early that morning knowing he would need to move fast. As a precaution he ditched the stolen car and stole another one. He could not be too careful. Then he began following the GPS signal of Three's phone to the coordinates. He had already suited up, after taking the second car, not wanting to waste time. He put his mask on as he got to the stretch of road where Aida said the ambush would take place. He arrived just in time to see the trap sprung: as a large group shot at the car that someone was hiding behind. They fired sleeping gas at her, but she was still fighting them. He slamming down on the gas to ram into the surprised group sending some of them flying. Then he pulled the gun and began shooting the others down. Taking most of them out, he quickly got out of the car moving for where Three obviously was. Sure enough, the suited up Katseye was there loading a single round into the gun, obviously it was her last resort! He quickly grabbed the gun from her before she could kill herself.

"Nooo...please!" She pleaded weakly as her words slurred, the face cover did not prevent the gas overpowering her. Great! He had to get her out of there fast, before more of HYDRA showed up. He started pulling her up as she cried out in pain. That was when he looked down to the gunshot wound and blood welling on her side.

"Shit!" Bucky cursed as he tried to hold her without hurting her further. The noise to his right had him automatically pulling his gun and aiming at one of the HYDRA agents he'd hit with the car that stumbled to his feet. The man held up his arms in surrender, but Bucky did not care. They shot her! So surrendering or not, he shot the man then shot anyone on the ground groaning. By then Three went limp in his arm as the sleeping gas took full effect.

Gently scooping her up and clutching her to his chest, Bucky carried her to the car. He put her in the passenger seat. "Aida she is injured!"

" _Her pack holds a syringe with a special concoction made for just such an emergency. A coagulant with antibiotics to prevent infection. You will need to inject her with half a syringe near the area to stop blood flow. Be warned after an hour she will require medical assistance."_ Aida instructed, so Bucky dug through her pack and got the syringe and vial. Once he injected her he put some bandages over it, buckled her in, and got in the driver's seat. He quickly drove off with Aida warning him of inbound HYDRA agents. The AI was excellent help in tricking HYDRA and giving him new routes to take.

Occasionally he peeked at the unconscious Three next to him, as he pulled down the mouth cover to help her breath easier. They took numerous back roads and side paths to evade HYDRA, as the AI sometimes told him to turn here or there. Eventually though Bucky was told he could relax, but to drive beyond a certain point before looking for a secure location. Thus he did he drove as many miles as he could in an hour. However by then they were in an old warehouse district, so he found an old garage.

Bucky got out, broke the lock on the garage door and lifted it up. Getting back in the car, he pulled into the garage, then lowered the door back down to conceal them. In the old garage was a workman's table, and with a sweep of his arm he knocked old canisters, papers, and tools away. Cleaning it off as best he could he went back and gently pulled Three from the car. The stuff she was injected with would soon be wearing off. Laying her on the table he got a first aid kit from his bags and got to work tending her injuries. The phone was set close by so that Aida was close by.

Luckily it only looked worse than it was, lots of blood but nothing vital hit. Carefully he cleaned and sewed the wound closed with Aida relieved that her friend was mostly okay. Gently he wrapped the wound, and looked for a comfortable place for her to rest.

" _Bucky? Are you forgetting something? She cannot stay in that bloody suit."_ Aida pointed out making Bucky blush.

"She would not want me to-"

" _She can blame me for it, now please."_ Aida said. So Bucky went to his bag and got a change of clothes for her. The shirt would be too big, but it was better than nothing. Carefully he changed her out of her suit and into his shirt, then tried to make the table as comfortable as possible since it was the only place he could find for her to sleep.

* * *

 **Author's Notes:**

 **First off over 100 Reviews! Woot! Thank you all for the lovely reviews of this chapter and previous ones!**

 **Speaking of reviews I have some things to talk about before we get into chapter based stuff. First Happy belated Birthday to the Guest Reviewer that mentioned it was their birthday! I hope you had a great day, and was glad to post a chapter to help you celebrate.**

 **Fin-Fish Jun-Tenshi wrote some lovely reviews and even spotted something I completely forgot to mention in the Author's Notes on Chapter 15. Fin-Fish Jun-Tenshi pointed out a brief cameo of Doctor Strange's romance interest, Christine Palmer. The other cameo in that scene is a call back to Netflix as in that scene Claire Temple is in the nurse's lounge. So good call on spotting that and sorry for forgetting to mention it.**

 **Fin-Fish Jun-Tenshi also asked which actress I thought could play Three. This was a bit harder to answer I was not going to go with just a pretty face. Nor did I just want to go with an A-list actress, so after much thought I narrowed it down to three actresses that not only looked right for the role and were of the right age range, but also could pull the role off. The first choice being Camilla Belle. She starred in a movie called 'Push' with the Cap himself Chris Evans. She had escaped an evil organisation in that movie making me believe that it would not be a stretch for her to play Three. The second choice was Odette Yustman who was Evolet in 10,000 B.C. Not exactly a similar role but still a good choice hence choice number two. Lastly the third choice was Layla Ewell, sadly not a lot I have seen her in other than a brief cameo in the first episode of Lucifer. I wish I had more of a basis to go off of for this choice but that is it. Anyway those are my choices.**

 **The question is a good one considering I never really thought about it before. But hey what do you guys think? Any actresses you think would make a great Three?**

 **That aside onto the chapter... Curve ball! Yeah this chapter was a giant curve ball complete with complications galore. I know I am so mean to my own character Three just can't catch a break. Some might ask what mistakes Three made prior to the convoy attack. They seem minor but they're huge. She did not change cars, or hair colour, or she forgot to avoid that camera. Basically Three was slipping up big time. The usual things she could do to avoid detection was falling by the wayside. In the end it was a list of things she did not do that alerted HYDRA to her presence. Basically when she is emotionally distressed those mistakes add up, and that was why Aida was trying to stop her.**

 **So what did you guys think of this chapter? Also I am now curious which actress do you think could play Three? Please write a review and let me know.**

 **Lesliezin**


	28. Working through their Differences

**Hello everyone,**

 **Here is Chapter 28. Before reading please note this chapter contains adult content, please be aware.**

* * *

 **February 22** **nd** **, 2015**

 **Somewhere in Russia**

 _'Why does it feel like I am weighted down by a ton of lead?'_ Three wondered groggily, she moaned softly: as everything felt like a huge effort. Her body ached everywhere, but most of all her side felt like it was on fire. The slightest move made her whimper as her body protested angrily, her head throbbed painfully and felt like it was stuffed full of cotton. Trying to gather the energy, Three finally got her eyes to open and winced as her eyes refused to focus for a moment. She licked her dry chapped lips to moisten them, but her throat and mouth were just as dried out.

The ceiling was a dull grey colour and looked like cement, a warehouse? The grime on the walls suggested an old disused locale. She looked around and found her phone by her head making her wonder what strange dream was this, then noticed the small bottle of water someone had left for her. Three groaned as she summoned the energy to reach up and grab the bottle, it caused another sharp shoot of pain up her side making her gasp softly. _"_ _Kat?! Oh thank God you're awake! You had me so worried! What were you thinking-"_

"Uhh Aida?" Three asked softly confused, as she took a long drink. How did she get here? The water helped wash away some of the foggy memories getting her to wake up more. The last thing she remembered was attacking a HYDRA convoy and it turning into a trap! They used sleeping gas, another frightened gasp escaped as her watch began beeping. Her watch? Who put her distress watch on her?

" _Calm down Kat! You are safe."_ Aida stated, _"_ _When 'someone' refused to answer her phone I got help!"_ Three winced at Aida's tone, the AI was mad at her that much was clear. But what help did Aida get? She didn't call in the Avengers or Coulson's team did she? The Shadow Network? Whoever it was they tended to her wounds, and changed her clothes? _'Oh dear god please don't tell me Steve Rogers saved me and changed my clothes!'_ Three thought nervously as she looked around the grimy garage. The shirt was too big on her and was more like an oversized sleep shirt. It had to belong to a large man.

"Help? Who's help?" Three asked as she slowly sat up, the shirt slid off her left shoulder as she looked around. The AI went quiet as if debating whether or not to answer her, so Three looked back down at her phone as if looking at the AI herself. "Aida? Who did you call?"

The clatter made her whip her head around to face the person, she gasped softly as her green eyes locked with a very familiar set of blue eyes. Bucky Barnes stood there in tight jeans, boots, and a long sleeve shirt. Over it was a jacket as he seemed to have come in from the cold, his metal hand was in a black glove, and his dark hair framed his face under his baseball cap. He was eyeing her warily, but did not say a thing. Hell he did not have to say a damn thing, it was like he was reading her. Her shocked vulnerable expression telling him all he needed to know as his eyes flicked over her. His shirt. She was in his shirt, he had rescued her, and patched her up. Why?! Why would he do that after she attacked him? After she swore to kill him?

He just watched her for a moment, before turning away and heading towards a car? Was he working on the car? He was keeping his distance from her which only made her blush more. _"_ _I called him. You patched his phone into the network, you had to know I would notice."_

Three blushed more, she had not thought about that. She was not sure what to feel: angry, upset, afraid? She peeked at Bucky nervously, then whispered in her lowest tone to Aida. "Yo—you called Bucky Barnes?"

" _Yes, so you are not allowed to kill him!"_ Aida said sternly, " _Bucky and I had a long conversation after I contacted him."_

"Oh really did he mention the part where he killed Takai and Amaya?!" Three asked in a choked whisper as tears sprung to her eyes. "Or how about how he only remembered after I fucked him?!" It sounded a lot more terrible when asked like that, as Three sobbed softly, she hoped the super soldier could not hear their conversation. As it was she was trying to calm down her jumbled emotions.

" _He mentioned killing them, yes. Later in the conversation he muttered something about robbing the cradle when I mentioned he was ninety-six years of age."_ Aida said softly and as much as she thought she was helping-she wasn't.

"Oh God!" Three sobbed trying to bury her head in the makeshift pillow as she laid back down, "I slept with an old man." The factor of how old he was, was something she had not even considered.

" _However according to what I have seen of his actions I approximate his age to be in his late twenties early thirties. A perfect age for you as a potential-"_

"Don't you dare!" Three gasped knowing her AI friend was suggesting they would make a 'good couple'.

" _Your readings suggest you are depressed and upset."_ Aida pointed out.

"You think?!" Three nearly raised her voice too high, "Where do I begin?! Shall we start with the fact I am in Russia trying to get this serum for Peggy and Fitz? One I will never be able to see again, the other is a SHIELD agent I feel responsible for because I should have put a bullet in Ward's head! Of my friends one is an AI, the other is a SHIELD agent that will never want a thing to do with me again! In a moment of being utterly lonely I gave the Winter Soldier a ride to Vladimir, and this mission has gone to hell! How am I suppose to get the damn serum now?!" To poor salt on the wound her distress watch started beeping and Three groaned as she went to take off the damn watch.

" _Touch that watch and I will have Bucky solder it on your wrist!"_ Aida warned sharply, Three dropped her wrist with a sigh. _"_ _Now being an AI I do not have the relationship experience nor do I know what you must be feeling at this moment. I can only imagine how upsetting it is to learn that the man you slept with was also the one that killed your family. But he saved you from HYDRA, he protected you, and mended your injuries. If not for him you would be dead or worse captured by HYDRA, I owe him everything."_

Three felt tears stinging her eyes as she realised Aida was right. _"_ _You once said the hardest part about being you is you cannot forget anything, so I need you to think about why you did not kill him before."_

"I—I didn't kill him because I couldn't... I..." Three shuddered at the memory, but the thought of bringing the blade down on Bucky just hurt too much. The idea caused a sharp pain to slice through her heart, but she couldn't say it. So she instead she remembered the memories of Amaya. "Amaya she said the greatest act of a hero is to forgive an enemy."

There was a long pause as Aida took a moment. _"_ _Then you already know Amaya would not have wanted you to hurt him. Please think about why, and rest. You lost a lot of blood according to Bucky."_

Three could only nod, she was exhausted and crying made her tired. The moment she rested her head she was away in the dream world.

* * *

Distance, that was what Bucky kept when Three woke. She had looked so small and vulnerable in his large shirt. She was also so beautiful and the urge to move closer was unbearable. Instead, he had to force his feet over to the car he had been looking at, he knew something about mechanics: enough to possibly get the car moving. Faintly, he heard her voice and soft sobs as she conversed with Aida, but what else did he expect? Instead, he took off his jacket and set to work on trying to fix the rust bucket in front of him. He had excellent hearing so he heard a lot of the conversation, and was glad Aida was in his corner. He kept going over the car's parts looking for things he could fix and trying not to eavesdrop too much.

As things quieted down at that end of the warehouse, Bucky peeked back at the sleeping girl. A moment later, Aida tapped into his phone and her voice sounded over the loudspeaker much like she had been on Three's phone. _"_ _I think I convinced her not to kill you."_

"Thanks." Bucky answered dully.

" _Judging by your tone you do not sound happy."_ Aida stated.

"Maybe she should kill me." Bucky stated miserably, her hating him was just too painful a reminder of what all he had done. "I hurt her. I hurt your friend, I thought with her maybe I could be me again. I now know I was wrong, I took so many lives. I was being selfish to think I could be happy with her and be the man I was. It is clear I am not meant to know happiness, not when I destroyed so many lives. Especially not when I destroyed hers."

The AI was eerily quiet as Bucky tightened a cap on the engine, and was checking something else. _"_ _You didn't, you did not destroy her life HYDRA did. If not you others would have been sent to kill Takai and Amaya. You can blame yourself until the cows come home, you can tell yourself it is your fault, but you and I both know it isn't true. You had no choice, and if not you someone else would have pulled the trigger."_

Bucky didn't say anything as he considered the AI's words carefully. _"_ _Besides it would have hurt her even more if she did kill you. I have known Kat for years and while many say she is cold-blooded and a ruthless killer, she is actually the opposite. So many have no idea how good, kind, and caring she really is, and some will never know. In fact she doesn't know this but when she lies or is trying to hide something her watch tells me so. When I asked her why she didn't kill you, there was a flutter in the signal. There was another reason she couldn't kill you."_

The knowledge made Bucky look up surprised and peek over at the sleeping girl, then he shook his head. It had to be a glitch in the watch, a mistake. He finished his work, then decided to step out for a short time. He took the other car he stole to get supplies at a store where Aida texted him Three's clothing size and the type of clothes she liked. So he bought her some under garments, skinny jeans, hiking boots, a tank top and button up shirt, and lastly a leather jacket. Next he bought some food and drinks and came back carrying the items after ditching the stolen car. Inside the warehouse he latched and secured the door. Cautiously, he came over and checked Three over, She was sleeping peacefully at least.

Without thinking he reached out and brushed his fingertips over her cheek enjoying the softness of her skin. The soft moan made him freeze as Three turned her head into his fingers, she was cold. _'Of course she lost a lot of blood.'_ Bucky thought, as he removed his jacket and laid it over her, the added warm jacket made her moan as Bucky stared watching her sleep. As she turned onto her good side facing him, Bucky gently brushed her hair back. "Mmm Bucky..."

Bucky froze wondering if she was waking up, or dreaming of him. After a moment he sighed as she remained asleep on the table. He pulled his hand away watching her. _"_ _Didn't you hear it is rude to stare?"_ Aida's voice cut in from Three's phone.

"Sorry, wait how did-"

" _All phones these days have cameras, Bucky."_ Aida pointed out and Bucky chuckled, of course the AI would be watching over Three. _"_ _Unfortunately, I will have to leave you both for a bit. I am suppose to be keeping track of the Avengers and any remaining SHIELD agents. Kat will be mad if I neglect them. They can get into a lot of trouble."_

"She watches them?" Bucky asked surprised.

" _Of course, they may not know she is there but that doesn't mean she doesn't watch over them."_ Aida replied, like it was nothing major.

"Including Steve?" Bucky asked.

" _Yes before she had me monitoring them and Coulson's team to make sure HYDRA did not target them for execution. Now though she just wants to make sure they are not getting into trouble. Tony Stark is like a big kid in that regard."_ Aida explained, _"_ _I have lingered for too long as is. The plan was I watch the Avengers and Coulson's team, Kat goes to Russia and gets the_ _serum for Peggy and Fitz. Currently I am multi-tasking."_

"So like the Helicarriers' incident?" Bucky asked.

" _Oh we were there for that one."_ Aida said, _"_ _We just went unnoticed. Mostly it was Sharon that saw and recognized Kat. She never directly saw any of the Avengers."_ Bucky fell silent as he took the information in, and Aida continued, _"_ _Do me a favour and keep her out of trouble while I am away. She is not a super soldier. Super intelligent yes with light-speed learning sure, but severe blood loss will still take a couple of days. Okay? No taking on HYDRA for a couple of days."_

"Right." Bucky said with an eye roll, as if Three would listen to him.

" _Hey, I know you will do what is best for her."_ Aida said trying to sound encouraging. _"_ _I will check back in a couple of days."_ With that Bucky found himself alone to watch over Three. He looked at the sleeping girl and sighed. _'This is going to be fun.'_

* * *

 **February 23rd, 2015**

 **Russia**

Three groaned as she came in and out of sleep. Blood loss was draining and took time to recover from as she moaned softly when she moved. Lying on the hard flat table meant she was even more sore. Again, she found a water bottle close by, but no Aida there to say good morning. Taking a long drink from the water she slowly sat up and looked around her. The warehouse was so quiet, then she heard it the sounds of Bucky working on the car she saw him at before. Long sleeve shirt, jeans, boots, but where was his jacket?

The question answered itself when she looked down to find his coat over her, and blushed at the gesture. Running her fingers through her hair, Three wondered what she should do. She winced as any movement caused her aches and pains to protest. Pushing the covers back the cold air caused a shiver as her legs were bare. She really was just in _his_ shirt, and felt her cheeks redden even more. Letting her legs dangle over the side of the table, Three soon spotted a pair of hiking boots meant for her and slipped her feet into them as she slid off the table. "Ow!" She groaned, as her body protested even more.

She grit her teeth against the pain in her side, and slowly straightened up. Bucky was watching her as he cleaned the grease off of his hands with a rag, but made no move to come near her as he looked down at the car. _'So that is how he is playing it, huh?'_ Three thought, and she wondered if she too should keep her distance or not. Peeking back at his coat, Three sighed. Aida was right and she had thought about it whenever her eyes opened. As much as she hated it Bucky had saved her life and protected her. Besides if she were being honest with herself she knew she could never follow through with her promise to kill him. _'This is going to be awkward...'_ Three thought as she picked it up his jacket and started coming towards him. More than once she had to use cars, counters, and pillars as support, she had yet to fully regain the blood she lost.

Moving across the chilly warehouse, Three came to lean against one of the pillars by the car. However before she could utter a word, Bucky beat her to it. "You should not be up, or dressed like that. Go back to bed."

 _'Wait was he angry?'_ Three wondered as she then noticed him clenching his jaw as though to keep from saying anything cruel. Or perhaps he was just finding it difficult to be near her since she was inches from killing him before. It was hard to tell. However she decided to feign ignorance as she answered. "I think I have slept plenty."

The cold look he gave sent ice down her spine. Maybe she deserved that since she tried to kill him. Eitherway she shivered and stepped forward. "I—uhh came to thank you for saving me and letting me use your coat."

It was an irrational anger Bucky felt as he looked down at the coat she held out to him. However, seeing her stumble towards him, he was reminded that she had almost gotten herself killed acting so reckless. If she had not scared Aida into action then he would not have been called on to save her. As much as the whole knight in shinning armour rescuing the damsel in distress was appealing, Bucky already knew he was not any kind of knight. She did not even really want him there, regardless of what he did. Three could not mean what she said as he turned back to the car rather than take the coat, she needed it more than he did. "Go back to bed."

Out of the corner of his eye, he saw her frown and her hands drop still holding the coat. "I am sorry, did I miss something?!"

Bucky clamped his mouth shut refusing to rise to the challenge and argue with her. He had hoped she would give up, and go back to bed but she was far from done. "Look ok I get it I attacked you, but in my own defense I had my reasons. Obviously. What did you expect me to do?! 'Oh well you killed my family, no biggie.' What about the part where we slept together and you were just going to leave like it was nothing?!"

He still refused to talk until she finally asked. "What is it?!"

Swallowing hard, he knew he had to say something. "Stop pretending!" He bit out, "The only reason I am here is because Aida called for help, and had I not come you would be dead or worse. So stop pretending to be thankful when you cannot stand me!"

The words stung Three, as she stared shocked at Bucky, he thought she was pretending to be thankful?! She threw the jacket at him, which he caught and looked at her fully now. "First off you could have ignored Aida! You could have hung up and kept walking, no one made you come to rescue me! No one would have blamed you! But hey if you have such a low view of me than why did you bother?! Why not just leave me to die, so I don't inconvenience you?! Nevermind you were the one insisting we stay together, and us sleeping together obviously did not matter. You were the one walking away afterwards! If you are in such a hurry to be rid of me, then go! I have been alone for a long time, I will get by!"

Turning, Three started to move away trying to make her way back to the table, but her energy was fading fast. She gripped a nearby pillar and realized she was freezing. She needed to get back to that warm bed on the table fast before she collapsed. Again, she stumbled and nearly fell over, but an arm caught her around the waist and pulled her into a warm firm chest. Still angry, she tried to pull away but his gripped tightened on her as he turned her to face him. "What do you want now?!"

Bucky did not answer verbally, as he pulled his coat onto her shoulders surprising and confusing Three even more. Looking up at his blue eyes, she saw the intense look in them and felt her heart picking up beats. She tried to keep calm knowing the damn distress watch would start beeping, but everything was getting so damn confusing! What did he want from her? And more importantly what did she want from him? Should she want anything from him? Guilt kept competing with her aching heart. Trying to tell her that this was wrong. Rather than start crying at the confusing situation, Three shook her head.

"Why help me?! I tried to kill you! I—I..." Three was going to tell him she hated him, but she couldn't make the awful lie form in her mouth. _'Oh God I need help!'_ Three thought frantically, as she tried to look anywhere but up at his face. Did he have to be so handsome? With the beautiful blue eyes and the—the eyes. Three looked back up at his eyes and took a shuddering breath. _'His eyes are different.'_ The realization had been made before but now she connected the dots which made her want to start crying as her emotions became unruly, it made it so damn hard to think as the beeping sounded in her ears. "Answer me! Why come back?! You had gotten what you wanted out of me! Why?!"

What happened next surprised her as she found herself shoved against the pillar she had once used for support. Then his lips were on hers hard and passionate showing her why he came back for her and saved her from HYDRA. The beeping of her watch became more insistent as her vitals picked up, and Bucky kissed her more deeply. He kissed her till both of them were out of breath, then pulled away to see the desire reflected in her green eyes. Quickly he grabbed her wrist taking off the watch and stopping the beeping.

"Bucky?" Three asked confused and breathless, then his lips were on hers again. This time the kiss was desperate and passionate as Bucky bit down on her bottom lip. Three wrapped her arms around his neck, and ran her fingers through his hair gripping it in fistfuls. One warm hand, the other cold metal, grabbed her thighs lifting her up onto his hips. Both hands slid beneath the large shirt to grab her ass, then carried her back to the car.

In that moment, nothing else mattered but him, as she heard the hood of the car being slammed closed before he laid her on it. The cold didn't register because his body radiated heat like a heater set on high. He was careful to avoid her injury so that he didn't hurt her. Neither paid attention to their phones ringing as Aida was undoubtedly calling. Both knew this was a mistake, they had not talked things through. They needed to stop and think, but right then all they wanted was to be together and screw the consequences.

Three stared up at Bucky, her knees bent as her feet rested on the bumper. While Bucky quickly yanked off his shirt and tossed it aside. Before she could really think or reconsider what they were about to do Bucky put his hands on either side of her head and his eyes met hers. It was only for a mere second, the intense need both of them felt, made sure neither was still. Bucky moved his metal hand to her thigh where he ran his fingertips upwards beneath the large shirt. She gave a shuddering breath as she trembled at the cold touch. She froze when she felt his finger slip down between her legs. A second later he tore her panties away, and was touching her. The thought that this time he might use his metal fingers to explore her made her gasp. "Bucky!"

In any case that was not what happened as he straightened, there would be no foreplay. She stared up at him in awe as he undid his belt and jeans. Then he pushed them aside and was over her again. Positioning himself over her, Three wrapped her arms around him eagerly. Then she cried out shocked, while she expected him to take her she never thought it would feel like this! He had roughly thrust into her and felt bigger than last time! All the while she felt too tight and could barely accept him. However nothing slowed him down nor did she protest as she raked her nails down his back.

The only way to describe it was they were possessed. Faintly Three could hear a little voice that sounded like her rational mind say: _'No! Stop this! Stop him!'_ But she didn't as she held onto him and he thrusted into her fiercely. The only indicator that Bucky was still there, and not just a wild beast fucking her; was he was careful to avoid her injury. Aside from that he thrusted into her harder than before and faster, it felt like he would burst into her womb at this rate. However she was just as gone as him as she scratched his back and cried out. With each hard thrust she tried to hold onto him until finally she was gripping his ass. The result was him going as hard and as fast as he could making her scream. In some ways the rough intense session was painful, but god did the pleasure far outway the pain!

Before they knew it the intense sexual encounter was over within minutes. As Three threw her head back crying out and Bucky gasped and was jerking inside her. A moment later the feeling of a hot liquid splashing inside her made her moan softly. She laid there dazed beneath him as he gently brushed the hair from her face. Even then that little voice was protesting what had just happened as Three laid there trying to catch her breath.

* * *

Three laid there a moment dazed by what had just happened, her pounding heart slowed down as the intense moment passed. Bucky was still over her, careful not to put extra weight on her injury as he ran his fingertips down her cheek. Then it hit her like a ton of bricks what they had just done. A soft shaky gasp escaped her lips and she covered her mouth with her hands. _'Oh god! What have I done?! What is wrong with me?! Why did I let this happen?!'_ Three wondered as she felt tears pricking at her eyes, she had to squeeze her eyes shut to keep them at bay. What had possesssed her to just let herself be ravished on a car hood by her family's killer?! She felt her stomach turn as she remembered every detail of the last few moments.

It took her a moment to push the memory down before she lost herself in it, then she realised Bucky was no longer over her. Looking past her legs she realised he had gotten up and was zipping his jeans shut. He would not even look at her! Instead she watched him pick up his shirt and put it back on as if nothing had happened. _'Of course not, he only fucked me wildly on a car hood.'_ Three thought as she turned her head away and released a shuddering breath. She was trying not to cry as she closed her legs and felt the dull ache from what they had just done. The reminder forced a sob from her as she covered her eyes with her hands.

"I—I am sorry. I was not...I did not mean to do that." She heard Bucky say, the words made her sit up as she hastily wiped away the tears. Ashamed at how eager she had been for him she pulled down the shirt to better hide herself. Her cheeks turned deep red as she noticed her ruined panties, and she opted for hiding behind a black and purple curtain of hair.

"Then what did you mean to do?" Three asked shakily, when she got no answer Three peeked up at him and added, "Because it felt like Cupid added a super aphrodisiac to his arrows and emptied them into us which made us want to fuck like rabid bunnies."

Perhaps she was too blunt as Bucky looked down ashamed. "Colourful way of phrasing it, but yeah."

Both now had problems looking at one another as they tried to figure out how they got from arguing to violently screwing. Three had never been in a relationship to even know if things like this happened. All she knew was she felt vulnerable and terrible now. After a moment both started talking at the same time.

"I am so messed up!" Three finally said.

"I didn't mean for this to happen." Bucky said.

"I mean I have to be." Three continued not registering what Bucky was saying.

"It is just you have no idea how amazing you are." Bucky added also not paying attention to her words.

"What is wrong with me?" Three asked looking to Bucky finally.

"You're perfect." The statement made her stare at Bucky, shocked. Wait did he just call her perfect? Three was still stunned as Bucky came closer. "You are perfect, doll."

"Doll?" Three asked unable to help but laugh a little at the pet name.

"Yeah," Bucky smiled down at her, "You're an angel." His fingers came up to brush her cheek as he grew serious. "Though I don't deserve something so heavenly not after everything I have done. Not after what I took from you."

Three felt her stomach twist in a painful knot as she stared up at Bucky, and he looked down ashamed. "If you want to my offer still stands. I won't stop you if you want to kill me."

Three winced at the horrible suggestion as she looked up at him, and shook her head. "Bucky, I can't. I—"

"You can if you want to-"

"Stop!" Three snapped not wanting to even think about killing him. Sighing Three calmed her voice down. "Never suggest it again, please."

She watched as Bucky looked down at her confused, but she was just as confused as he was and frowned trying to figure out why even hurting him hurt her. Then Bucky brought her out of her thoughts. "Why?"

"I don't know. It's just the thought of hurting you hurts. Like I am being stabbed in the chest, and I cannot breath. Does that make sense?" Three asked, as Bucky smiled down at her. He reached down into his pocket and pulled out her distress watch, he pressed it to her wrist waiting for it to get a reading. A moment later the beeping filled the silence, her heart rate was up there still.

"Your watch also picks up when you are excited." Bucky said, as he looked at the readings, "A person gets excited when they care deeply for someone and are close to that person."

Three looked at the reading and felt a blush colouring her cheeks, she had only been in love with a boy once before—Four. Yet this was so much stronger than anything she ever felt before, so her eyes widened and her heart began to pound making Bucky smile as the numbers climbed on her watch.

"It makes perfect sense." Bucky said looking at her, his metal hand pressed her watch to his flesh wrist. A moment later the watch began beeping as she saw the high reading and gasped softly. Was that why they lost control and just had each other on the hood? The knowledge didn't help her dilema and confusion. She had deep feelings for her family's killer? She looked up at him, but he was looking at the watch as a sad expression came over his face. Showing that he had deep feelings for her did not take away the guilt. She suddenly felt bad for him as he was looking anywhere but at her. "I uhh never really showed a dame how deeply I feel for her before."

Awkwardly, he cleared his throat and set down her distress watch by her unable to meet her gaze. "Kind of pathetic, I had figured when I would tell a girl it would be in some grand gesture. A romantic restaurant or under the stars, not some dingy old warehouse on top of an abandoned car. Not when I had—not after I killed her family."

Three noticed his reddening checks as he avoided her gaze. As much as she could be mad or upset with him he felt just as bad for killing them. He had no choice, no say with HYDRA. Blaming him was easy, but now? It hurt even more to keep trying to blame him, her heart felt like it was being torn in two. Something had to give either she fight to hate him and blame him, or she prey her family forgave her as she forgave him and let herself have this. He was about to turn away when she caught his belt.

"You didn't," She breathed, and watched Bucky's lips part as if he was about to argue, "I am sorry. I was wrong."

Bucky looked at her confused as she slid off the car hood and came to stand in front of him. "But I did, I remember what I did-"

"It wasn't you." Three interrupted him, Bucky was definitely going to argue as she stopped him, "Bucky, I remember everything. I cannot ever forget a damn thing no matter how hard I try. I remember the night I was injected I woke up and saw you and Pierce. I also remember that night perfectly on the bridge when you chased me. On both encounters your eyes were so cold and vacant."

Three watched Bucky look away ashamed, but she ducked under to look up at him as her hand lifted his head. "I didn't recognize you that night outside the airport because one you always wore a mask, and two your eyes are not cold or vacant. You are not the one that killed them. All those people that you remember killing over the last fifty plus years, that wasn't you. It was HYDRA, and I know it wasn't you because your eyes are gentle and caring and full of regret. I was wrong, I see that now."

Bucky looked at her. His blue eyes watching her carefully, as if waiting for her to reject him. Instead Three gave a humourless laugh. "You would think with a perfect memory I would have kept that in mind. Yet I just let that information fly out the window as if it meant nothing. For all my intelligence I didn't even stop to think, and had I—had I killed you I would have regretted it for the rest of my life." Three looked down ashamed as she said, "This is a complicated messed up situation. I was also hurt that after what we did that you would just leave without saying anything. Like it was meaningless..."

She didn't get a chance to finish what she was saying as a hand caught her chin making her face Bucky who merely looked at her as his thumb ran over her cheek. Wordlessly he leaned in and pressed his lips to hers in a gentle but passionate kiss. When their lips parted Bucky ran his thumb over her lips. "It was never meaningless, doll. When you were in the shower before I saw the picture on your phone. I was thinking of all the ways to keep you by my side. Right down to imagining you in a white dress."

A white dress? A wedding dress?! Three was stunned by what he was admitting to. He had been imaging her as his bride?! When he said he never showed a dame how he felt did he mean that he cared that deeply for her?! Maybe even loved her? It seemed like a childish emotion meant for a fairy tale couple. What they had done was more... instinctive and primitive. Things like romance and love just seemed so out of place between them after all that they endured in life. Hell, she was still working through what she felt for him, but could not bring herself to admit anything more than a strong attraction and bond. Love? Even he seemed to avoid that word like the plague, maybe because it might frighten her. Either way the situation was still too new to go tagging that word to it. Yet his adminition made all of her insecurities about their night together and him leaving disappear. Before she could think on it further, Bucky caught her chin again and was kissing her deeply. However, this kiss was short lived as Three got dizzy and swayed from both the emotional overload and blood-loss. She suddenly felt drained, and was reminded she had done way too much when still recovering.

"Vi!" Bucky said concerned as he held her to him rather than let her hit the hard concrete.

"Whoa! I guess I am not as recovered as I thought." Three laughed a little as Bucky scooped her up, and carried her to the table made bed. He gently set her down and pulled the covers over her.

"I didn't hurt you, did I?" Bucky asked concerned.

"No. In all honesty I think we were enjoying it too much to notice." Three replied shocked that he would ask that. He had been careful not to injure her further, "It is just a side effect of blood loss that's all. I lost a good pint or so of blood, that doesn't recover overnight."

"I should have made you go back to bed." Bucky sighed.

"Right as if you could make me do anything I didn't want to." Three laughed a little, then sighed. "I will be fine, and stop worrying you didn't do anything wrong. I was just as eager to do it as you."

Bucky frowned as Three gave a dreamy sigh and smile. "In fact I would say for a ninety-six year old you did everything, and I mean _everything;_ beautifully."

That got him to laugh a little as he leaned over her. "Very funny." Leaning down, he pressed a kiss to her lips, and lingered there for a few minutes not wanting to leave her. He brushed his fingertips over her cheek as he admired her. "Get some sleep, doll."

Three sighed softly as she watched him for a moment wanting to stay awake, but her eyes were growing so heavy. Eventually her eyes slid shut as she dosed off.

* * *

Bucky watched Three fall asleep, still amazed that she would have anything to do with him. By what stroke of sheer luck did he have the fortune to find such an angel after being in hell for so long? He was certain he did not deserve her forgiveness, he had been certain that both of them would come to regret what they had done on the car. Instead she forgave him, him! Part of him wished he could call Steve and tell him about the most amazing girl he had met. He would tell his best friend that she was unlike any dame he had ever met: strong, smart, beautiful, fiery, sweet, funny, and so much more. It would have been funny setting up a double date like they used to, and Bucky wondered what Steve would have made of his girl.

Sadly that was where the daydream ended as Bucky shook his head. There would never be a double date, nor any reconciliation between him and Steve. Bucky closed his eyes remembering punching Steve on the helicarrier, his metal fist hitting again and again. Steve had been beaten and battered by the end of it. No there was no forgiveness for that he could not face Steve, he destroyed that friendship. He tried not to think of what he had done to Steve. There was only one direction to move and that was forward. For so long he thought it was the path of revenge against the bastards that made him kill all those people, but maybe his path forward meant being with Three. Maybe they were meant to save each other.

The idea of staying with her made him smile, yes he wanted to be with her always. For now he straightened and decided to get back to fixing the car. From there who knew where their path would lead, but he was sure where ever it led he would be with her. He was half way back to the car when his phone rang again, it was Aida. _"_ _James? What happened? The watch has been giving on and off signals with heightened emotional distress. Is everything okay? Kat is not answering, is she alright?"_

"Yes Aida, she is asleep. We uhh talked it's fine now. We are good." Bucky replied not wanting to tell the AI everything that happened. As he neared the car he blushed at the heady scent of sex mixed with dust.

" _Oh, okay. I was just worried. It looks like she took the watch off."_ Aida pointed out.

"Yeah, she did." Bucky blushed he was the one that took it off. "It uh doesn't just go off when she is distressed, but...excited."

" _Oh! I hope you did not excite her too much. She is still recovering from blood loss."_ Aida said concerned making Bucky blush even more. Oh how he had excited her, instead he awkwardly cleared his throat.

"Ye—ah, well she is sleeping right now. So uh I'll wait until she wakes up to mention the watch." Bucky replied.

" _Very well, and I also must warn you as her friend if you break her heart. I will break something of yours digitally. Understood?"_ Aida said with a warning tone.

"Yes ma'am." Bucky swallowed.

" _I mean it now, future credit scores anything digital will be gone. My friend is not a one-night-stand."_ Aida said making Bucky smile, the AI was a good friend.

"No ma'am, Vi is definitely not a one-night-stand. She is—she is everything." Bucky said looking back at the beautiful girl asleep on the table.

" _Good well, please inform Kat when she wakes that the Avengers are hitting HYDRA bases, so if they catch wind of the base in Russia they may be heading your way. Also some new issues have come to light involving Coulson. Skye called, asking for help, but I told her that Kat is currently hunting HYDRA agents down in Russia. Still Skye insisted Kat call her back, she said she is hitting a road block on a mystery. Whatever was used to bring Coulson back from the dead is causing him to carve strange symbols. I told Skye I would pass along the image."_

The phone beeped, and Bucky looked at the strange image of circles, then put the phone back to his ear. "Alright I will let Kat—I mean Vi know when she wakes."

" _You still insist on calling her Violet huh?"_ Aida laughed, getting Bucky to roll his eyes.

"Honestly she really needs to pick a name. Kat, Violet, Three." He shook his head. "What does this Coulson guy call her?"

" _The same thing I do. Since SHIELD and HYDRA gave her the codename Katseye, I call her Kat."_ Aida's logic made sense at least.

"Well what does she refer to herself as or prefer?"

" _Honestly? I think she has never really picked. Anyway when she wakes just let her know what is happening and I will be in touch."_ With that Aida hung up leaving Bucky to ponder if he should keep calling Violet by that name when he was obviously outnumbered by the vote. Most everyone was calling her Kat. Instead he shook his head and peeked over at her, sooner or later she would have to pick one name and stick with it.

* * *

 **February 24th, 2015**

 **Russia**

The next day, Three awoke feeling well rested but sore from sleeping on a table. Her aches and pains still there, but also healing. She found Bucky asleep in a car's seat that he must have pulled out of one of the other cars. Slowly sitting up, Three watch him sleep enjoying the peaceful expression as he slept. Locating her phone she accessed the camera and snapped a picture of Bucky. The camera noise however seemed to wake him as he groaned and looked at her. "What are you doing?"

"Taking a picture of a handsome brunette. Wanna pose for another?" Three teased, getting Bucky to laugh as he sat forward.

"I uhh got the car working, we will need to move locations." Bucky said as he got up and brought the clothes he bought for her over. Three checked them out smiling at his choices since he had chosen wisely. "Also Aida called."

Three listened to the relayed message and checked the image Bucky showed her of what Coulson was carving. She would need to call Skye back. "I will get our other stuff in the car."

As Bucky moved off to do that Three picked up her phone and called Skye putting it on loud speaker. As it rang she started getting dressed. _"_ _Hello?"_ Came Skye's voice out of the speaker.

"Skye you called, what's up?" Three said, what came next was Skye explaining about the GH-325 serum used to bring Coulson back from the dead, and how it inevitably drives the person insane. Hence the need for the Tahiti memory wipe.

" _...Anyway May and I are getting worried. I cannot figure out what these circles mean. I thought at first a map, but it doesn't match anything."_

"What about constellations?" Three asked looking at the image. As she zipped her jeans.

" _It matches no known constellations."_ Skye added.

"What about unknown? We are talking about an alien serum after all." Three suggested.

" _I think you are thinking too far outside the box Kat."_

"Unfortunately pulling at straws is all I can do on my end, Skye. I am in Russia far from my usual locale. I do not really have the ability to look this up." Three said pulling on the shirt and looking down at the clothes Bucky got her. At least they were not size chunky monkey.

" _What are you doing in Russia anyway?"_ Skye asked. Three bit her bottom lip considering what to tell the hacker turned SHIELD agent.

"Alright if I tell you, no tattling on me alright?" Three said cautiously.

" _Fine I promise, now spill."_

"I am after the serum used on me to help fix the damage Ward did to Fitz." Three said, that must have floored her because there was a long pause.

" _Okay wanna run that by me again?"_

"I am not just out here killing HYDRA agents, Skye. Like with all I do there is a method to my madness. I will explain more if I can ever get the damn serum, nearly got killed in the first attempt to get it." Three said running her hands through her hair.

" _Whoa you are out there by yourself trying to get this serum?"_

"Well not exactly alone, but uhh yeah kind of." Three replied, peeking back at Barnes. No way would he want to break into a HYDRA facility for a serum. Reaching over for the jacket he got her Three winced as it pulled a little on the stitches on her side. She groaned as she rubbed her side.

" _Kat? What was that?"_ Skye asked.

"Me wishing I had a super healing factor." Three grumbled as she put on the jacket.

" _Alright I am calling it, you are officially crazy."_

"Wow I thought I was already labelled by SHIELD as a psychopath killer." Three teased.

" _Ha Ha very funny. Look rather than nearly get killed again. How about we help each other out._ _Let me get Coulson on the case of your serum, you help me figure out what the hell he is carving."_

"As much as I want to, I need to do this Skye." Three said as she was gathering her belongings.

" _Okay why do you feel you need to go lone ranger?"_ Skye asked, and it made Three sigh as she leaned on the table.

"I knew about Ward. I knew he was HYDRA, but I made a stupid call. I should have put a bullet in his head, I should not have given him the benefit of the doubt." Three said waiting for Skye to start screaming at her, but silence followed. Maybe she was waiting for more of an explanation. "I had saved a former HYDRA agent before and I thought not all of them could be bad. I wanted to believe Ward would choose you guys over HYDRA. I also feared that if I told you guys you would either not believe a damn word I said, or I would endanger all of you."

Again even more silence followed as Three waited, "This is the part where you start screaming at me for not saying anything."

" _You are right, but I am still a bit shocked."_ Skye admitted, _"_ _So what you are trying to make amends?"_

"Yeah, my penance for not killing Ward when I had the chance." Three said, she wondered if the hacker was considering the last time she helped Coulson's team. It was back when Coulson had been kidnapped, at the time the group thought Ward was a SHIELD agent. Was she thinking of the consequences for at that time had Three killed Ward? Either way Three considered how pissed off Coulson's team would be at her right then.

" _You said you wanted to give him the chance, so you did not know what he would choose."_ Skye said after a moment. _"_ _While it was more than he deserved, you tried to do the right thing. But don't ever keep a secret like that again."_

Three nodded, doubting any of them would want a thing to do with her after this. _'Hey that is nothing new. Sharon already hates my guts why not the remaining SHIELD teams?'_ Three thought sarcastically. "Alright, but I still need to do this. When or if I get back I will try to figure out what is with those circles Coulson is carving."

With that Three hung up, gathered her stuff together and turned back to the car to find Bucky leaning against it waiting. ' _Yeah—no I think getting the serum will be a suicide mission on my own.'_ Instead she came over to the car and dumped her stuff on the back seat, she let Bucky drive since she still did not feel like she was at one-hundred percent. Instead she reclined in the chair as they drove from the old warehouse.

"So what did your friend say?" Bucky asked as he drove.

"Skye is not exactly a friend, more of an acquaintance. She is a SHIELD agent that works with other surviving agents still fighting HYDRA." Three explained. The word 'friends' was not meant to be used so loosely considering Coulson's team would never trust her again.

"She called you for advice, though."

"She needed someone that thinks outside the box. I have a permanent residence there." Three said earning her an amused laugh.

"You mentioned going after the serum still." Bucky pointed out.

"You know super soldier you have strength, speed, and worst of all you heal fast. Couldn't you pretend to have terrible hearing?" Three teased.

"So you are going to try and get the serum." The disapproval was impossible to miss as Three sighed, rubbing her forehead as her elbow rested against the window. She could literally sense an argument brewing as she swallowed.

"It is the reason I came to Russia, Bucky. I owe it to Fitz to get the serum and Peggy I don't want her to forget me." Three said as she looked out the window.

"You will need to recover before we attempt it." Bucky said calmly making Three look at him surprised, "What? You didn't think I would let my best girl attack a HYDRA facility on her own did you?"

Three was speechless as she stared at Bucky, still shocked beyond words that he was not arguing. Instead he was intending to help her she blushed as he took quick peeks at her. "Do you know where this base is?"

"It is hidden in the Ural mountains, but I can try to narrow the area down and find it. We will need to resupply and find a place to stay..." Three said softly. Again silence followed as Bucky drove and Three leaned her head back to think. Was this what it felt like to not be alone? Before with Sharon and Peggy she was not alone, but she had to keep so much hidden from them that even with them she still felt alone at times. Now here there was nothing to hide from Bucky, and he did not need to hide anything from her. They were free to be themselves and not have to fear how the other would react. The unique understanding they both had made things as easy as breathing with Bucky. For the first time ever she felt like a person actually knew and understood her, not an AI like Aida, or a SHIELD agent like Sharon who only knew part of the story; but an actual person who knew it all.

* * *

 **Author's Notes:**

 **First off thank you all for the lovely reviews. Also thanks to ElizaStark for the suggestions on which actress could play Three. I am glad you are enjoying this story thus far.**

 **This chapter it is rather intense since Three has entered a new situation where she doesn't really know what to do. I tried to capture how confused she really would be in regards to Bucky, so if you feel she is out of character... that is because she is. She is confused and while her watch is not beeping all the time her emotional distress is still a huge factor. Hence her not exactly thinking things through in this chapter until after the car hood scene.**

 **As for Bucky well he is still not the man he once was. He has spent 50 plus years having who he was stripped away including his emotions, so he is having to adjust to that. He also has to deal with bits and pieces of memory coming back, and an ever growing list of people HYDRA had him murder. In a way he felt Three could help keep him grounded. Prior to meeting Three he did not feel he could have any type of life or relationship after what was done to him. So Three entering his life has sort of mixed him up more because there is a strong attraction to her. He tries to remember who he was and act that way, but other times he just acts on instinct or impulse because he does not have all the information.**

 **I guess a good way to describe how I am picturing Bucky's state of mind is he has most of the puzzle pieces together but there are still big gaps and while he is trying to fit those pieces in the Winter Soldier side of him is filling in the gaps temporarily. So you do have moments where he acts like the soldier and forgets himself. Where he just reacts on instinct and with Three and that attraction it means you get these impulsive moments, hence the car hood scene.**

 **As for what happens afterwards well I don't want to say Three just outright forgives him because it was her family that paid the ultimate price. However she is looking at every piece of the puzzle and realising the harsh truth. She knows Bucky had no choice, and that it was under HYDRAs orders that her family were killed. She also cannot bring herself to kill him because she cares too deeply for him. He obviously cares for her so the options become clear. Kill him and regret it or accept what happened and hope her family forgive her. It is not as easy as it sounds for this decision, but that is what she comes to terms with.**

 **Also the other fun thing to note is the phone call Three receives from Skye. Anyone wanna guess in what part of what season this phone call must be taking place in?**

 **Anyway hope you enjoyed the chapter and I look forward to hearing from you.**

 **Lesliezin**


	29. Learing Harsh Truths

**Hello everyone,**

 **Well here is Chapter, enjoy.**

* * *

 **March 2** **nd** **, 2015**

 **Ukhta, Russia**

After taking some more time to heal and moving around to avoid detection, Bucky and Three decided that she was well enough to resume hunting HYDRA. They had driven for hours until they reached Ukhta, Russia where they discreetly checked into a motel, rather than continue sheltering in abandoned buildings. They always picked the more run down areas to avoid being noticed so the locals were not the friendliest bunch. In fact these types of areas posed their own dangers. Usually Three had little trouble in areas like this because she was careful, and if anyone caused her trouble they soon came to regret it. With Bucky around one would think he alone would be a great deterrent for the degenerates in the area.

However, Three guessed intelligence was not some peoples' strong suite. She was a lot better and recovering quickly now, so she decided it was time to resupply. The last time she insisted on buying her own supplies was shortly after the car hood incident. While Bucky did not want her moving around, Three was not about to ask Bucky to pick up some 'lady items' for her. So she told Bucky unless he wanted to travel down a certain store aisle she had to go. It was not at all fun having to go shopping and getting dizzy. Thus is was a quick venture out, now though she felt well enough to go out for a larger shop.

Three had spotted some smaller shops which was preferable to large shopping centres. Since she felt well enough to walk up, Three told Bucky she would not be gone long and headed out. She carefully kept a low profile, but still got some looks from a group of guys smoking cigarettes outside one of the other motel rooms. One was a bigger bald guy giving a wolfish grin as he looked her up and down. Usually these types backed off if the girl straight up made eye contact and glared them down. It was a way of intimidating them into thinking the girl was packing a weapon or something. However the guy just laughed and the group continued their conversation. Three kept walking thinking that was the end of it as she headed for the shops.

The remaining walk was uneventful, as she came in, picked out some clothes, tried them on, then bought them. Again she had to buy a toilet kit and bath supplies since hers were basically abandoned after the HYDRA convoy ambush. Lastly she thought it best not take further risks, by buying some condoms. Sure she was lucky before, but she also knew that luck would not last forever especially with a super soldier with super stamina. Getting everything she needed it was getting towards evening when she walked back towards her motel room. As usual Three tried to keep careful watch of her surroundings, but that did not mean the local morons would not try something regardless. She was in view of the the motel but was passing by a dark alleyway. Three stopped short when a shadow came out in front of her. The bald man smiled down at her speaking Russian. His friends stood behind her as she smelt their foul breaths and felt sick. Being surrounded she was cornered into the alleyway.

"Hey there sweetheart, where are you going so fast?" The bald man asked.

"Back to my husband." Three answered flatly in Russian hoping the idea that she was married would make him back off. Since her left hand was in her pocket, he would not be able to tell that she was not married. However that hardly seemed to deter him or his friends as they chuckled, "Hardly a husband letting a pretty lil' thing like you wander around. If I were him I would never let you out of my sight, I would guard you fiercely."

Three was about to say she could guard herself just fine, but a familiar voice sounded behind the tall bald Russian. "I don't let her out of my sight."

"Hey honey." Three said playing up the lie to the hilt, as she looked past the men at Bucky. It would have been so nice had these guys scurried off, but apparently they thought size mattered since the bald guy towered over Bucky like a jolly green giant.

"Him?!" The guy laughed, "This is your husband?! Oh sweetheart you can do so much better."

"What you?! No thanks he is the best. You? You are scraping the bottom of the barrel." Three replied as Bucky tried to keep from laughing. The guy glared at her not liking her insult, but honestly what did he think her reply would be? He was no supermodel, and he started the insults off first.

"That does it, teach the bitch proper respect while I deal with this runt." _'Runt?! Bucky? Is this moron blind?!'_ Three wondered, as his friends grabbed her, but they did not expect what she did next. One got kicked between the legs and was now doubled over holding himself. The other got his knee kicked out from under him and was forced into a kneeling position. She slammed the guy holding his groin's head into a dumpster knocking him out then turned and knocked out the other guy .

As she turned back to Bucky she saw him punch the big guy in the chest sending him flying past her. _'Ouch! He will feel that in the morning.'_ Three winced.

Bucky walked past and bent over grabbing him by the collar of his shirt and pulling his head up, he raised his metal hand about to punch him. The man must have really pissed Bucky off. "Honey!" Three called sharply getting Bucky's attention. She did not want to call him by name especially if these idiots reported this to the cops. Bucky's head snapped up. "No need to force him to eat through a straw. Just knock him out so he has to sleep it off."

"You sure? I saw the way he looked at you. I saw what he wanted to do to you." Bucky said, making Three's lips part he really was watching her carefully. _'Like a dragon guarding his treasure.'_ A soft blush crept into her cheeks at how protective Bucky got with her.

"Well he can keep dreaming and using his fucking hand because he isn't touching me." Three replied coming closer to him. She could tell Bucky was really wanting to smash the guy's face in, as much as this man pissed her off she never killed outside of HYDRA and felt Bucky did not want to kill either. "I am your girl. Yours, no one else's."

The soft words as Three came up, and put her hand over his heart seemed to calm him down as he lowered his metal fist. His normal arm slid around her waist protectively as he released the man who slumped to the ground holding his chest. Both were about to leave the alley, and would have tried to forget these events. But drunk men are dumb as hell, and baldy did not know how to shut up. "I will fuck that bitch, and she will enjoy it!"

That did it! Three stopped short and turned to find the prick on his knees smiling up at her. Not batting a eyelash her foot came up hard in his groin making him cry out, then she grabbed the back of his head and brought her knee to his nose. She heard a distinct crunch as she broke his nose, but it hardly matter because she also knocked him out. Straightening she looked back at Bucky who wore a smirk. "What?"

"I really wanted to beat him into a bloody mess, but that was somehow a lot better." Bucky said. Three giggled, then had an idea as she eyed the larger dumpster.

"Well if you are up to some heavy lifting, I think I know how to make this better." Three said, and Bucky laughed as she looked at the three men then the nasty trash dumpster. She checked the three men's pockets for their phones and tossed them aside, then opened the lid suggestively and Bucky took the hint. He had no problem tossing all three guys in there, and Three closed the lid. As an added precaution Three found some rope and looped it through to tie the lid closed. They would only be able to open it enough to get fresh air, but that was it. They were also back far enough that only people passing by the alleyway might hear them, and by then Three and Bucky would be long gone.

Grabbing up her shopping bags, the pair walked back to the motel across the street, and came into their room unseen. Finally Three had to ask as she set down the bags and turned to face Bucky. "Did you—were you following me?"

Bucky blushed as he looked down, and Three realized he did. Somehow he had followed her without being noticing. "I wanted to make sure you were safe."

Three blushed even more, she should have been angry that he did not trust her to take care of herself. Instead she felt overjoyed by the thought he would want to keep her safe. Immediately, she rushed forward pressing him to the door and was kissing him deeply. The response surprised him, but in a second he was gripping her tightly and kissing her back deeply. After a lengthy kiss, Bucky groaned. "Doll we both smell from the alley."

"Then we need a shower," Three said without missing a beat, "A long hot shower, we can shower together to conserve water." Three said starting to pull his clothes off, as Bucky took the hint and started stripping her too. What followed was a trail of clothes as they moved together towards the bathroom. Along the way she grabbed the bag holding her recently bought toiletries. In the bathroom, Bucky locked the door and quickly turned on the shower. In minutes, they climbed in together and the hot spray hit them as the pair barely separated. Somehow Bucky summoned the willpower to pull away and stop before he took her in the shower. Insisting on showering, Bucky poured some of Three's body wash on her sponge to wash her.

"You know I can clean myself." Three pointed out.

"Yeah, but I want to do it." He answered, so Three took up his body wash and sponge thinking two could play at that game. They also ended up washing each other's hair, but eventually they were more interested in kissing and being close. Until eventually the water turned cold and they were forced to get out and dry off some, then Bucky scooped her up after she wrapped the towel around herself. Knowing what would come next she grabbed the box of condoms which Bucky noticed.

"We got lucky before," Three said breathlessly, "but luck only gets you so far."

"Of course. Good thinking." Bucky replied as he carried her to the bed where he laid her down and climbed over her, and they shared a passionate night together.

* * *

 **March 3rd, 2015**

 **Russia**

It was early before dawn, Three knew that much when she woke. Like always she knew exactly where she was even when groggy from sleep. Yet it did not explain what woke her, no alerts came up on her phone so she was not in danger of approaching HYDRA or SHIELD forces. For a moment none of it made sense, she had had no nightmares wake her this time. In fact her dreams had been rather pleasant, which was odd. She gently stretched on the bed and winced a little as her side was still tender. _'Why can't I heal fast like Steve Rogers or Bucky? I really hate healing slowly.'_ Three wondered, _'Nooo can't have that, not when I can memorize a book I read seven years ago by only reading it once!'_

Aside from the twinge in her side something else had woken her, and if not Aida with some type of alert the only other explanation was her travel companion. Opening one eye she groaned as she looked around, the room was quiet, so that meant Bucky was not up. Three frowned and considered going back to sleep as she closed her eyes and listened. That was when she heard it, Bucky's voice was soft as he seemed to be dreaming. Three froze, by the sound of it it was not a pleasant dream. Instinct had her roll out of the bed onto the floor as Bucky cried out. A second later his metal fist fell where she had been sleeping. The pillow was now a pile of feathers.

"Bucky!" Three called out hoping he would realize he had been dreaming. She kept crouched expecting she might have to dodge him if he was still caught up in the dream. After nearly two months together and learning more of each other, Three thought she was used to this, but still seeing Bucky in so much pain was pure agony to behold. However Bucky seemed to snap out of it as Three saw him look around shocked. Finally his eyes landed on hers as she slowly got to her feet.

"Vi?"

"Relax Bucky it was just a nightmare. You're safe." Three said, however now he was looking at the feathers littering the bed and the destroyed pillow. Realising that had she not moved he would have hurt if not killed her, Bucky looked horrified. Instead Three went for downplaying the situation. "That poor pillow, you know the motel maids are gonna have fun cleaning."

"That could have been your head, Vi."

"True, but with my IQ I know when to move." Three replied, like it was nothing as she sat back on the bed and played with the feathers. "So what had you attacking the pillow? Not that I don't mind a good pillow fight, but there is a limit to how much feathers should fly."

Bucky leaned forward, gripping his head as he groaned, and Three waited. He mumbled something and Three frowned. "Bucky I do not understand mumble-lan-ese. Pick an actual language."

She watched as he ran his fingers through his hair while she balanced some of the feathers on her fingers. "I killed Howard Stark, and his wife."

Three froze at the confession, if Tony Stark ever found out the shit would hit the fan. The worst part was Bucky would probably remember killing a lot of people he didn't want to. Three sighed dropping the feathers as she considered what to say. Frankly nothing would make him feel better about this. Having read more from the guidebook Bucky stole she knew Howard Stark had become a friend of Steve Rogers helping him during World War two. "Bucky it wasn't you, you know that right?"

When she got no response, she considered what else would help him. "Look if you are worried about Tony Stark, I am sure he will understand that you had no choice in the matter. Not right away of course, but he will come to the same conclusion I have. That it was HYDRA that killed his parents not you. I mean he can be a pain in the ass that thinks he knows it all, but he is a good guy."

"Right," Bucky said not believing her.

"I mean it, Bucky." Three replied, then sighed, "I am sure if it comes down to it we can explain the whole situation and it will eventually be... well not okay but it will be... something. I mean look at me I forgave you for-"

"It is not the same!" Bucky replied angry, "It was his parents, his flesh and blood."

"It is the fucking same!" Three replied angry, "Takai and Amaya were _my_ father and sister! And flesh and blood means shit to me!" Three said glaring at Bucky, as silence followed. She probably shocked him with her last comment which required explanation. Heaving a sigh Three looked away.

"My _'real'_ parents," Three made air quotes around the word real, "They were HYDRA, and because they didn't want me they donated me. I didn't know who they were nor do I ever really care if I do. They deserve the worst fate possible. Fury already killed one of them, and I was grateful for that."

Again Three paused letting Bucky wrap his head around the information before sighing, "Takai and Amaya may not have been my flesh and blood family, but they meant more to me than my real parents. So I never want to hear that bullshit that it is not the same, understand? You are no more responsible for killing them than Tony Starks' parents."

The silence was annoying as Bucky just sat there quietly thinking, so Three picked up her phone and looked at the time. It was 4:17 in the morning, that was when an arm slid around her waist and she was pulled closer to Bucky. The hug had Three tilting her head back against his shoulder as he nuzzled her neck. "Nick Fury? Which parent did he kill?"

"My quote-unquote father. Killed him in D.C when Rogers stopped project Insight." Three replied hesitantly, she felt Bucky stiffen against her.

"I was sent to kill Fury, he died." Three chuckled a little and shook her head.

"Correction you thought you killed him. He faked his death, he is the super spy after all." Three stated. The pair sat silently as Bucky seemed to be thinking about what all he learned since waking up.

"I didn't see Fury," Bucky pointed out.

"That was because you were on the Helicarriers, Fury, Romanoff, and myself were in the Triskelion. Both Fury and Romanoff were in the world Security Council chambers." This time Bucky stiffened for another reason, there was only one man in HYDRA up there. She could literally feel the gears in his head turning and the pieces clicking into place. Pierce! Rather than wait for a angry response to the epiphany, Three released a shaky breath. "There was so many times I wanted to kill him, so many times I wanted to make him suffer. I didn't even know he was my father, but I would not have cared. I still would have loved to be the one to kill him. Never could get near him though, then Fury kills him, and when Aida told me I was not sure whether to dance for joy or be sick to be related to that-"

There was no real word to describe the disgust she felt, and instead she shook the thought away. "I just hope he suffers in the deepest pit of hell for everything he has done."

Bucky held her close trying to comfort her then his flesh hand came up catching her chin and turning her head. A moment later he was pressing his lips to hers in a deep kiss. She had expected him to be angry at the news of who one set of her parents were, instead it was like she was being forgiven for it. When their lips parted, Bucky brushed his lips against hers as he whispered softly. "It's alright doll, you are nothing like him."

Then he was kissing her again, this time more deeply as she turned more to kiss him more fully. In the next moment she was pulled into his lap where she now straddled him, and he trailed kisses down her neck. Three moaned softly as she tilted her head back and ran her hands over his chest.

"I don't deserve you," Bucky groaned softly as he kissed her neck and grazed her skin with his teeth.

"Too bad ya got me anyway." Three replied as she pressed to him. Immediately he laid her back on the bed and climbed over her. From there he resumed kissing her lips and she wrapped her arms around his neck not wanting to release him. They would have continued kissing and touching, but Three whined as her phone began ringing. "Damn it Aida. You have the worst timing."

She heard Bucky chuckle against her neck then raise himself off her enough to reach her phone. Picking it up, Three answered. "This had better be good, Aida."

" _It is Skye, she says she wants someone to talk to."_ Aida says concerned.

"Skye wants to talk to me? About what?"

" _She would not say, but I don't think she wants anyone at SHIELD to know she is contacting you."_ Aida replied, now Three was frowning.

"Alright put her through."

" _Hello? Kat are you there?"_ Skye's voice came through.

"Yeah Skye I am here, though usually I would expect you to call if you need help not to chat. So what is up?" Three replied as Skye seemed to take a long moment to pause.

" _I keep having these dreams, and I just need someone to talk to,"_

"You do realise I am not a counsellor right? You also realise that I was one of SHIELD's most wanted criminals, right?"

" _Yeah but I knew about you before SHIELD. When I was part of the Rising Tide."_

"Ah pulling that card I see. I have not been keeping track of that group for a while." Three replied.

" _Yeah I know, but I don't really want to go to Coulson with this."_

"Okay now you have me confused. You have been pretty close to Coulson, he is kind of like a father figure to you."

" _Yeah."_

"So why the hell do you want to cut him out of this potentially big conversation?" Three asked.

" _Because something is about to happen, something bad. I just got this terrible feeling. We uh found out about a HYDRA head named Whitehall and-"_

"Daniel Whitehall!" Three said worried and now sitting up. Bucky merely laid on his side watching her.

" _Yeah, why? You heard of him?"_ Sky asked.

"I met the evil bastard," Three shuddered as she recalled him and what he did. "He loves to experiment, I had the misfortune of seeing what he did to one woman when I was about six."

" _Jesus! We could do with your insight then. We found old case files on one Reinhardt that Peggy Carter arrested back in 1945. He looks identical to Whitehall."_ Skye started explaining.

"That is because it is the same person, Skye. Reinhardt is Whitehall, they are not similar in appearance. They are the same." Three said waiting for Sky to digest the information. "Back when I first started out all I had were names of known HYDRA heads, when I started hacking and digging one of those names was Whitehall. It was through searches and digging that I learned the truth."

" _How is that possible though?"_

"The woman he experimented on was also from 1945, somehow she stopped ageing and whatever experiments that were performed helped him to stop ageing."

" _That is insane."_ Skye replied.

"You're telling me, I am sitting across from a ninety-six year old man that doesn't look a day over twenty-eight." Three replied giving Bucky a look and making him smile at her.

" _What?!"_ Skye asked shocked.

"Nothing, never mind. So what is going on exactly?" Three asked changing the subject before Skye thought her completely insane.

" _Well Coulson says that Whitehall had this Obelisk, and an expert saying it has to be taken some place specific. A hidden city, which is what those circles meant."_

Three sighed as she rubbed her temple. "Heard of the obelisk too, go on."

" _We are going to be heading there to try and intercept HYDRA. We could use your help."_

"Is this Coulson asking or you?" Three asked.

" _I think given your knowledge Coulson would agree to the added help."_

Three inhaled thinking, but sighed. "Any other time I would jump through fire for the chance Skye, but I am still in Russia. Unfortunately, I have my own mission to complete too. However may I give you some advice?"

" _Sure."_

"Don't hesitate, don't try to arrest him, just shoot Whitehall. The guy is a monster, and believe me he deserves it. I am still haunted by what he did to that woman, no one deserved that, so if you see him—shoot him. Empty the damn clip if you have to just make sure he never gets back up!" Three said waiting for Skye to reply.

" _Alright, thanks for the warning. Be careful out there."_

"You too. Tell Coulson and the others no taking any huge risks. I do like hearing from you guys after all." Three replied getting Skye to laugh a little.

" _Yeah, you too."_ With that there was an audible click as Skye hung up, and Three sighed setting down the phone. She looked up to find Bucky watching her carefully.

"They gonna be okay?"

"They are agents of SHIELD. They know what they are doing." Three said, as she looked down at the phone, "Besides we have our own problems to deal with. I cannot watch everybody else and get the serum too. That is why Aida is there, to make sure they are okay."

"Well we should get going I imagine someone will soon find the unconscious drunks we locked in the dumpster." Bucky pointed out making her laugh, by now those men ought to have woken and been trying to get out of their new found predicament. Sighing she nodded and the pair got up and readied to go. They packed and left the motel just as the sun had peeked over lighting the sky. Getting in the car they resumed driving, and drawing closer to the Ural Mountains, they kept moving and kept a low profile to keep HYDRA off their tails.

* * *

 **March 9th, 2014**

 **Russia**

Following HYDRA was not that hard, but knowing someone else was fighting them just made things more interesting. After reporting their findings to Nick Fury, Petrov was ordered to observe at a distance and report further activities. At first the trail was going cold, Lilith Donners was a dead end. The woman that had supposedly been kidnapped was a fake ID as Orlov soon discovered. However the image of the man certainly pulled attention as Fury mentioned needing to contact an associate. Whatever was going on the former SHIELD director refused to go into details, leaving the three men to scramble after anything they found.

There was not much to go on: a car ditched in a lake, a cabin broken into. Some other surveillances that turned up nothing but the occasional sighting. Whoever was targeting HYDRA knew how to move without being seen. That was until 'Lilith Donners' slipped up big time, she was spotted multiple times near Vologda Russia. Sadly her slip ups were also noticed by HYDRA, and according to some footage, she was alone.

Following her was a bit easier until the trio learned of the ambush site, the site was cordoned off as police investigated. So they retreated to a hotel to allow Orlov to hack into the police records and satellite to learn what went down and if the potential ally yet lived or not. In the dingy old motel room Petrov smoked nearly a whole pack of cigarettes while Yurik cleaned his gun. Finally Orlov cried out. "Yes! I am in."

"Took ya long enough. What?! Decide to watch porn first?" Yurik asked as he was assembling his gun. Orlov glared at him, then resumed typing as he accessed the network satellite and entered the date and time.

"Petrov, the footage is still here HYDRA has not erased it." Orlov said as he called up the blurry footage of the road where the ambush took place. The two men came to stand behind Orlov as they watched what happened on that lone road. The more they watched the more shocking it became.

"Fury will definitely want to know about this." Petrov said pulling his phone out and dialling the number. A moment later the person on the other end picked up.

" _I am busy Petrov, you had better have something."_ Fury's voice stated sounding annoyed, it also sounded like he was on a plane?

"Indeed sir, we've ID'd the female. This Lilith Donners is Katseye." There was a long pause on Fury's end.

" _You are on speaker with my associates, repeat that."_ Fury ordered.

"The fake ID Lilith Donners is Katseye. She attacked a HYDRA convoy and was nearly ambushed." Petrov explained, now Petrov could hear other voices aside from Fury's.

" _You said nearly, what happened?"_ An American voice asked, Petrov had no idea the voice belonged to Steve Rogers as he answered.

"The Winter Soldier happened." Petrov said.

" _Did he? Did he hurt her?"_ The American asked worried.

"No, he saved her from HYDRA." Again there was a long pause. "Sir, how do we proceed? We got the surveillance from the satellite. I believe it can be cleared up, but if we take too long the trail may go cold."

" _Jarvis can handle that, have them forward it to us."_ Another voice spoke up as if doing this would only take a few minutes.

" _Forward it to me Petrov so we can look it over. Keep tracking them if possible without tipping off HYDRA."_ Fury ordered.

"Yes Sir." Petrov replied hanging up, he informed Orlov to forward the footage to Fury then began packing up.

* * *

 **The Quinjet**

In all honestly Fury never expected to get much Intel from Russia it just seemed like too likely a place to look for HYDRA. So when Petrov contacted him in France weeks before, Fury was surprised. Especially when the police reports described a man that looked like James Barnes, and his supposedly kidnapping of a young woman named Lilith Donners. The fact that HYDRA was picking themselves up was the only thing that made Fury do a double-take. He had been a secretive man keeping secrets and deceiving people, but in this instance he felt he owed Rogers more than lies. He knew Steve was looking for Bucky, and it was not really his place to keep something like this from him. So in short he contacted Steve, and within ten hours he was reunited with them and feeding them more Intel on where the other HYDRA bases were located.

As much as Rogers wanted to head for Russia to follow up on Petrov's report, dealing with the last remnants of HYDRA took priority. Now today Fury waited for the information to be forwarded, as Stark flew the Quinjet. Mostly it was quiet until there was a beep signalling Petrov had come through. Taking up the notepad, Fury activated the hologram to replay the events taken from the satellite. Mostly it was blurry and distorted, and audio was simply not there to be had so he stopped it and turned to Stark.

"Stark you're up." Fury said, as Tony put the autopilot on.

"Alright super-spy. Let me do my magic." Fury handed him the notepad as Tony began hitting keys. "Jarvis I need clean up on it, and if possible audio. I hate silent films."

"Sir unfortunately satellite does not record audio, but I can cross reference any radio transmissions that might have some feedback on that day and time." Jarvis pointed out.

"Impress me." Tony said, as they worked. Steve sighed hoping Fury was not leading them on some wild goose chase he wanted an actual lead to go on to find Bucky. Sam sat next to him, but seemed to know exactly what he was thinking.

"I am sure we will find something Steve." Sam replied leaning back in his seat. Steve looked across the way at Natasha and Clint who both were relaxing in their chairs. In truth everybody was a bit tired, they had been hunting HYDRA non-stop. Thor paced towards the back of the plane growing impatient. While Banner only partially listened to calming classical music.

"Relax capsicle, I am almost...done. Jarvis? Backscatter?"

"On it sir. I believe I can provide partial audio. Alright boys and girls let's see what is on T.V." With that Tony flicked his wrist holding the small notepad activating the replay from satellite. It showed a series of trucks moving through a wooded back road, then an explosion at the front and back of the convoy stopped it dead. The audio was still a little distorted but the explosions were still heard followed by gunfire. However the men seemed to fall to sniper shots. The front cars flipped from the blast while the back car ended up on it's side.

Steve leaned forward noting that the first thing the sniper took out were the tires. Whoever it was was after something. The men grew panicked and shot wildly into the woods only to be hit by return fire. When it looked like the sniper had taken out all of the men, eventually a slim figure emerged from the woods in a purplish almost black ninja suit toting a sniper rifle. She almost got shot by an hidden shooter, but luckily his aim was off and hers wasn't. The man got shot in the shoulder.

"Sir this cannot be Katseye, she would never make a rookie mistake like that." Clint finally spoke up looking to Fury. Regardless they watched her rise to her feet and drag the man to his feet. She dragged him to the middle truck.

" _Unlock it, or die here!"_ A female voice yelled, and the man complied while she was prepared to shoot anyone inside. However after unlocking and opening the doors the man suddenly turned around.

" _You did not think it would be that easy did you? We knew you were-"_ Whatever he was about to say, he never got to finish because she shot him in the head. Immediately they watched her run towards the woods, but shots rang out from the back of the convoy. They forced her to flee towards the front of the convoy and the flipped cars as she shot back. She slid over the hood of the car but cried out. She must have been hit. She fell on her side and clutched her other side.

Even injured, she shot around the hood of the car at the approaching men that were riddling the car with bullets. A moment later they shot smoke grenades towards her to smoke her or knock her out. Steve listened intently as he could hear the distorted sound of her coughing. He frowned as she pulled something out of her breast pocket. "What is that?"

"A last resort, one bullet kept aside just in case." Nat replied frowning at the image.

"Well isn't that cheery." Tony replied as the video suddenly showed a car ram into the group sending some of the men flying. Soon whoever was in the car was shooting at the men. When most of them were down. That was when they saw it, the Winter Soldier got out of the car moving quickly for the pockmarked car. He came around and took the gun off her before she could use the round on herself.

" _Nooo...please!"_ They heard her distorted plea, then the Winter Soldier pulled her to her feet causing a cry of pain to come from her.

" _Shit!"_ Steve heard Bucky swear as his friend must have noticed the injury. Judging by the way her head lolled back, Katseye's face cover did not protect her from the knock out gas. One of the men that was hit by the car stumbled to his feet, and Steve watched Bucky pull a gun on him. The man held up his hands in surrender, but was shot regardless.

"That's cold." Sam commented, and Steve frowned, wondering if there was anything of Bucky left in there. Holstering his weapon, the Winter Soldier scooped up the girl into his arms and carried her to the car placing her in the passenger's seat. They might have watched more, but suddenly the satellite feed was cut.

"Jarvis? What is going on?"

"Sir everything for that area has been erased."

"HYDRA, of course they would erase it." Clint said annoyed, as he leaned forward.

"But we know that James Barnes is in Russia with Katseye." Banner pointed out, "They should not be hard to find."

"Why though is a notorious enemy of SHIELD getting help from the Winter Soldier? And what was in that truck that was worth risking all for?" Nat asked. They were all good questions as they considered the answers, then Nat asked another question. "Why was she on her own at first? Why didn't James help her sooner?"

Even more questions no one could really answer, so Steve opted for an easier question. "What all do we have on Katseye?"

"SHIELDs greatest pain in the ass for the past ten plus years. She was at the top of the most wanted list until you knocked her out of it, Cap. Impossible to catch, and always seemed to be seven steps ahead of us." Clint said.

"She is totalled for having killed over two hundred SHIELD agents over the years. It was assumed she was insane because she would kill some agents, but leave others alive." Nat added frowning. Finally Steve looked to Fury who seemed deep in thought.

"What is it?" The others followed his gaze to Fury until all eyes were on the former director.

"She was put at the top of the most wanted list several years ago after a failed mission to protect a doctor. She killed five agents including the doctor, but left three agents alive." Fury said he seemed to be catching on a vital fact, something that had eluded him for years.

"Nick? Who were the agents she spared?" Steve asked seeming to latch onto where his thoughts were heading.

"You met one of them, she was your neighbour. Another was agent 18 – Caroline Monroe, and lastly Phil Coulson." Fury replied as it hit them like a ton of bricks.

"She was never targeting SHIELD, but HYDRA." Clint said, sitting up straighter.

"Certainly looks that way," Tony added as he was checking something on his notebook, "Huh figures. Thought I would do some research... Kit-Kat apparently was present at the Helicarriers incident. Got some interesting recordings and reports. Several agents reported seeing her fighting, and more than a few claim she rescued them from HYDRA agents. But that is not the most interesting part, check this out..."

A second later the halo-gram changed to showing the interior of the Triskelion. The same ninja-suited Katseye was fighting a group of agents that were about to kill several other agents. The more that they watched the more it became clear she was targeting HYDRA. She was shown entering the launch control room shortly afterwards. They watched her drop her gun and raise her hands above her head when she approached the SHIELD agents. _"I am not the enemy you think I am. I was put on SHIELD's most wanted list by HYDRA. I am here to help!"_

The confused agents hesitated on the halo recording and were looking at each other for what to do, so Katseye moved forward hands still raised. _"_ _Ask yourselves why I just killed HYDRA agents, but am talking to you."_

That was when Steve noticed the blonde agent that was his neighbour. The fact that Katseye and Sharon were looking right at each other spoke volumes. Regardless a second later Sharon issued the order. _"Lower your guns. She is on our side. Apparently."_

The SHIELD agents complied as Sharon turned to a dark curly haired man. _"Can you stop the launch?"_

The engineer shook his head as he was at the computer trying to abort it. " _No I can't. The only way is if the targeting blades are replaced."_

 _"Which I believe Captain America is already trying to do."_ Katseye said as she lowered her arms, _"It cannot be aborted, but you can buy the Cap more time."_

Katseye pulled out a device. " _This will delay the targeting computers by two minutes. Hopefully it will give Cap enough time to put the targeting blades into the helicarriers."_

Katseye set the device on the table and slid it across to Sharon, who picked it up then looked at her. Again there was a long look between the two and it was Katseye that looked away. Sharon then did the unexpected by handing the fob to the man at the computers. _"Buy Captain America two more minutes."_

The man at the computer did as he was told and a second later he said. _"It worked! The Cap now has ten minutes."_

"They know each other." Natasha said with complete confidence. She watched the pair carefully as again the two woman shared a look, and to Steve Nat was right. There was just too much trust coming from the SHIELD agent towards Katseye. They had to know each other. However the bigger issue was she had helped him stop HYDRA, she had somehow known they would go for the targeting blades!

 _"It is time for you to go now. Get out of the building and get those that can't fight to safety."_ Katseye said then went back and retrieved her gun."

 _"You heard her. Everyone out, get to the stairs, and do not stop."_ Sharon said after a moment, immediately the SHIELD personnel began filing out of the room. However Sharon stopped and turned back to Katseye. _"What will you do?"_

 _"My mission. I am here to stop HYDRA, and put a bullet in Pierce's skull."_ Katseye replied as if it were nothing then stopped short. Steve peeked at the others taking note of how they were reacting to this new-found information. Reaching into her other belt pouch she pulled out another earpiece. _"Take this."_

 _The group watched Sharon put the earpiece in then Katseye added._ _"Sharon this is Aida, a friend. She will help get you, and the others to safety. She will tell you who is with who. Okay?"_

This Aida person was obviously the one telling Katseye who was friend and who was foe. That was how she knew who to save and who to kill. Sharon only nodded then Katseye left the room. The group expected Sharon to leave following her fellow agents, but instead the SHIELD agent went to the PA controls.

" _Attention all SHIELD agents do not engage Katseye. Repeat Katseye is a friendly. She is here to fight HYDRA, do not attack her!"_

A second later the recording stopped thanks to Tony leaving the plane eerily quiet. "You want to know the funny part? According to that agent's report she was not just vague about her interactions with Katseye. There is no mention of Katseye in her report at all. But here is the kicker, she is secretly conducting her own little search via CIA channels for... can you guess who?"

Steve looked at Tony waiting for him to confirm what was slowly being pieced together. "Jarvis drum roll please..." Tony said as he held up the notepad with a familiar dark haired girl's picture, "Lilith Donners."

"Katseye's fake ID." Nat sighed then looked to Steve, "That means Sharon knows who Katseye is, or at least learned of it then."

"And she lied about it." Steve added, he would need to look up Sharon and get some answers from the agent. However a thought occurred to him as he pulled his cell phone out of his belt pouch. He had met Lilith before, she had even programmed the number into his phone. "Hey Jarvis can you trace a phone call I am about to make?"

"Of course Captain Rogers." Jarvis said as Steve hit the call button on a number wondering if it would even work, then put it on loudspeaker.

" _Hello?"_ A female voice answered after a moment.

"Hello, is Sharon there?" Steve asked while the others remained silent. However some of them gave him questioning looks. Well except for Nat who was one of the ones trying to get him on a date with said agent. Still how did he have Sharon's number?

" _This is her."_ The woman answered stunning Steve, looking around he noticed Fury place his hands on his hips and give a stern yet questioning look to Steve. " _What is this about?"_

"A mutual friend that you're secretly looking for." Steve replied.

" _Lilith! Where is she?! What do you know about her?! Is she okay?! If you have done anything to her I will-"_

"Relax Sharon, or is that another cover name like Kate?" Steve asked knowing it would tip the agent off to who she was talking to. There was a long pause from the stunned agent.

" _Captain Rogers?_ " Sharon asked stunned. _"_ _How did you get this number?"_

"Your friend Lilith programmed it into my phone, but the real question is how do you know her?" Steve asked.

" _She.."_ Steve heard Sharon sigh, _"_ _She is my best friend."_

Steve was definitely not expecting that as he looked at the others considering what he should do. "You know who she really is. Why didn't you report her in the Helicarrier launch room?"

Again there was a long pause as Sharon undoubtedly was now worried _. "Because SHIELD made a mistake, we all did. She was never the enemy, I think you already know that. She had multiple chances to kill me and many others, but she never did. I have known her for years and even though she lied to me about who she was, it can't all have been a lie. At least I... I hope it wasn't all a lie."_ Sharon replied her voice ringing with worry and hope. The response again stunned Steve as he understood what it was like to be holding out hope that your best friend was still there. Again Sharon sighed and her voice came off as sounding dejected. _"_ _So what are you going to do? Report me, Captain?"_

Steve looked to the others who merely watched him waiting for what he would say to Sharon. Nat shrugged and gestured for him to keep talking, so Steve sighed. "No of course not, but maybe we can help each other out."

From there Steve explained that Lilith was spotted in Russia with Bucky, and was even resurfaced by him after attacking a HYDRA convoy. After a lengthy conversation Sharon agreed to meet up with them and they would together head for Russia. Hanging up, Steve sighed as he looked down at his phone.

"After what we found out, that must be why Bucky is helping her. They are going after HYDRA." Steve said.

"I will have Jarvis look more at what we got on her, but we need a destination. We picking up Kit-Kats BFF?" Tony asked.

"Yeah, we will pick her up, then head for Russia." Steve said wanting to get to Russia as soon as possible. However if Sharon could provide more intelligence on this Lilith person then he was not about to leave for Russia without her.

"Great! Pick up then I always wanted to freeze my ass off." Tony said as he headed for the pilot's seat, and Nat muttered something in Russian. It was hard to tell if Romanoff was pleased or annoyed at the idea of visiting her country. Either way, the jet turned and shot off to pick up Sharon then make a bee-line for Russia. As they flew Nat's expression turned grew into a frown.

"Not liking the idea of returning home?" Banner asked concerned as he sat by Nat.

"No, that is not it. It is just Clint and I have been sent after Katseye before and she has always eluded us. She is always seven steps ahead, and has never slipped up this big before. During the satellite feed I could not shake the feeling that something was wrong. Not only that but she has never needed help before and suddenly the Winter Soldier just shows up and rescues her?"

"You are saying there is more to this." Sam spoke up.

"Of course there is Nat, but that is the question that none of us can answer." Clint pointed out.

"Perhaps Barnes has woken from whatever dream HYDRA had him under, like when Clint was controlled by Loki and broke free." Thor suggested, "I think he came to rescue the maiden because he loves her."

Now everyone was looking at Thor like he had grown two heads. "What? He is a flesh and blood man like any other. After seventy years he would have longings and desires as well, and from the photos lady Lilith is a beautiful maiden."

"Thunder boy has a point," Tony called back, "After seventy years Winter Soldier might need to thaw the little soldier. What better way?"

"Stark!" Steve said not appreciating the crude suggestion Tony made, then Steve looked to Thor. "What makes you think he is in love with her?"

"The way he held her, and cursed when he found her injured. He also killed that man, obviously still angry to find his lady injured."

"Bucky never liked to see any girl hurt." Steve said shaking his head, they were jumping to conclusions.

"Perhaps, but he knew she was in danger and came for her. As any of us would do the same, I know that if my lady Jane was in danger I would race to protect her and any that harmed her would suffer my wrath." Thor pointed out.

"Again Thunder boy makes a point," Tony pointed out, "If Ice soldier really is in love then him shooting that unarmed man while cold – was justified. I know I would if it were Pepper." Steve sighed considering the possibility, but it seemed too silly and there just was not enough evidence. He wanted actual facts not assumptions, but if it were true than Steve had to smile at the idea. It was so like the Bucky he once knew, and it was nice to hope he was still the same somewhere in there. One could hope right?

* * *

 **Author's Notes:**

 **First off thank you all for the lovely reviews. It is always great to hear from you all, and I hope to keep hearing from you.**

 **The first thing to note about this chapter was something a couple of you mentioned in PM and reviews. The 'lady items' are pads or tampons. Things I won't even ask my husband to get...LOL However I did not want to come right out and say it with Three. Plus can you imagine Bucky in the ladies section trying to figure out what to get and getting a text from Aida? I am cracking up just thinking about it! Regardless it was largely a way of saying Three dodged the bullet there.** **Later in the chapter she also does make a point of grabbing some protection.**

 **The next big issue they address is when Bucky remembers the mission back in December 1991, since it was unclear when in Civil War he remembered killing Tony's parents. I thought this would be a good tie in with Three trying to comfort him.**

 **Another big feature to note is Steve and the Avengers hitting HYDRA where it hurts. The whole scenes with the Avengers was to fill in where the movies weren't able to. At the beginning of Age of Ultron the group have been hitting many bases, and are on the last one. This is when they are first attacking those first bases and gradually moving down a list. However they would undoubtedly hear about Katseye and Bucky since they too are targeting HYDRA. The whole scene where they get the satellite feed of the ambush, when it is cut that is actually Aida responding to the situation not HYDRA. As for the Triskelion feed, well that was missed by the AI. It allowed for more interactions between Sharon and Steve which I felt is needed. Like I said before Sharon just does not get enough screen time to warrant the sparks between Steve and Sharon. In the first Captain America film Steve and Peggy got to interact a lot more which made their relationship more believable. I of course am not criticizing the fantastic creators of those movies. I understand they have a limited timeframe to squeeze all those characters into, so here we can see more of the budding relationship between Steve and Sharon. Besides I thought it would be cute to see them together trying to find Three and Bucky.**

 **Lastly for all those Agents of SHIELD fans can you guess which episode the phone call between Skye and Three takes place? There are some strong hints as to which episode it is. One of those hints is Skye mentioning having dreams. The answer will be in the next chapter of course, but I also love hearing from you guys.**

 **Aside from that please leave a review if you liked this chapter or know which episode Skye's phone call is in reference to.**

 **Lesliezin**


	30. Surprise! Depends on the Surprise

**Hello everyone,**

 **Here is Chapter 30, but before you enjoy please be warned that this has some M-rated material in it.**

* * *

 **March 10th, 2015**

 **Pechora, Russia**

Having fully recovered, the previous two days were spent travelling. As Three tried to lock down the exact location of the HYDRA base, she let Bucky drive. They eventually reached Pechora, Russia which put them closer to the Ural mountains where the HYDRA base was located. However there was something else Three focused on, something she knew was important to people. Again they stopped at a motel on the outskirts to avoid attention, and Three insisted on going further into town for some 'supplies' even though they technically already had supplies. So when Three talked about going Bucky grew worried, and it took a lot to get him to stay put and trust her enough to go. Putting her colour clip in she walked into town after promising Bucky she would return soon.

She had to do some shopping around, and go to a photo shop, but she managed to get it. Next she went to a bakery and got the other important item on her shopping list. By then she had been gone just under two hours and knew Bucky would probably be going stir-crazy as she headed back to the motel. Sure enough the moment she was back in the hotel room she spotted Bucky, he had just slipped his jacket on and was going to come looking for her. "Where have you been, Vi?!"

"Sorry, it took longer than I thought." Three said smiling at him as she set the bags down. She could not help the excitement that was bubbling up inside her chest. First she pulled out a strip of cloth and turned handing it to Bucky. "Tie this over your eyes."

Now Bucky raised a brow at her as if to ask why. "I am not having you peek, it is a surprise. Now do it."

Bucky sighed, annoyed, and tied the cloth over his eyes. "There. Happy?"

"I will be in a moment." Three answered mysteriously as Bucky heard the rustling of the bags and other noises that followed. After a few minutes Three finally spoke up. "Alright you can remove the blindfold."

Immediately Bucky reached up and untied the cloth letting it fall away from his eyes to reveal a birthday cake on the table next to Three. On it is said 'Happy Birthday Bucky' and had a single candle that said 'over the hill' on it lit. "Sorry but ninety-seven candles felt like a fire hazard and would have made the cake look like a pin cushion."

Bucky laughed at that as he smiled at her. "You remembered."

"Of course I remembered, I remember everything. Your birthday is March 10th, 1917." Three replied as if remembering the smallest detail should be no problem at all, then she frowned. "I imagine you could not celebrate with HYDRA, and it felt wrong for you to miss out on another one so I-"

Bucky was off the bed and to her before she knew it, and was kissing her deeply. She moaned softly as his lips pressed down on hers even more firmly than ever before. He held her tightly to him not wanting to release her. The sweet gesture only made him want to show his appreciation as he bit down on her bottom lip earning him another moan from her. Eventually he had to release her lips and allow them to catch their breath. Three shivered against Bucky as she tried to calm her racing heart and slow her breathing down. She was still trying to calm down when Bucky leaned in again wanting to kiss her.

"Wait Bucky," Three breathed out, "Don't you want to make a wish and blow out the candle?"

"I already made my wish," Bucky said watching her with intense eyes. She was his wish.

"Then shouldn't you blow out the candle?" Three asked blushing from his compliment. Bucky chuckled, then quickly leaned over and blew out the candle. He then straightened and was drawing in to kiss her again. "Do you want to open your present?"

The smirk on Bucky's face almost made her forget herself. "Sure. Doll."

He started to unbutton her shirt making her giggle. "I am not the present, Bucky."

"Are you sure about that? You certainly look, smell, feel, and taste like the perfect birthday present." Bucky stated making Three laugh. She picked up the small box that was gift-wrapped and held it up.

"You can always unwrap me later, Bucky." Three teased, as Bucky stole another kiss and took the offered box. He sat back on the bed and started opening the present, Three took a seat beside him watching him as he unwrapped the gift and opened the box. Inside was a man's military dog tags On the front was engraved: James Buchanan Barnes. Directly beneath his full name was the name: Bucky. However the other surprising thing was the name plate could be slid out to reveal a picture of Three with no colour clip to conceal who she was.

For a moment he just stared down at the dog tags and slid the name plate back into place hiding Three's picture. He put them on smiling down at the birthday present, yet it felt so strange to finally celebrate his birthday after such a long time. "Do you like it?"

The tentative question made Bucky look up at her. "I love it."

"Happy Birthday Bucky." Three said.

Call it stupidity or just plain forgetfulness, but Bucky blurted out the question as Three rose to cut them some cake. "So when do we get to celebrate your birthday?"

The question made Three freeze as she peeked back at him. "I uhh don't get to celebrate that Bucky. I don't know what my birth date is, so..."

"Oh God I am sorry." Bucky said coming to stand behind her, "This must be difficult for you celebrating my birthday like this."

"Actually I wanted to celebrate your birthday, you should celebrate it. Just because I do not know when I was born does not mean you should put yours off Bucky." Three said as she cut him some cake and put it on a paper plate for him. He took the plate off of her and set it down by the cake, then turned her around.

"But I also want to celebrate your birthday with you." Bucky stated as he reached up and brushed her hair back from her face. Both stood there for a moment thinking until Bucky asked. "Is there an important date to you?"

"Well most of my fake IDs have this as my birthday because, it was the day I escaped from HYDRA's base. February 1st." Three replied wondering if that was a good enough date to celebrate her birth. It kind of felt like her birthday now because she destroyed the HYDRA facility. It was also important because of what came after. She got to experience freedom for the first time ever, so yes that date was very special to her.

"Then..." Bucky said pulling her close, "I will have to mark that date, and make you the happiest girl around on that date." He was a hair's breath away from her lips tempting her beyond reason.

"I dunno you are making very happy now." Three replied breathlessly then his lips pressed to hers in a deep passionate kiss. Pulling her away from the table, Bucky sat on the bed once more pulling her onto his lap to straddle him. There he trailed kisses down her neck, and began unbuttoning her shirt.

"Now I get to unwrap my other present." He said as his teeth grazed her throat, and she giggled. Three bit her bottom lip as she went to help him, but as soon as she reached for the buttons his hands came up catching her wrists and stopping her. A second later he held her arms behind her back to keep her from doing anything, "I said I would unwrap my present."

The smirk he gave made Three laugh a little, as he held her wrists behind her back in his metal hand, while his flesh hand slowly undid the buttons on her shirt. His fingertips brushed over her skin tempting her even more. Three tilted her head back biting her bottom lip as she enjoyed his fingers trailing over her. Slowly he unbuttoned her shirt opening it to reveal her lacy bra, he still held her as his hand ran from her neck slowly down her chest, then onto her flat stomach and downwards. He toyed with the top of her jeans then undid her belt and jeans. A moment later he slipped his fingers into her panties causing a soft cry to escape as she tried to get closer to him.

Three gasped as she felt like she would lose her mind as she tried to get lose to grab him, but still Bucky insisted he restrain her. The longer he touched her and tempted her the more she was driven mad.

"Bucky please!" She begged, as she heard him chuckle, then he lifted her off of him and laid her on the bed. His fingers were gone and instead he pulled off her jeans and panties then climbed over her. She reached for him trying to pull him closer, but whined as he pinned her wrists above her head.

"Shhh doll I want to take things slow with you."

"I don't think I can take much more of this." Three whined as Bucky chuckled and his flesh hand ran over her while his metal hand kept her pinned. His hand gently ran over her breast and bra. His thumb ran over the fabric where her nipple would be before gently pulling the bra aside. All the while his lips pressed a deep kiss to her lips before leaving a trail of kisses down to her exposed breast. She cried out when his mouth covered the area and his fingers trailed down between her legs to explore her. All she could do was arch her back as she moaned and whimpered until it was becoming too much and her mind too dizzy. "Bucky please! I need you now!"

She did not even know he had released her wrists, only that his fingers left her. Dazed she looked up through half closed eyelids to find Bucky yanking off his clothes. He was quick that much was sure as she was pulled upright so he could take off her shirt and bra completely then she was pushed back onto the bed. He easily nudged her legs apart and climbed over her where he positioned himself and she lifted her hips to meet him. In the next moment he pushed into her causing her to gasp softly.

In moments she had her legs wrapped around him, and they moved in perfect unison as if they were meant for each other. Her nails racked over his back as he pushed even deeper, and she lifted her hips to him. She heard him groan as he pressed her flat on the bed. "Relax doll, I want to take our time."

Three shivered at his words, and tried to relax beneath him. Bucky obviously did not know how hard that was, he was driving her wild with his slow thrusts. Eventually it became too much and she tried to pull him only for him to pin her wrists by her head and interlace their fingers. She whimpered as he kept the slow steady love making. She trembled as Bucky whispered in her ear. "God you are beautiful."

"You have no idea what you are doing to me." She gasped out as she bit her bottom lip making him chuckle.

"Likewise doll." A second later he was taking her faster and harder causing her to cry out. The soft cry was all the encouragement Bucky needed to forget to take things slow and instead simply pleasure her. The speed grew faster until Three cried out. It was then she realised too late that neither had thought to use protection as Bucky began jerking inside her. The feeling of a hot liquid splashing inside her confirmed it. It was not that she had forgotten, she had bought another box in case, but then he distracted her. She heard him gasp as he relaxed on top of her, but was careful not to put his full weight on her. They laid together, just trying to catch their breath, and Three tried not to let her worries get the better of her.

After a long moment she felt his fingertips running over her cheek and opened her eyes to look up at him. Green eyes met beautiful blue, as Bucky smiled down at her, then noticed the look on her face. "What is it?"

"We forgot to use protection." Three replied blushing even though technically she never forgot, got distracted yes, but forget? Not possible. Bucky went wide eyed as he realised they were truly pressing their luck. The worried look that came over Bucky's face as he pulled out of her made Three speak first. "Hey! It's your birthday. No letting this ruin that. We just need to be more careful."

Bucky relaxed over her nodding in agreement as he brushed her hair out of her face and she smiled up at him. "Did you enjoy your birthday present?"

"Oh yes, best birthday ever." Bucky said kissing her deeply. When their lips parted, Three was not sure why she said it, but the words tumbled out in a breathless confession.

"I love you." Only when both froze did Three open her eyes and look up at Bucky biting her bottom lip nervous of how he would react. She had never told anyone she loved them, well except for Four but by then it was too late and the words fell on deaf ears. This time it was different, Bucky heard her. Before it had been implied by the watch, but neither had just come out and said it. She wasn't sure why but she suddenly felt vulnerable as though afraid he would reject her. _'Oh god! Why did I say that?!'_ She was blushing the longer the silence continued until she tried to amend her mistake. "I am sorry I wasn't thinking... my brain must have stopped working-"

"I love you too." Bucky said before she could dig herself deeper into a ditch.

"What?" Three asked worried, which made Bucky give a brilliant smile.

"I love you." With those words Three felt like she could breath again as Bucky leaned in kissing her. Perhaps romance and love were not so far out of their reach after all?

* * *

 **March 11th, 2015**

 **Pechora, Russia**

It was the next morning Three woke to Bucky sleeping peacefully beside her, and she carefully got up to go shower. However before she could move from the bed she was grabbed and pulled back into bed by Bucky who smirked down at her. "If you were trying to be sneaky you failed."

"I wasn't trying to be sneaky. You looked so peaceful I simply did not want to wake you." Three replied as Bucky pulled her close and began kissing her. The soft, tempting, kiss was making her forget all about taking a shower. It felt like they were acting like a pair of love-struck teenagers, but considering Three never got to really be a teenager she was not about to change it. Bucky did not seem to mind either, perhaps because he had been denied a normal life for the past fifty years. Instead his hand slid up her thigh causing a soft moan to escape, a moment later he hooked her thigh up on his hip and was pressing against her. The shower could wait Three decided as she wrapped her arms around Bucky.

The two were soon kissing and making out, only for her cell phone to start ringing. Three so badly wanted to ignore it as did Bucky, and so they did at first. Sadly the phone kept ringing and Three groaned as she reached out to the counter and grabbed her phone. It was Aida, and Three sighed as Bucky continued kissing her neck while she answered. "What is it this time Aida?"

" _Kat we have a problem."_ Aida stated wasting no time on pleasantries, _"_ _The Avengers have landed in Russia."_

"Hold on," Three said looking to Bucky who stopped kissing her as she whispered, "You're gonna want to hear this." Three put Aida on loudspeaker. "Okay Aida could you repeat that now that you're on speaker?"

" _The Avengers landed in Russia. They managed to get the satellite feed before I could stop them. Rogers knows Bucky is with you Kat, and..."_

"And what Aida?" Three asked concerned.

" _It's Sharon, she is with them._ _They are looking for you right now. I recommend immediate extraction before you are discovered."_

"Damn it! I cannot give up, that serum is the only thing that can help Peggy and Fitz." Three replied annoyed. Why now did the Avengers have to come? Why did they involve Sharon? Did they realise the danger they were putting her in?!

"We can still get the serum before they get to us, if we are quick." Bucky pointed out, then turned his attention to the phone. "Aida where are the Avengers in Russia?"

" _They have met with a secret team Fury had here in Russia lead by a man named Petrov. Currently they are at the ambush location where Kat tried to retrieve the serum."_

"Alright, that means they are a good three days behind us. We can still do this." Bucky said confidently.

" _I figured you would wish to continue, so I have contacted the Shadow Network for aid."_ Aida added.

"The shadow network?" Bucky asked. "What's that?"

"A network I helped create, some friends that help on occasion, but keep their distance." Three explained, "What have they said?"

" _I explained the situation to Cutter and he has contacted members there in Russia to provide you with 'additional supplies'. He also wished me to inform you that due to the dangers posed he will be leading a small team to assist you, but it will take a day to arrive on site. So at most all he can do is assist in helping you escape after you hit the HYDRA base."_

"That is fine Aida, inform him that the base is hidden in the Ural mountains. I can provide a better location when we find it. For now give me the contact details for these suppliers." Three said and Aida texted the contact information.

" _For now I will continue to monitor Sharon and the Avengers and inform you if they are closing in."_ Aida then hung up leaving the pair to ponder their next moves. Their earlier activities forgotten it was time to get back to work.

* * *

The news that the Avengers had landed in Russia meant that they were running out of time on what to do. Immediately after Aida's phone call the pair showered and dressed. Three contacted the Shadow network agent to resupply them then they packed up their gear and left the motel. The pair drove to a old parking garage to meet with the Shadow Network agent that went by the name Stephan. The man stood in front of a tan coloured van smoking a cigarette, while his associates kept watch for any unwanted guests. Getting out of the car Three walked up to greet Stephan with Bucky keeping back. "Good thing ya arrived. I thought I would freeze my balls off first."

"At least you still have balls." Three teased getting the man to laugh.

"Well this should help in the surgical removal of HYDRA's balls." Stephan said opening the side door of his van. Three and Bucky stepped closer to examine the guns, ammo, and explosives. "Also Yuma said you might need a new one."

Stephan said this patting the case, and Three opened it. It was a new suit since hers was damaged, and so she had to smile. "Yuma knows me too well." Closing the case she turned to Stephan, "What's the tab?"

"No charge, Cutter has already paid us, we are simply the delivery boys. Pick your poison." Stephan gestured to the stock. Picking out a selection of weapons, ammo, and the case with the new suit, Three thanked Stephan and the pair returned to their car.

"That was... easy." Bucky said as Stephan and his associates drove off.

"Well whenever Aida or I ask for help from the Shadow Network Cutter usually makes sure to lend aid however he can." Three replied checking the items over.

"So you and Cutter were?" Bucky asked warily, and Three looked at him with a raised brow, then laughed.

"No! Of course not. He is the guy that pulled me from the river after the bridge. He used to work for the Triads, so he knew what it was like to be on the run. He took me to an off-license doctor, got me patched up, and as thanks I hacked the bank and put money into his account. After that I helped build the Shadow Network, and they help me at a distance. It is a loyalty thing." Three explained and noticed Bucky nodding relieved that it was not a ex-boyfriend, "Besides Cutter is already in love with another."

This new information helped Bucky to relax about Cutter and the Shadow Network as he checked over the weapons. However a question that Three had not thought of came from Bucky's lips, and since it was an out of the blue question it made her do a double take. "Where do you see us after this?"

"I—I don't know. Where do you want to see us?" Three asked now fully looking at Bucky.

"I want to be with you where ever we go whatever we do." Bucky replied honestly making Three smile.

"So do I." She replied softly, then considered what would need to happen. "Well first we need to get the serum, and get it to Peggy and Fitz. They are both in the States, so it might be hard to get you back there."

"I don't think I should go back to the States." Bucky admitted. So the pair were silent as they considered what to do.

"Alright, I think I have a solution. After we get the serum, we set up a rendezvous location for you to stay at. I can go back to the states and deliver the serum, then return to you. From there we can work it out, decide our next move." Three suggested, again Bucky was quietly nodding as he thought the plan was a sound one. Where they would go after that was anyone's guess, most likely they would continue to hunt down HYDRA but not alone. Three smiled at the idea of never having to be alone again. Sure she was not fully alone with Aida, but it just was not the same as an actual person. Once more Three never needed to worry about hiding or keeping secrets like she had with Sharon.

For now though she focused on what they would need to do next, right now they were in a race against time to find HYDRA's base and get the serum before the Avengers and Sharon showed to break up the party. Packing up the new equipment and gear the pair got in the car and were heading closer to the Ural mountains, but they needed more Intel and a base point to start their search. After driving some time they eventually reached a dirt rode and Three decided to call Aida and put it on speaker so that she could have the AI do research. "Hey Aida we are heading for the Urals now. Any Intel?"

" _I have looked into the history of the Ural mountains and found Wikipedia to be quite illuminating. Lovely scenic views and so much history."_ Aida replied.

"I am sure it is lovely, but we need a fixed start point for the base otherwise we will just be wondering aimlessly. Thoughts?"

" _Yes I think I have a good idea where HYDRAs base is. Satellite imaging doesn't reveal much, but according to what I have learned during the industrial era the Urals held many valuable metals, gemstones, and minerals which was mined. In fact the city of Perm was founded off of these factories. There is also a railway that was built to link Perm with another major city on the other side of the Urals:_ _Yekaterinburg."_

"Interesting, but that rules it out. HYDRA would want this base off the grid, a high population zone would interfere." Bucky pointed out and Three nodded in full agreement.

" _Exactly! However I dug further and discovered another interesting tidbit. Apparently HYDRA loves its referances to World War Two. Just south of your location is what is considered a dead zone where during the war a series of cave systems and mines existed. During World War Two when the Germans invaded in 1941, the mountains became a key element in the Nazi planning for the territories they expected to conquer in the USSR. The goverment in response evacuated the area abandoning a lot of the factories and mines. Strangely after the war the mines in your area were never reclaimed by the goverment merely left abandoned and even condemned despite there being no hazards."_

"Because even after the war HYDRA never relinguished it's claim on the mines." Three sighed catching on. It made perfect sense, why give up a cave system that could provide resouraces and could be turned into a hidden base? "Excellant work Aida."

"One question, you mentioned it was a dead zone?" Bucky asked.

" _Supposidely it means there is no signal strength in the area, but the only real time that there should be no signal would be inside the cave system not outside it. Yet I am one-hundred percent certain that the signal is being blocked by outside parties."_

"Meaning if some hikers accidentally find their base, HYDRA doesn't want their secret getting out." Three said with an annoyed sigh. It meant that the closer they got the more likely they would lose contact with Aida and would be unable to contact the Shadow Network. "Aida do me a favour and contact Cutter letting him know where we are. The moment our signal cuts out make a note of it and let Cutter know to hang back and wait. I don't want our friends in the Shadow Network getting hurt because they get too close. Tell him to watch for our signal."

" _And what signal would that be?"_ Aida asked.

"With luck the HYDRA base going up in flames while we escape." Three said getting a smile from Bucky.

" _I—inform—Kat-"_ A second later the call cut out signalling that they had entered the dead zone.

"Well we are offically on our own now." Three said and soon pulled off the dirt road and into a small alcove of trees and brush. She pulled to a stop and cut the engine then looked to Bucky who already knew why they had to go on foot from here. Less likely to draw unwanted attention that way. Getting out the pair wordlessly suited up and armed themselves before taking a path through the wooded area. The long trek to the mountains was met with little incident despite them being careful. However as soon as they reached the rocky mountain area they spotted a patrol making it's rounds, they were dressed as local authorities, but Three was willing to bet anything that they were actually HYDRA. From there they carefully avoided the patrol and became extra cautious as they got closure. The closure they got the more certain Three was of the location, this had to be a HYDRA base.

* * *

It was hard to believe she was sitting on a Quinjet with the Avengers. While Sharon did not mind the extra help, she was a little annoyed that they discovered her 'discrete searches'. She had just spent nine hours on the most awkward flight ever surrounded by Nick Fury and the Avengers. They had bombarded her with questions about Lil. What was worse was being sat next to Steve and barely able to say much to him. At least Natasha was not firing off questions that Sharon simply could not answer. Instead the female Avenger was gentler with her line of questions. "Let's start at the beginning. When did you meet Katseye?"

"The very first time I met Katseye was on the Kovach mission. She managed to kill four agents and the doctor we were protecting. I shot her, but her suit must be bullet proof because she knocked Agent Coulson out, and broke my wrist before knocking me out. When I woke the doctor... he had to be sedated. Agent Monroe was downstairs unconscious, and Agent Myra Bicks was missing. Later on we learned that Bicks was taken to a warehouse to be questioned. Monroe lead the Strike team to rescue her. All agents were killed including Monroe, and Bicks when the warehouse exploded."

"Was there anything strange about the encounters? Anything at all?" Steve asked.

"Yes, she didn't kill the doctor right off. Whatever she did killed him slowly. Also Monroe kept saying that when she fought Katseye that she hesitated like she was looking first. She then immediately went after Monroe and knocked her out. We also could not figure it out she never took prisoners before, so why take Bicks? Lastly Monroe's body was outside the warehouse, she was leading the Strike team... why was her body outside when the rest of the strike team was inside?"

"When did you meet Lilith?" Nat asked.

"Some weeks later, she was at my aunt Peggy's care home. She claimed to be a temp nurse from Nurse's Express." Sharon said then looked to Steve noting the concerned look.

"Peggy? Peggy Carter?" Steve asked concerned to which Sharon nodded.

"How did you meet her? Was she in Peggy's room?" Sam asked.

"No, she... she was outside in the hall. Another patient and former SHIELD employee was having a flashback. He was convinced the staff were trying to poison him. He had a needle angled at another nurse's neck. Lilith calmly proved the food was not poisoned and talked him down. She even agreed to sit with him while he ate his meal. Peggy had come out of her room and we were both impressed with how she handled the situation. We met her and from there she would visit Peggy and Mace, that was how I met her."

"When was the Kovach mission?" Steve asked.

"Back in 2010." Sharon said with a sigh. She honestly half expected Fury to berate her for not noticing sooner, then saw the worried look on Steve's face. "She never hurt Peggy. In hindsight I think she was just curious or wanted to meet someone that fought HYDRA. Like I said before she could have killed me multiple times, but she didn't."

"Did Lilith ever mention family?" Natasha asked carefully.

"Yes, in China...Nanjing I think she said. An adopted father and sister. Originally she was from an Orphanage, and they adopted her. Umm Takai, and Amaya. She talked about them on one of her visits to the care home. Peggy asked if she was going to visit family for the holidays. Lil said no that she was working and her family understood. Afterwards I asked her about her family. She said she missed them. She told me about ice skating with Amaya, and practising with her father in the backyard... with Bokken, practice swords."

"Anything else?" Clint asked.

It took Sharon a moment then she nodded. "Yes, Sake."

"Rice wine?" Tony asked.

"No, no they had a Siamese cat named 'Sake'. Lil said that Sake was very mean unless given rice wine to calm her down. Hence the name Sake. The cat was friendly to her though. She even showed me a picture once on her phone. She was on the couch and Sake was on her lap, her sister and father were in the picture." Sharon said.

"How old did this picture look?" Natasha asked.

"Some years old. Lil looked about sixteen or seventeen." It was then Sharon looked over at Tony who was tapping keys on a notepad while Jarvis flew. She could already guess what Tony was attempting to do so she added. "I already looked into the family, it's a dead end. My CIA channels came up empty."

"They are not me." Tony said as he continued and Sharon sighed then looked around at the others until her eyes fell on Steve.

"Stark what is it?" Fury asked and Sharon looked back at the billionaire who had a disturbed look.

"I think I know why she was not going home for the holidays..." Sending his findings on to the halo-gram in the middle of the jet. Sharon soon saw a police report for 1999. The pictures of the man and girl in the article were the same people she remembered from Lil's photo. Takai and Amaya Wong were killed in a home invasion. Did Lil do this? No, no it was not possible. Sharon refused to believe her friend would harm them, she spoke too fondly of them and that cat. Then Romanoff spoke up gaining her full attention. While she had been staring at the newspaper article Romanoff went a step further looking at the Medical examiner's report.

"According to the autopsy and police reports... this looks too clean to be some amateurs breaking into the home. Looks like a pro hit them and made it look like a home invasion." The red head said frowning over the information on a notepad she was pulling up. This meant HYDRA. It was the only explanation as an hand gently touched Sharon's arm.

"Hey, you okay?" Steve asked concerned.

"There was something else, she said later on. Lil had found out who her parents were. She called them cruel malicious people that deserved whatever terrible fate befalls them. I just figured that they didn't want her, but now I am worried that it might be more than that." Sharon said shakily then looked back at the article.

"Sir we are landing soon. The group Fury has been in contact with is waiting at the ambush sight." Jarvis said, and soon they were on sight. They landed just down the road from the site, and together they walked to the location. Looking over the area where the ambush had happened. Most of it was cleared away but the area had been cordoned off by local police. Sharon remembered the earlier footage Steve had shown her and moved to where her friend would have fallen. Sure enough there was a patch of red where Lil had been injured and Sharon frowned.

"You don't need to worry. Bucky got her out and will have seen to her injuries." Steve's voice sounded behind her making Sharon look back. The blonde stood to face the super soldier as she said.

"I don't doubt that, but that doesn't make me worry any less."

"I know." Steve said, "But something else is bothering you."

"I just discovered she lied to me. Again. About her family... the more I learn the less I feel I know anything about her." Sharon said as she went and leaned against the van Petrov's crew came in.

"I understand." Steve said resting his forearm against the van and leaning against it next to Sharon, "The more I see, the more I wonder if there is anything left of Bucky. I keep hoping to see that kid from Brooklyn that was always there for me."

"I keep hoping to see that nurse, with the witty remarks. The one that always seemed to know exactly what I needed even before I did. The one that would sneak Cinnamon Buns into the home for Peggy and Mace. The one that dragged me ice skating no matter how much I fell on my butt, she always helped me up. The one that kept teasing me about you, telling me to make a move otherwise I would regret it. I miss her, and I am not sure if she is even real." Sharon looked out watching the others look around for clues, but now she began to wonder what she was even doing there. While Steve watched her for a moment.

"She is real." He said it with such confidence Sharon found it hard not to believe him as she looked up at him.

"How do you know?"

"Because of what you just described. She wanted to be in yours and Peggy's life, she had no other reason to be there. She was more real with you and Peggy than anybody else." Steve said, and as Sharon considered it the super soldier was right. Again she looked up at him and was about to say something when Sam called out.

"Found something." Sam came out of the brush with something in his hands. It was something the police and HYDRA missed. "Partial licence plate. Must be from one of the convoy trucks."

The group met on the Quinjet where they ran the numbers, but with only half of them there was no way to find out where the truck came from, that is until Petrov came up. "Wait, this..." The heavy Russian accent made understanding him at times difficult. "This little number here. It's a tracking code, my cousin runs the docks, puts this code on his trucks in case of theft. I make phone call."

The man called someone and was speaking Russian for a few minutes then eventually hung up. "Truck came from docks, private contractor. Goods unknown. However saw the destination manifest and thought it funny. It said: 'From Fridge To Nexus'."

"The Nexus is a hidden HYDRA base that was not in the released files from SHIELD. Part of the reason I went to Europe was to locate it. Maybe the Nexus is here." Fury said.

"Fridge...fridge, no The Fridge." Sharon said, "It housed dangerous items and people that SHIELD deemed unsafe for the public. However when SHIELD fell, HYDRA raided it. Maybe that is it, Lil would have known she could not infiltrate the Fridge. Whatever she was wanting from there she would have to wait and hit HYDRA to get it."

"She wanted something from SHIELD?" Sam asked uncertain.

"Or she wanted something from HYDRA." Steve pointed out, then looked to Fury "SHIELD was not the only group to store items in the Fridge, were they?"

"No they were not. Most likely Pierce might have moved said items for safe keeping to the Fridge."

"So HYDRA raids the Fridge, Lil sees the chance to get this mystery item, but the convoy turns into an ambush." Sharon sighed, "and we have no idea where to look for this Nexus facility."

"Not true," Petrov added, "Cousin said one of the workers overhear guards talking...mentioned Ural Mountains. Possibly the Nexus is there."

"Makes sense HYDRA would pick a secluded area in the mountains to hide their base." Nat pointed out.

"Worth checking out," Steve said as he thanked Petrov. Wordlessly Tony prepared the Quinjet while Fury gave last orders to Petrov and his crew.

* * *

Locating the HYDRA base in the dead zone was not as hard as originally thought. The closer they got the more cautious they had to be to avoid being spotted. Eventually they had to duck down behind some snow covered brush and Three pulled out some bionoculars to get a closure look at the area below. The land was covered in a thick layer of snow and dipped down with a small dirt road leading to a set of three caves. With the bionoculars Three easily saw that the three cave entrances were actually interconnected to make one large garage. Outside was a fence and armed guards and beyond that a heavy woods that concealled the secret base.

"Well we found it." Three said handing the bionoculars to Bucky who took them and looked through them.

"How big a base do you think it is?"

"No way to tell, those cave systems could hold a very large base."

"True but the bigger the more attention it gets." Bucky replied, and Three looked over at Bucky as his words could be construed in other ways.

"Too true." Three replied then looked straight ahead and tried to keep from laughing. However Bucky stopped looking through the binoculars to look at her as if to ask: 'What?' However she was not going to point out the double meaning of his words. Instead she focused on how they would infiltrate the base. The guards that she saw looked jumpy so obviously they expected some kind of trouble be it them or the Avengers. However paranoia could be used against them. "The guards are expecting visitors, we could use that."

"Oh how so?"

"Paranoia will make them jumping at their own shadows. Meaning they are expecting a straight up attack, we could infiltrate and still catch them with their pants down." Three said as she looked around the area. All it would take was one weak link, one guard slipping up and bam! Three smiled as she found the perfect victims. "How are you at acting?"

"Terrible." Bucky said, so Three shook her head.

"Guess it is up to me then." Three unzipped the top of her suit and took off her wrist blades then pushed down the top of her suit revealing a black tank top. Tying the sleeves around her waist she shivered as she untied her hair and shook it out, then hurried down to the dirt road some ways from the base where two guys were patrolling. Coming out of the brush she came face to face with one of them. "Oh thank god! I cannot tell you the pure hell this has been. Please help me I was kidnapped by this guy and barely escaped."

"Who are you?!" The guard asked.

"Lillian Sanders. Please can you help me."

"You said someone kidnapped you?"

"Yes, please! I don't know if he followed me." Three said trying to sound panicked as she looked back the way she came knowing Bucky would be close by. That was when the guy looked to his friend.

"Go check it out, I will radio in." As soon as the one guy moved past and into the woods, Three backed away distracting the guy from radioing in. "Hey! Do not move!"

"You don't understand! That guy was psychotic!" Three replied, then there was a grunt from within the brush making the one she was talking to turn and aim his gun that way. As soon as his back was to her she kicked him in the back of the knee and when he was on his knees she snapped his neck. Grabbing his arms she dragged him into the brush out of sight. Once safe, Three straightened and turned to see Bucky with a raised brow.

"Psychotic? Really?"

"Hey they had to buy it." Three said as she began stripping the guy down to use his clothes. In minutes the pair changed into their 'burrowed' clothes over their suits. Well Three did, Bucky only needed to wear the shirt and jacket over his usual suit. Grabbing up their helmets and guns the pair headed for the main gate where they were let in without incident. The pair entered one of the closest cave entrance and found themselves in a long tunnel in a man-made high-tech base. The pair found themselves on a catwalk and were looking down below at a command centre. At the back was an elevator that only went down deeper into the lower levels. As they moved Three leaned in to whisper to Bucky. "I need access to a computer, with less people around."

"The elevator." Bucky whispered back as they headed that way. Getting on the pair were joined by some other HYDRA personel. For the moment the pair stuck to the back of the elevator and kept up the act. Finally the elevator stopped and they got off with the others, but hung back and moved more slowly as they discretely looked for an access point. The right side of the hall was lined with labs and offices. Luckily they soon found an office and ducked in. With the door closed, Bucky pulled the blinds so that no one could see in as Three removed her helmet and accessed the computer. Hacking the password was easy as no one expected intruders to get this far into the base.

"I am in. Checking the bases scematics..." Three said looking over the blueprints carefully. "Well good news is the base is not overly big, but this is still bad. They are begining retesting of certain nasty projects. Including mastermind under...son of bitch! That bastard is still alive?!"

"Who?" Bucky asked.

"Doctor Vincent Vermonte, he was the head of project Mastermind." Three said glaring at the screen. Shaking her head she found where the serum was being kept, it actually was not far at all. "Alright found the serum it is held in lab 13, but..."

"Problems?" Bucky asked.

"Yeah, we were right the base is on high alert because we and the Avengers are in the area." Three said tapping into communications. "I can override the systems and take control, but we will still have to deal with the bases security and personel."

"Anything else?" Bucky asked not liking this, who knew how many HYDRA personel they had. However Three smiled as she gained further access.

"Ohh HYDRA has not learned from previous mistakes. Okay this base operates it's own defense systems. Automated defense guns both inside and outside the facility. Not to mention the labs operate on their own ventilation systems. I can take out a lot of the enemy by simply programming the weapons and defenses to target them."

"You can do that?" Bucky asked taking a peak outside to make sure no one was coming.

"I did it before." Three said remembering the base she escaped from many years before. "I just need you to keep them off of me while I remove control from the command centre and activate said defenses. They will notice the minute I distrupt their systems and run a trace."

"How long will it take?"

"Ten minutes? Technology gets harder to use with time. New systems and new programs are created to keep people like me out." Three said as she pulled out a computer fob that held a program designed to trick traces, "This will help, but not for long."

Plugging it in, she began to dive into the programming and was taking away control systematically from the main hub. Within minutes an alarm sounded as Three worked as fast as she possibly could on the systems while Bucky guarded the door. Both could hear shouts from men in the hall as they slowly drew closure. The systems were trickier than Three anticipated as Three continued to hack the systems to gain control.

"Keep going doll. I will buy you some time." Bucky said, the pair looked at one another carefully for a moment before Bucky dashed outside into the hallway. More shouts came followed by gunshots and cries. Three kept going despite the noises outside as it felt like she was slowly gaining control of the systems. The noises died out and grew more distant as she wrestled control from the main hub.

"Gotcha!" Three sighed as she took control and locked out the other users. Immediately she activated the defenses and locked down all certain sections of the base to prevent the flow of the more guards. She had the defenses target HYDRA personel only, taking out her tablet she hooked it up to gain remote access and control of the base. Done at last she unhooked it and suited up rather than stay incognito as a HYDRA guard. Leaving the room she was met by many dead guards, but no Bucky. "Bucky?" She whispered out loud hoping to call him and no one else, but there was no response.

There was no time to wonder the base looking for him, he knew what lab the serum was in and she hoped he would head there to meet her. Heading down the hall she headed for the lab labelled 13. The lab itself was at the end of the hall behind bulletproof glass that normally required a passkey, but Three overruled the security protocols and entered, her gun drawn. Strangely the lab was empty as Three headed for the cold storage and opened the cabinet. There it is! It was, at long last the mastermind serum. She'd been searching for it for so long. Opening her pack she carefully packed five of the first injection vials into her pack then zipped it shut.

With one part of the mission done, now she had to find Bucky. Turning, she left the lab and ran away from the shouts hoping to run into Bucky, but instead ended up facing more HYDRA agents that she was forced to fight in the tight hallway. She used the walls as a booster to jump up and lock her legs around the closest man's neck then twisted her body forcing him down with his neck snapping in the process. Two others came from the hall she came from and she shot both before calling out one of her wrist blades and slicing open another man's stomach as he got too close. The last man further away she also shot in the head before getting up and moving down the hall.

Moving fast she ducked into a side room and accessed the cameras to find Bucky. Howeer that was not all she found. Vincent Vermonte was in another lab working. The need to face him was overwehelming as she glared at the screen. Then she spotted Bucky had just finished off another HYDRA agent in a hall further away. The man made killing HYDRA agents look easy as he rose to his feet. She was almost jealous, as she plugged in her phone to her tablet and allowed signal access so that she could call Bucky. A moment later she saw him answer. _"_ _Vi where are you doll?"_

"I got the serum, but there is one other thing I need to take care of first. You need to head for the exit. I will follow soon."

" _I am not going anywhere without you."_ Bucky said firmly.

"Please Bucky. This is a personal matter. I will be right behind you." Three said, then hung up not giving Bucky the option to argue. With that Three headed for the lab which held the evil bastard that experimented on her and two others within. The group looked worried about the breach, but protocol dictacted that they secure their experiments rather then seek safety. Three peeked over the window to see an all too familiar face, albeit the years had not been kind to him. The man that helped in her torture and the torture of her fellow labrats. Vincent Vermonte stood in the same horrid white lab coat. His slicked back hair held even more grey and his wary face held more wrinkles.

Rushing in, Three shot the other two with Vermonte and pointed her gun at the vile man. He looked like he was about to run. "Don't!"

Immediately the doctor raised his hands in surrender. "Who—what are you doing here?"

"That is my business not yours, doc." Three said, saying the name doc with pure disgust, but as she said the next sentence she removed the face cover so he could see her. "But tell me: how is my emotional distress?"

The recognition on his face was priceless, as his eyes widened. "Three?!"

"Tell me would my _father_ and _mother_ approve?" Three asked stepping closer to her tormentor, and the doctor looked like he was trying to swallow a lump in his throat.

"Three I know that what happened was wrong, but trust me when I say I wanted to give you if no other a better chance at life. I care-"

"A better chance?! You sold me to a project called Trinity! You were giving me over for a breeding program you sick bastard!"

"To save you! Pierce he wanted you to receive the fifth injection, but I told him you were too valuable to be wasted on a lethal injection. It was the only way to save you, my greatest creation." Vermonte said looking at her like he was a proud father admiring his child that had blossomed into something perfect. It made Three sick.

"I would have preferred the injection to what you would have allowed me to suffer!"

"No no you do not understand, Three. How do I explain?" Vermonte asked then said. "I could not allow my greatest creation to die, for so long I thought you were dead... my perfect test subject. I know the feeling Doctor Erskine felt when he created Captain America. The crowning acheivment, the sheer joy at making something so...perfect!"

Disgust did not cover what Three felt as she glared at Vermonte. He viewed himself akin to Erskine and her akin to Captain America?! It was beyond sick! "You think yourself like Erskine?! You? A sick, disgusting, HYDRA scientist!"

Vermonte shrugged as he smiled at her disturbing her more. "Well it ends here."

She was about to shoot him. When Vermonte realised he was about to die, he said quickly. "Wait Three! There is more I know, don't shoot me."

"Unlikely if it is more ranting about being like Erskine."

"Your Mother I can tell you about her..." Vermonte offered.

"I frankly do not care." Three said flatly. It was then Vermonte tried to flee and Three instinctively shot him in the chest. The man fell to the ground as blood coloured his shirt and Three came closer.

"Like so many great scientists, my own creation is what kills meee..." Vermonte's words trailed off as he exhaled for the last time. Three shook her head at the sick twisted doctor. Turning away Three left the man that had caused her suffering as she made for the elevator. By now the lower levels were vacant with only bodies of those that either crossed her or Bucky. Why was no one else being sent to deal with them? It was a little unnvering as she got to the elevator Three realised that she could access them, but HYDRA in the upper levels would be waiting unless Bucky already cleared them out. Accessing the cameras again Three found that Bucky had not left as she had asked but was looking for her. Again she pulled out her phone calling Bucky's.

"Bucky I told you to go, that I would be right behind you!" Three said annoyed.

" _Well I wasn't leaving my best girl behind."_ Bucky replied, _"_ _Where are you?"_

"Heading for a maintenance hatch down the hall from the elevator. North end, it'll lead outside. The elevator themselves are too dangerous. Meet me there and hurry." Three said as she moved down to the door at the end. Overriding the security she opened the door and headed into the room where a metal ladder waited that would take them up. From there she waited only a few minutes when suddenly an explosion rocked the base nearly taking her off of her feet. Checking her tablet again she realised the order must have been given to activate a manual self-destruct sequence. However judging by the schematics the self destruct held sub timers that were set to go off seconds apart from each other so that the destruction of the base was absolute.

"Shit!" Three gasped as she realised this meant sections of the base was already being destroyed in the sequence. Looking up she saw Bucky running towards her and smiled relieved to see him. However her relief was short lived as another explosion rocked the base and threw her back as the hall and entrance door collapsed seperating her from Bucky. Coughing she got up and rushed to the rubble blocking her from Bucky. "Bucky! Bucky answer me!"

"I am here..." The muffled voice of Bucky answered through the rock. "What happened?"

"HYDRA must have activated a manual self destruct from the command centre!" Three replied as she tried to shift some of the larger pieces of rubble out of the way.

"Go I think I know of another way out." Bucky called out.

"No! I cannot leave you!"

"You have to. Now go get out of here!"

"Not without you!" Three screamed.

"I promise I will get out and find you! Now go!" Bucky called.

"You better!" Three replied, knowing the longer they stood around the more likely it was they would die in the base. Instead she turned and began climbing up the ladder as quickly as she could hoping Bucky would be alright. As she climbed, more explosions shook the base and a few times she almost slipped as she made her escape. She kept climbing until she reached the metal hatch and turned the lever. Throwing open the hatch, snow fell in from above. She climbed out and stumbled onto her hands and knees as another explosion shook the ground. Running away from the maintenance hatch, Three knew time was short and being this close would be bad. However she also wanted to find Bucky too, so she was hesitant to move far. Regardless it did not matter a second later and the final explosion happened this one bigger and more violent. The blast and shock wave threw Three into a nearby tree, hard.

* * *

 **Author's Notes:**

 **First off thank you all for the lovely reviews. As always I love hearing from you guys. As for the last Chapter's big question the episode the phone call takes place in Agents of SHIELD season 2 is episode 9 'Ye who enter here'. It takes place just after Skye's nightmare and before she is kidnapped by Ward and HYDRA.**

 **Also I know this chapter is early, but today my husband and I went and saw Black Panther and absolutely LOVED IT! Amazing movie I highly recommend you all go and see it. I will not spoil the movie, but know this I loved King T'Challa's sister Princess Shuri! Go watch the movie and you will see why. Anyway in celebration of that movie hitting theatres I decided to post a chapter. Besides I want to catch up to the Marvel movies being released so I need to post more often.**

 **Onto this chapter, I know the beginning is another romantic bit but considering what follows well this might be it for a while. Word of advice take the romantic bits where you can. I also enjoyed posting more scenes of the Avengers and how they handle these beads of information about 'Lilith' or Katseye. Obviously they are finding they had an unknown ally in the shadows, and Steve is finding he has a lot in common with Sharon. Mainly I think on the words he said to Natasha when they were driving in the Winter Soldier. The statement about finding someone with shared life experiences. Well now he has found someone with a shared life experience... *Winks***

 **Also another thing to note I had to do a lot of digging into the actual Ural Mountains in Russia for this scene and it helped greatly to develop this scene where Aida is giving them some history on the area. Wikipedia is very helpful in these instances, and those mountains hold a lot of history. So some of what Aida says is truth mixed with the fiction for this story.**

 **Lastly we get to see Three and Bucky in action together taking on a HYDRA base, and Three finally kill the original doctor that began her nightmare Doctor Vincent Vermonte. All in all this is a lengthy chapter, but I do really hope you enjoyed it. Please let me know what you think. Also don't be afraid to say if you liked, loved, or enjoyed Marvel's latest movie.**

 **Either way I hope to hear from you soon.**

 **Lesliezin**


	31. There is No Going Back

**Hello everyone,**

 **Here is Chapter 31, enjoy.**

* * *

 **March 11** **th** **, 2015**

 **Russia**

Cold. It was the first thing to register with Three as she slowly regained consciousness. The snow while soft, was cold and did little to help ease the pain as she slowly moved. Feeling the aches and pains from her being thrown into a tree she stopped. Regardless, she immediately knew where she was and why and knew she had to move—now! Despite the pain, Three slowly got to her hands and knees taking stock of everything and noting nothing broken, but it did hurt to breathe. A cracked rib maybe? Slowly getting to her feet she stumbled then looked up. The entire side of the mountains was in flames which meant that the destruction was not as concealed as HYDRA might have intended. The blast had knocked back her hood showing her black hair, and as it was hard to breathe she pulled the cover from her mouth down to make it easier.

The sight of the destruction made her dizzy as Three reached up to touch her spinning head only to feel wetness. Her hand came away with warm sticky blood, a head injury. Shaking her head she stumbled forward wanting to find Bucky, he had to have made it. She checked her pack to make sure the injections were intact, then moved towards the destruction. Steam rose from the snow where flaming pieces of debris had hit, and was put out by the melted snow. For a moment Three thought it might be snow falling but it was more like snow had been kicked up and mixed with ash, or was it ash? Everything was so confusing as her ears rang and she called out. "Bucky!"

Even her own voice sounded muffled as her ears rang and she moved closer, needing to find him. Repeatedly she called out making her throat sore, if any of HYDRA yet lived they had all but retreated from this location. Stumbling into a tree, Three gripped her ribs as she tried to keep going. However the longer she went without finding him the more terrified she got as she screamed as loud as her voice would allow. "BUCKY!"

Still nothing, no response as her ears slowly stopped ringing and she could hear the sobs coming from her. She might have stayed that way had she not heard someone coming up behind her. Immediately she pulled a gun and shakily aimed it back the way she came to find someone she had not seen in a long time. Cutter looked much as he always did in a thick jacket, along with him was Doc and a couple other Shadow Network associates. "Three!"

The man rushed forward to help her and she immediately lowered her gun, relieved to see him and not some HYDRA lackey. As he got to her he knelt by her side and was looking her over. "Jesus Three you look terrible."

"Thanks." Three said with a shaky laugh, then straightened, "Please help me... Bucky he—we got seperated I need to find him."

"Sure," Cutter looked to the other two and asked them to look for Bucky while Doc came forward to help with her injuries. Cutter moved aside to give Doc room while he too looked around for any sign of the super soldier. The off license doctor knelt by Three and opened his bag with his medical supplies.

"Damn Three, this is not how we wanted to see you again." Doc said as he pressed a gauze to Three's head injury making her hiss as he hurt her.

"I know sorry. Some HYDRA bastard activated the self destruct on us, must have figured the base was lost." Three said as Doc got to work cleaning the injury and bandaging it, then set to work examining her for other injuries. While he worked Three guessed between her taking control of the defense systems and Bucky fighting the personnel they must have slaughtered nearly everybody, or enough to call for the leader of the base to activate the self destruct. After all the only reason to destroy the base would be if it were lost. Perhaps she should have seen that coming, but with Vermonte in the base she became distracted. Now though she feared that she lost the man she loved. In truth he was the first guy she could be herself with, could relax around, that felt so real and she never had to lie to. Everyone else was in her life briefly aside from Aida, but him he could be something permanent. The thought of losing him made her heart break in ways she never thought possible.

"Okay that will have to do for now, but we will have to go someplace to better treat your injuries." Doc finally said as he closed his bag and got to his feet. He then helped her stand up so that she could lean against the tree. No sooner did she look towards the ruins of the base she saw Cutter and the other two rushing back. After the blast her ears were not at one-hundred percent so she did not hear the approaching Quinjet.

"We have to go now." Cutter said making it to her, "The Avengers are on their way."

Already Three was shaking her head, she could not leave without Bucky. "No I need to find him first."

"Three if we do not go the Avengers will catch us, and you being the former most wanted of SHIELD will not endear you to them!" Cutter pointed out, it was sound logic but she could not leave without him. Three pushed past wanted to cotinue the search despite the dangers of meeting the Avengers or Sharon. She made it about ten feet when she felt a prick in her neck from a small dart. Pulling the dart out she immediately felt weaker and realised they had shot her with a knock out dart. Then she heard Cutter's voice.

"I am sorry, Three." With that everything went black, and her ally carefully caught her. He easily picked her up and the group disappeared into the woods avoiding a problematic encounter with the Avengers.

* * *

The fire and smoke were easily spotted from the Quinjet as one side of the Ural Mountains was in flames! Sharon was staring out the viewport worried that they were too late. However standing there biting her lip was not an option as they landed and Natasha came up beside her. "Come on."

Black Widow led her to her own weapons locker and let Sharon pick out a gun in case they met with resistance. Sharon picked out an assault rifle and thanked Nat as the ramp lowered and they exited the Quinjet. Now looking around Sharon was faced with the devestation, she followed the Avengers heading towards the destruction. However it seemed there was not much resistance left and what little there was was easily dealt with. _'No way was Lil inside when it blew. They had to have escaped!'_ Sharon thought as she looked for possible exits, maybe an escape hatch? There was no way her friend would be so easily killed or trapped. Skirting the outer edges, Sharon looked around for clues. She also looked around herself to make sure no stray HYDRA agent caught her unawares. By then she was relatively alone having seperated from the Avengers in her own search.

Then someone yelled and Sharon spotted a man running towards her. It was a HYDRA agent. He stopped when he saw her and went for a gun. She took aim and shot him before he could shoot her. The man went down, but the shot was enough to alert the others as Steve rushed out of the brush to her. "Sharon, are you alright?"

"Yeah I am fine." Sharon said and Steve realised she had shot a HYDRA agent.

"What are you doing out here?" Steve asked as Sharon spotted it.

"Looking for that..." She replied moving to an open hatch that someone had used recently. She looked down the hatch but the tunnel leading into the base was collapsed. Someone had used it and Sharon doubted it was the HYDRA agent she shot. While Sharon looked around for other signs of who had been there she didn't notice the brief look Steve was giving her. He was stunned that she inherited Peggy's forward thinking, and had to admire how resourceful Sharon was. Sadly Sharon never noticed the look as she spotted a tree not far from the hatch, the red stain made her move off towards it. "Captain over here!"

The pair came to the tree and Sharon knelt down as she spotted the snow had been disturbed and there was patches of red. Steve stood, taking note of the blood on the tree.

"Someone got thrown, possibly by the blast." Steve said as he looked back at the mountain, the pair noticed more footprints which made it hard to discern where the person went and who all was with them. Again Sharon sighed annoyed that it didn't lead directly to Lil, but before anything further could be said Sam called in on the comms.

"Steve come quick. Redwing found something."

"Okay Sam on our way." Steve said then the pair headed back towards the mountain where fire and rescue were getting to work to put the flames out and remove the debris. They made it to the base of the mountain near the entrance where Sam stood looking at something in his hands. "Sam what did you find?"

Sam turned to face Steve as he spoke. "I had Redwing scan for possible entrances, he found a partially-collapsed cave up on the other side overlooking a waterfall. Found this inside."

That was when Sam handed Steve a pair of... dog tags? Sharon frowned until Steve turned them over to read the name on them. 'James Buchanan Barnes.' Underneath it said Bucky. However as both looked they noticed that the other dog tag was thicker and that the prongs held a... sliding plate? Steve slid the plate to reveal a picture of Lilith with black hair and purple highlights. Was this what Sharon's friend really looked like? She always had brown hair, and more to the point why was the picture even there? Both Sharon and Steve looked at each other then back at the tags.

* * *

When Three next woke, she was groggy and knew exactly why as her memory came back fast. Cutter had used an anaesthetic on her, where she was now looked like a ratty old motel room but the bed was at least somewhat comfortable. When she sat up she noticed that Doc must have tended to her injuries better her ribs were wrapped in tight bandages under a large grey cotton shirt and black sleep shorts. Looking around the old motel she noticed Doc asleep in the chair by her bed, but the others were strangely absent. This mattered little to her as she looked around searching for Bucky and hoping to find the man she loved. Instead, Doc snored loudly as she shoved the covers away and shivered at the cold room temprature. Slowly, she turned letting her feet touch the rough carpet, her side ached from where she hit the tree and she sucked in a breath to keep from making too much noise.

Somehow, Doc still heard her and snapped awake. "Three?"

Three was just standing as she groaned and wrapped a arm around her waist. "Woah wait a minute there Three. You fractured a rib."

"I need to find Bucky. Where is he?" Three asked.

"Cutter and the others are doing surveilance, but the Avengers are on location. They cannot get close to what is left of the HYDRA base." Doc explained, making Three shake her head.

"I can." Three said spotting her outfit draped over the back of the chair.

"What?! No! You're injured!" Doc said trying to bar her from the chair, and held up his hands to stop her. "Look just give Cutter time and you rest a bit. He will find this Bucky. Please Three, we do not want to lose you like Chen."

For a moment, Three considered arguing the point but she saw the logic in it even if she hated the idea. "Alright, but only for a little bit."

Slowly, Three sat back down on the bed as Doc retook his seat across from her. For a few minutes the pair sat in silence then Three added. "I am still pissed at Cutter for knocking me out."

"Yeah, sorry about that. Since Chen we have gotten very protective of each other. You're still one of us, Three. Cutter was not going to risk you. Who knows how the Avengers would have reacted had they caught you." Doc said, trying to get Three to understand Cutter's point of view, "Besides you were injured and not thinking straight. We had to get you out of there."

For a long time, Three was silent pondering what to say. She was touched they still cared after what happened to Chen, but in trying to protect her, they forced her to abandon Bucky. Before she could say anything Doc's phone rang and the man answered it. "Hello?"

There was a moment as Doc listened to the response, then nodded. "Yeah she is awake and angry." Again, there was another pause. "Alright one sec."

From there, Doc put it on loud speaker and Cutter's voice filled the room. _"_ _Three?"_

"I am here." Three said then waited as it sounded like Cutter sighed.

" _Three, I am sorry. We didn't know what else to do. You were injured and unwilling to listen. The Avengers were closing in, I had to act fast."_ Cutter replied.

"Please just find Bucky." Three said softly.

" _We are keeping an eye out for him, but with the Avengers in the area we have to keep our distance. It doesn't look like they are having any luck either. The fires are out, and they are pulling a lot of dead HYDRA bodies out of the burnt compound. The entire base is nothing more than a scorched carcass."_ Cutter said.

This news made Three's stomach turn uneasily, Bucky had been inside. What if he didn't find another way out? What if—No! She could not deal in what ifs she needed him! Which was strange in itself she had never _needed_ someone like this before. Then again she had never had someone that knew her like he did. Anyone that actually knew her for who she was ended up dead. Takai, Amaya, Chen. Sure there were others that she held close but they did not really know her for who she was. Namely Peggy and Sharon. On the other hand the remaining Shadow Network members had to keep their distance which only left Aida. The AI was the only other person to actually know her aside from Bucky.

With Bucky though it felt real. She did not have to stay away or pretend to be someone else. She was free to be herself with him and he with her, and now she had grown dependant on that. She had finally gotten close to someone she could be real with, and she did not want to lose that or him. The idea of returning to the way things were was too painful to think about as Three could not imagine a world in which Bucky was not part of her life.

Doc watched her carefully and after a moment Cutter asked if they were still there. Instead Doc replied. "Keep looking. I'll call you back."

With that he hung up and leaned across to touch her arm. "Three?"

"I need him." Three said softly, and Doc nodded understanding the situation.

"Cutter will find him. For now try to rest and recover." Doc said gently as Three got back into bed and laid down. Sadly sleep was very hard to come by.

* * *

 **March 14th, 2015**

 **Russia**

Three days, that was how long it took to recover. Her recovery time was worsened by the fact that she could barely sleep or eat. Instead Doc was made to give her something to help her sleep when really she wanted to go back out there and find Bucky. Cutter and his team continued to run surveillance on the Avengers and the Iron Man suits working through the rubble, but to no avail. Mostly Cutter kept looking out of a sense of duty to Three, but no one was holding their breaths. Three on the other hand wanted to go back out there and search until she found Bucky. It was not until the third day that Three said enough was enough. She had showered that morning and was preparing to resume the search herself when her phone rang.

Initially when she saw the name as Aida she had hoped her AI friend had found some clue to where Bucky was. Picking up the phone she answered. "Aida please tell me you have some good news."

" _I am sorry Kat, I wish I did."_ Aida sounded saddened by the news she would have to deliever.

"What is it?"

" _It's Peggy. The recent scans suggest her Dementia is accelerating. I have run the numbers...Kat she needs the serum now. If she does not get it, it will do no good."_ The news floored Three as she stood there trying to think, _"_ _I know this is a hard decision, Kat. I know you do not want to simply leave Bucky, but Peggy needs your help. I delayed the results getting to Sharon so you can get there first, but you have a limited window."_

Three nodded even though Aida did not know the gesture was made. She knew the original mission still needed to be accomplished. She had the serum, and as much as she wanted to stay the fates were conspiring against her. On her own accord she answered without really thinking. "Book me a ticket back."

" _Already doing it. I promise I will keep looking for Bucky, Kat."_

"Thank you Aida." Three said glad to have the AI's word. Hanging up the phone she noticed Doc sitting at the table watching her worried. However Three could only look at the phone in her hands as she spoke. "I have to go back to Washington. My old friend needs the first injection and is running out of time."

She heard Doc sigh and get up coming over to pull her into a hug which Three did not even know she needed. "It's okay, I understand."

Feeling torn in two she hugged Doc back wanting Bucky more than anything, but would settle for her ally. Gently Doc patted her back to comfort her. "We'll keep looking Three. You get that serum to your friend, okay?"

"Okay." Three said softly as Doc released her. The next hour was spent packing what little she had while Doc called Cutter to explain the situation to him. There was not really much to pack up since most of her regular clothes had been lost due to the rollercoaster ride through Russia. Instead it was her Katseye gear that she packed into a hidden compartment and a select few clothes Shado gave her to wear. From there the Shadow Network also provided a fake passport to help get her State-side. Doc also arranged a car and driver to get her to the nearest airport, so by the time she was ready to go the car and man were waiting.

The entire car ride to the airport Three questioned herself repeatedly. She hated what she was doing then guilt tripped herself back into leaving. It was a vicious cycle that made her exhausted and she was not even suffering from jet lag yet. Somehow she made it to the airport, got checked in, and soon found herself on a plane heading back to the States. However even the plane ride left her tired and confused. Sadly as she got closer to her destination she realized another problem. Long ago she swore that when she would cure Peggy's Dementia it would mean saying goodbye to the older woman. With all that was happening the last thing Three wanted was to inject Peggy with the first injection of the Mastermind serun then tell her she could never see her again.

By the time she was off the plane, Three just wanted to go home and curl up in bed. She wanted to cry until she felt numb and could do what had to be done. Sadly Peggy's situation would not wait, Three was denied that luxury. Instead when she got to Washington she went straight for her hideout to suit up, not go to bed. If nothing else Peggy deserved the full truth along with the explanation as to why she would never see Three again.

* * *

 **March 15th, 2015**

 **Russia**

Sharon was operating on her fifth mug of coffee, she had pondered why Lil's picture was in those dog tags with Bucky's name on it half a dozen times. She had helped with clean up and was sore. She even ignored some looks when the Avengers told her to go rest. Instead she was wrapped in a blanket in a makeshift tent nursing her fifth mug of coffee. Fury stood not far away drinking his own, which made her uneasy. The former director of SHIELD had not said much since she joined this group, but she imagined he had a number of things he wanted to say. Instead he said something that completely threw her off guard. "She sent me a thank you bottle."

"Sir?" Sharon asked confused as Fury turned back to her.

"Spring-bank 1966 vintage whisky bottle. Costs over one-thousand dollars. Made in Scotland. I was a bit shocked when it arrived in my room in France. Somehow she knew I survived and knew exactly where I was. Card came with it too. 'Thanks for killing that evil bastard, Pierce.' Even had a Katseye for the signature, had it tested as a precaution before I drank any of it. Amazing whisky."

Sharon sat there stunned and unsure of how to respond to that as Fury looked back at the clean up crew. "She was a tricky one. Always has been, even deceived me once and that is saying something."

Again Sharon was not sure what to say. Was he waiting for her to apologise for not noticing sooner? Instead Fury came to sit across from her with a sigh as he rested his mug and hands on the table. "My point is she danced around SHIELD and HYDRA for years, Carter. Even your aunt would have never seen her coming. Your time can be better spent. Rather then to keep asking yourself how you didn't notice, ask yourself how you can find her."

"I gave everything I can think of Sir. Maybe I just don't know her as well as I should." Sharon said.

"You know why I send Romanoff into interrogations?" Fury asked.

"Because she is good at it?" Sharon guessed.

"Agent Romanoff once told me when I asked, that even when someone isn't talking their actions give away everything. Gestures, eyes, the way they respond. In mere moments she can peg someone knowing just how to speak and act to get what she needs. Take for example Loki, his stance told her he loved to gloat, so she got him gloating and got everything."

Sharon sat there thinking re-evaluating her best friend of five plus years. Thinking over everything she knew of her friend and picking apart the details. "She is shy, doesn't like crowds... but was willing to go to a club to hang out with me. Meaning she was desperate for basic interaction. Protective and loyal while my other friends would have left me to deal with a persistent guy asking me onto the dance floor, she purposely spilt water on him and made it out to be an accident."

"What about posture? Gestures?"

"In the care home she was relaxed, night club she was more tense and jumpy till we left. Once away from the crowds she relaxed again. Most other times she was relaxed, very little hand gestures, always made eye contact unless...unless talking about her family or a past experience. She would also play with her nails in those instances."

"Meaning she was not lying or misleading." The voice of Romanoff said as she had come in silently. "However playing with her nails suggest she was ashamed to be lying to you. Preferring honesty. How was she around your aunt?"

"Even more relaxed, little in the way of gestures. Would bit her bottom lip when Peggy forgot something she or I would say and look down. However she never lost patience with Peggy or Mace, just looked worried. She was very upset the last time she saw Mace, he threw a meal tray at her."

"Biting her bottom lip is a nervous habit, but also indicates there was something she wanted to say or do but couldn't do it." Romanoff said as she poured herself some coffee and turned to face Sharon.

"After Mace's funeral she became more reclusive, and at Christmas she looked regretful. She said she had intended to get something else for Peggy but couldn't. I didn't think much of it at the time but now... she was playing with her nails, biting her lip, and was upset. She tried not to show it."

Romanoff looked concerned as she frowned trying to analyse what Sharon described. "Obviously she wanted to say more but was ashamed. Failure, she was upset because she failed."

Sharon sat there considering Nat's words and what it could all mean, then looked back to Natasha. "In the footage you guys showed me on the Quinjet... the ambush she was desperate to get something HYDRA had."

"An item no doubt moved to this very base." Nat replied nodding before taking a drink of her coffee. Then Sharon frowned there was something else that she had almost forgotten about. An incident where Beth called claiming to have seen Lil. There was no definitive proof other than Beth's words, and Peggy could not recall seeing Lil at the time. However later on another visit months later...

" _Lil came by she said she would be back when she gets me that present." Peggy said smiling at Sharon. The older Carter woman seemed to think Lil had visited when in fact she had not. It had been months after the Helicarriers' incident and there had been no word from Lilith, so Sharon frowned. Then finally remembered the Christmas present Lil had failed to get Peggy._

" _Aunt Peggy that was a couple Christmases ago."_

" _No she came by yesterday and said that she would get it." Peggy said then frowned, "She said it would heal me, but I am not injured."_

"Oh my god. The Christmas present... she told Aunt Peggy it would heal her. Peggy, she wanted something from HYDRA for Peggy!" Sharon said getting up out of the chair and heading back outside. She needed to see Steve now! If Lil succeeded it could mean she would head for straight Peggy. Seeing the familiar head of blonde hair, Sharon called. "Steve!"

* * *

 **March 15th, 2015**

 **Washington D.C**

 **Spring Grove Care Home**

The hour was late, well past visiting hours. Then again Three already knew visiting Peggy during regular visiting hours was impossible. Sharon or Steve could show up and the entire situation could become awkward. Plus the staff were no longer very welcoming of her, if caught visiting the staff would call Sharon. Thus this was the only way, Three felt she could do this. It was not as hard as she imagined it would be, sure there was some security since the Care Home dealt with individuals that were vulnerable. However Three dealt with far better security than this. Using the grappling hook on her sniper rifle, Three scaled the building to the second floor to get to Peggy's room. The room held a balcony which made things a little easier too. Once safely on the balcony, Three carefully picked the lock on the large balcony door. From there she slipped easily into Peggy's room. She smiled as she saw Peggy had dosed off in her bed with the light on. She had known for a long time Peggy was an insomniac, but to visit and see it was something else.

Carefully Three moved to the door to make sure no one was close by. Naturally the nurses would be on rounds to make sure all those living here were comfortable and asleep. Once making sure they would not be interrupted, Three came and sat down by Peggy's bed. Pulling off her hood and face mask, Three gently touched Peggy's hand. "Peggy."

The older woman's eyes fluttered open and at first she was confused. "Who are you?"

"It's me Peggy, Lilith. Sharon's friend..." Three said trailing off and preying Peggy recognized her. Then Peggy blinked once, twice, and three times before recognition appeared in her eyes.

"Lil?" Peggy asked making Three smile.

"Yes Peggy it's me." The old woman smiled at Three.

"I did not expect you back so soon." Peggy said, making Three look down briefly. Peggy did not know she had been gone for months. "Sharon, she is looking for you."

"I know and I am sorry. Things are complicated Peggy." Three said, that was when Peggy looked at her more closely.

"Lil? You look exhausted...what happened?"

"I—I found my dance partner," Three said as the tears finally escaped, "Then I lost him."

"Shh, you will find him again." Peggy said encouragingly. Slowly Three regained her lost composure and straightened.

"There is more, Peggy." Three said as she reached up and took the colour clip out making her hair go back to the natural black with purple highlights, "I am not who you think I am."

For a moment Peggy was stunned just looking at Three as if seeing her for the first time, then she chuckled and shook her head. "You are still Lilith to me."

"That isn't really my name...it's Three." Peggy listened as Three explained who she was taking the information in. It was not the long version but the short one, and at the end Peggy simply smiled.

"Lil is a better name." Peggy replied then straightened, "Sharon, she still looks for you."

"I know..."

"And she will not stop. She will never stop looking for you, Lil." The words made Three look at the older woman worried. It was an issue for another time at least. Right then she had a more pressing concern.

"I brought something for you. It will help you." Three said opening the case she brought that held the first injection. Fortunately both Aida and Three surmised that the injection could simply be given in the arm. The effects would be the same as when Three received the injections in the base of the neck, only the arm was less painful.

"Help me? How?" Peggy asked tilting her head to the side as Three took out the needle.

"It's the present I spoke of that will heal you. It will help you remember everything. You won't forget anything ever again." Three said as Peggy looked wary, and Three added. "I don't want you to forget me...please."

Perhaps it was her plea or that Peggy, for the moment, knew and trusted her. Either way Peggy offered up her arm. "I do not want to forget you either."

Gently as possible, Three cleaned the area with an acohol swab, and tied a band around Peggy's arm to make her veins easier to locate. From there Three gently injected the serum in before undoing the band and covering the sight with a cotton ball and bandage. "The effects will take effect soon. We have a few minutes..."

Now came the most painful part of this as Three put away the syringe, and Peggy noticed her saddened look. "Lil? You still look sad."

"The serum I gave you was what HYDRA used to make me." Three said softly, "I stole it." Three went quiet for a moment to organise what she would say. "It will cure any damage caused by the Dementia, you will never forget."

"So I will remember you." Peggy said smiling.

"Yes you will remember me," Three said as tears came to her eyes and her voice broke on the next words, "But you have to pretend to forget me."

Wiping her eyes she continued while Peggy stared at her confused, "HYDRA can never know that I injected you with this serum. If they do they will hurt you and Sharon."

Immediately Peggy began shaking her head refusing to do this even as the serum began to take effect. She reached up touching her head and wincing as the serum began to reverse the damage. "No—I.."

"Please Peggy. There is no other way. You will remember me, and everything else. But for your safety you must pretend to forget me," Three begged as Peggy fell back into bed fighting to stay awake. "I know you won't forget me. Tell Sharon I am sorry, tell her to stop looking."

"No Lil I won't." Peggy said trying to argue.

"Peggy, I know you don't want to. I don't want to, but this is goodbye. I cannot come back.." Three said trying to get the older woman to understand that there was no coming back from this. Immediately Peggy grabbed her arm trying to hold on and keep Three there.

"No..Lil please don't do this!"

"There is more... You will never forget which is not always a good thing. However you have more good memories than bad, so linger on the good ones and avoid the bad memories. Never follow the white rabbit completely, and you will be okay. " Three said knowing any moment Peggy would slip into unconsciousness.

"Lil..." Peggy said now scared of what this meant and still trying to hold onto Three.

"I am sorry I lied to you and Sharon. I just wanted to be in your lives even if I knew I woul have to walk away. I know you won't forget anymore, but please forgive me and please don't forget me." The tearful plea coming from Three shocked Peggy, but by the time she formed a response it was too late. Peggy could no longer stay conscious and as she slipped into unconsciousness Peggy could have sworn Three said, "I will miss you both. Goodbye."

With Peggy unconscious, Three carefully pulled the covers over Peggy tucking her in. She looked at the various pictures on Peggy's nightstand. Her wedding photo, family, friends, Three had saved it all. Yet while she had saved Peggy's mind, she knew this meant finally walking away from both Carter women for good. She wondered if Sharon would ever forgive her for what she had done. While she liked to hope this last act for Peggy might redeem herself in the former SHIELD agents eyes, Three would simply never know that particular answer. As Three leaned over and kissed Peggy's forehead she whispered. "You will remember everything and forget nothing. No more memories slipping away ever again."

Straightening Three pulled out a pair of envelopes for Peggy and Sharon. She placed them on the nightstand by Peggy's bed. Turning back to the balcony, Three briefly looked back at Peggy one last time before silently shutting the balcony doors. Carefully Three used the grappling hook to lower herself down to the ground. Retracting the hook, she stowed the weapon on her back before disappearing from Peggy and Sharon Carter's lives for good.

* * *

It was a lot harder than Three thought to finally cut those last remaining ties with Peggy and Sharon. Was it fair? Hell no! None of it was fair, but then again when had life ever been fair to her? When had it ever cut her some slack? She had known for years that this inevitable day would come, it was mere wishful thinking that it never would happen. What made it all worse was she didn't have Bucky to run home to. There was no one there to comfort her, no strong arms to hold her as she cried...nothing! She was all alone and she was sick of it! She wanted to ask whatever higher power what she had done to be given such a crappy life? More than once she was almost in an accident on the way back to her Washington base. Even more times she wanted to go back and wait for Peggy to wake up. She wanted to promise Peggy that she would not leave.

Instead she got home and was mentally and physcially exhausted. She had been up since leaving Russia. She had had to leave the search for Bucky in her allies hands, and had to say goodbye to a friend she could never see again. Coming home, she got out of her suit muttering to Aida to book her a ticket back to Russia. The AI did, and so Three headed upstairs to shower. In the privacy of the shower she cried even more at what she had been forced to do in the last twenty-four hours. How she managed to wash her hair or body was a mystery, but she did it. Next she laid down and the moment her head touched her pillow she was out.

Regretably even in sleep, Three was haunted by nightmares. She dreamt of Bucky trapped inside the HYDRA base, rubble crushing him and slowly killing him. Then her nightmares shifted to abandoning Peggy. The short amount of sleep meant she was still tired as she got up just before dawn. Immediately she set to work packing and preparing for a return trip to Russia, feeling that until she found Bucky she would be unable to rest.

Dragging her suitcase downstairs, Three came to the coffee machine to make some much needed coffee and wake up some more. "Good morning Aida."

"You did not sleep well." Aida pointed out, concerned.

"I couldn't." Three said softly as the smell of coffee woke her up.

"I have news," Aida replied, "Sharon came to Peggy's care home with Rogers early this morning. It seems they somehow figured out you would go there. Either way it looks like Peggy's condition is cured."

"That is good to hear." Three said softly though the knowledge that she could never see either woman again cut deep. How Sharon figured out where she would be hardly mattered to Three they still missed her. Perhaps the conversation would have continued, but a beeping meant someone from the Shadow Network was calling. Moving to the computers Three answred the call to come face-to-face with Cutter. Immediately Three made the channel secure. "Cutter? Have you found him?"

"No, I am sorry Three. We have tried to locate him, but with the Avengers and some HYDRA teams moving in... A few of our people were almost caught. More than that from what we have been able to uncover, over half the HYDRA base collapsed in on itself." Cutter said.

"You said the Avengers and HYDRA?" Three asked worried.

"Yeah, they have been clashing in a big way. A few of ours were nearly caught in the cross fire. I am sorry Three, but we have to pull out. If we stay we will most likely be discovered by one of the two groups. The Avengers will ask questions, HYDRA will torture us. I cannot ask my people to risk it. Again I am so sorry." The news made Three flop into her chair. In a lot of ways she understood, Cutter was the leader of the Shadow Network he had to protect his people too. But still it hurt, she did not want to simply give up on Bucky. She _needed_ him!

"I understand." Three said shakily even though it hurt to say it. Cutter nodded wearing the look of a man who had never failed before, but now had. He apologised once more before the call ended leaving Three to stare at a blank screen. For a few moments she just sat there trying to think of what to do, but there was only one option she knew. Slowly she got up and gathered her things, if nothing else she would return to Russia and resume the search herself.

"What are you doing?" Aida asked worried, "You heard Cutter. It is a warzone there. Either the Avengers or HYDRA will catch you!"

"I have to go, Aida. Before I would have grit my teeth and accepted that this was how it would always be." Three said turning back to the computer screens, "But now...I can't! I can't do it! Bucky is the first person I could be me around! I cannot lose him! I need him, Aida!" Three said as she started crying. She knew she sounded weak and pathetic, but after all this; why could she not have this one thing?

"I—I need him...I love him." She said almost sounding ashamed at how this weakened her. She bowed her head and covered her eyes with her hand as she tried to calm herself. Aida on the other hand remained silent as if unsure of how to respond. She knew it was impossible and she would most likely be caught, but what else could she do? That was when she looked up resolved only to spot the case on the table. Perhaps there was another way. Sure it was crazy, but it just might work and Three was desperate enough to risk it.

* * *

 **March 16th, 2015**

 **Spring Grove Care Home**

 **Washington D.C.**

Seconds? Minutes? Hours? How long ago had Lil been to see Peggy? Sharon and Steve had rushed into the Care home thinking they might beat her there or catch her before she left. However both were wrong and underestimated how resourceful Lil could be. No instead her friend had come and gone. While most of the Avengers stayed in Russia to oversee the cleanup of the HYDRA base Steve, Sharon, Sam, and Fury had raced back. Sam and Fury were talking to the Care Home staff, but sadly no one had seen Lil. Instead Sharon sat waiting anxiously for Peggy to wake up, she had decided to wait on reading the letter Lil left her until she knew Peggy would be okay. Steve lingered by the door watching Peggy sleep while also worried that Lil might have harmed Peggy with whatever was given.

"Anything?" Steve asked, and Sharon looked over to see Sam and Fury in the doorway.

"No nothing, no one saw her enter or leave." Sam replied. The conversation might have continued but then Peggy gasped as she awoke.

"Lil!" Immediately Sharon was standing and trying to calm Peggy down.

"Aunt Peggy it's me! I am here." Immediately Peggy latched onto Sharon as she looked around the room obviously searching for Lil, then finally her eyes settled on her niece.

"Sharon where is Lilith?!" The question stunned Sharon, Peggy was different. More alert and not second guessing like she had been these last couple of months.

"I don't know," Sharon said, "Aunt Peggy, what did she do to you?"

"She...she healed me. She said I would remember everything and forget nothing..." Peggy said, "She told me... goodbye! She said HYDRA could never know that she gave me this serum..." The last part Peggy started crying as if reliving the exact memory all over again.

"Aunt Peggy what else do you remember?" Sharon asked, scared to see her aunt so upset.

"Everything, I remember everything!" Peggy cried, and Sharon pulled her aunt to her to hold her and comfort her. For so long it seemed a heavy fog had surrouned Aunt Peggy's memories and with each passing day that fog had gotten thicker, now that fog had cleared Sharon realised she had her aunt back. It was all thanks to Lil. Once she managed to calm Peggy down the founder of SHIELD wiped her eyes and released a shaky breath. It must have felt like sensory overload to have those foggy memories being returned to her. Once she regained control Peggy explained everything about the encounter last night sparing no details. Her mind was so much sharper than before it still stunned Sharon and the others to witness it.

Finally Peggy sighed, and looked at Sharon. "She told me to tell you she is sorry and to ask you to stop looking for her." The words worred Sharon was her aunt going to ask her to stop looking? "But you can't. You have to find her."

"Of course Aunt Peggy, you know I won't give up." Sharon said placing her hand on Peggy's. After witnessing the change in Peggy's mental state Stark had been immediately called and he and Banner were booking it back to take Peggy in for tests to make sure the serum had no lasting negative effects on her. Happy one of Stark's employees arrived with some men to take and fly Peggy to New York and to Stark Tower where they would meet the other two Avengers. Thus soon after Sharon was left in Peggy's room holding the letter meant for her. Sam and Fury left with Happy and Peggy wanting to give her extra security. This left Steve leaning against the doorframe silently watching as Sharon opened the letter.

 ** _Dear Sharon,_**

 ** _I know I am probably the last person you ever want to hear from, so thank you for reading this and not tearing it up right away. I am sorry I lied to you, I have since the very beginning all those years ago. When I first came to the Care home I just wanted to meet Peggy, know a person that fought HYDRA and could beat them. Then I met you and Mace and got a taste of having people in my life again. I kind of got used to HYDRA ripping friends and family away. I kept telling myself this will not end well. You and Peggy would find out or HYDRA would catch on. So more than once I tried to walk away, but I also knew that once I did I would be alone again and that scared me more._**

 ** _I know that is a pathetic excuse, and does not in any way make up for what I did. I also know you may not believe this but I always tried to be truthful with you where I could. I know you want explanations, and I do owe you that. However I also know that the more I tell you the more likely you are to never give up. Carter women are notorious for charging head first into danger. So perhaps it is best to simply say I lied to you and I am always going to regret that. I wish I could explain why it was nessasary._**

 ** _I know you must feel that the past five years were fake and a complete lie, and you would probably be right. Only that is not how I feel. As Peggy will no doubt tell you the serum I used on her was what was used on me. I cannot forget anything ever. Of all my memories so few are good or happy memories. You Sharon gave me so many good memories. Which means more to me than you will ever know. That alone says there was nothing fake about our friendship. You might disagree, but please believe me when I say: you are still and always will be my best friend._**

 ** _Goodbye Sharon, please stop looking for me._**

 ** _Lil._**

Sharon stood there rereading the letter a couple of times. Yet each time she read it she just wanted to find Lil and hug her. After what Peggy had told her, that Lil was actually a HYDRA lab-rat called Three Sharon could understand why she lied. Lil was wrong though she did not need to leave or say goodbye. She did not need to hide away, and Sharon while mad at first was already forgiving Lil for everything. How could she not? Lil had risked everything to get that serum for Peggy all to save her memories. Now more than ever she simply wanted her best friend back. She felt more than saw Steve come to stand behind her, then gave a humourless laugh.

"You were right she just wanted to be part of our lives." Sharon said wordlessly handing the letter to Steve to read for himself. It gave Sharon a moment to think, no way was she going to give up now. Especially not after Peggy asked her to keep looking. There was also no way she going to disappoint her aunt. Looking back up at Steve she noticed him frown over the letter then sigh before looking up at her. He handed back the letter to her which she took.

"So what now?" Steve asked.

"Are you going to stop looking for Bucky?" Sharon asked instead of answering his question.

"No never." Steve replied honestly.

"Good because I am never going to give up looking for Lil." Sharon said equally honest and making Steve smile. They were on the same page then, and knowing that Bucky and Lil were close meant that if they got a lead on one the other would not be far behind.

* * *

 **March 17th, 2015**

 **The Playground SHIELD Base**

The SHIELD team sat in the lounge shortly after Skye was released from quarantine. It was later in the evening as they relaxed and reminisced about Agent Antoine Triplet the agent that died days before in the underground city. They had raced HYDRA there to stop them from using an alien artifact. Sadly it was hard not to view this mission as a failure. Sure they had stopped HYDRA and Whitehall, but at what cost? It was a question no one could really answer. Instead the group talked of their fallen agent remembering the good times. Simmons was just finishing her story as she added. "He would be mad I told you that story."

"No he would say, 'C'mon girl.'" Skye replied getting the others to laugh. However the laughter did not last not with him gone, so after a moment Skye sighed, "We are going to laugh a lot less, that is for sure."

The group fell quiet still feeling the loss deeply, and perhaps someone would have spoken up. Or perhaps the silence would have continued, but neither one did as suddenly the alarm went off and everyone looked around completely confused. No way was it HYDRA Coulson's plan had insured that they took out a great many heads of HYDRA. Mack and Bobbi looked at each other as the others quickly rose. _"_ _Security breach! Repeat we have a security breach at the Hanger entrance!"_

The announcement over the PA had the group scrambling to the hanger with weapons. The group stopped short when they saw Coulson and a large group of SHIELD agents standing in a circle guns trained on one individual in the middle standing by a motorcycle. Skye stood there shocked the outfit was the same one Katseye was ID'd as wearing from footage of the Triskelion recordings. Coulson stood there with a calm expression on his face as he remembered the one that knocked him out years before on the Kovach mission. However the question still remained what was Katseye doing here?

Slowly Kat as Skye had come to call her pulled back her hood to reveal black hair with purple highlights, then she pulled down the cloth to reveal a beautiful young woman.

"Hello Coulson," She said and Skye immediately recognized the voice as Kat's. She looked to the others past him giving a brief weak smile. That was when Skye took in her appearance Kat looked like she was not sleeping or eating properly, but worst of all she looked haunted. However the pain became obvious when she literally begged Coulson and looked like she might start crying. "Please, I need your help."

Coulson lips parted as he looked concerned. He looked at her carefully as he gestured for his men to stand down. The men immediately lowered their guns. "Let's talk inside."

* * *

 **Author's Notes:**

 **First off thank you all for the lovely reviews. I am glad you are all enjoying the chapters thus far. Hopefully you will continue to enjoy what comes next.**

 **Kanka1201, I am not sure who you are asking to marry, if it is me I am already married. If it is Bucky we all want to marry him. (Just don't tell my husband I said that...LOL)**

 **Onto the Chapter, as always I gave Sharon and Steve some more scenes to help expand on their relationship. I know the amazing people at Marvel have limited room in their movies because of the ever growing cast, so at least here Sharon and Steve's relationship can be expanded and explored. Also Sam finding the dog tags in a caved in cave entrance over a waterfall it is my non-verbal way of saying: Don't panic Bucky is alive. The other thing to note is the scene with Fury was a way of the former director saying 'don't kick yourself, she tricked me too'. Also the whiskey he mentions is a call back to the scene where Three talks about getting Fury a thank you gift for killing Pierce. As for the name of the whiskey I had to actually look up an expensive bottle, so there is a whiskey called that, and yes it is verrrry expensive! I also enjoyed Romanoff giving Sharon tips of how she 'evaluates' people during interrogations as I imagine that was how Nat did it in Avengers Assemble. Lastly the ending scene with Steve and Sharon is basically them both refusing to give up, both will continue to look and help each other moving forward in their searches.**

 **The scenes with Three were a bit more difficult since Three has come want Bucky in her life. She doesn't want to go back to the way things were after him. Especially not after having to effectively say goodbye to Peggy and Sharon. Thus by the end of the chapter she is desperate enough to risk all by seeking out Coulson's help. For those Agents of SHIELD fans you probably already know what episode is referenced in the ending scene. However for those that don't follow the show, it is season 2 episode 11 'Aftershocks' towards the end of the episode is where Three enters the scene.**

 **Anyway please let me know what you think of this latest chapter by leaving a review.**

 **Lesliezin**


	32. First Day in the Playground

**Hello everyone,**

 **Here is Chapter 32, enjoy.**

* * *

 **March 18th, 2015**

 **The Playground**

It was unclear what the new Director of SHIELD was thinking when a former enemy turned ally showed up on his doorstep asking for help. Three knew she had certainly shocked the SHIELD team as Coulson put her in one of the interrogation rooms. He told her he needed to consult with his team, and strangely Kat did not argue. Nor had she argued when they took her weapons, but they didn't take anything else. She obviously knew there was bound to be some kind of procedure but this seemed rather relaxed, bordering on negligent. Aida had told her of the fallen agent Tripettt, perhaps Coulson was in an uncaring mood where she was concerned. It could not have been easy to lose such a good man. Or perhaps he was just stunned by her appearing. Either way Three sat patiently when Coulson entered his office where the rest of the team was waiting. Wordlessly he went to the screen and turned on the interrogation room camera showing Kat still sitting there. Then he set the box she had when they brought her into the base on his desk. "I trust everyone here already knows who Katseye is?"

"Yeah she is a psychopath." Mack pointed out.

"A psychopath that has helped us before and was spotted fighting HYDRA at the Triskelion." Skye pointed out.

"Skye has kept in contact with Kat since she last helped us." Coulson explained then looked to Mack, "I would be careful about calling her a psychopath."

"Either way she is dangerous." May pointed out.

"True, but I would like to know what happened when Skye contacted her last. Skye?" The hacker had not gotten to explain the conversation because events had prevented it. She had shortly afterwards been kidnapped by Ward. So now she could at last tell them what she had learned from Kat.

"The last time I called her was the day Ward kidnapped me. I had asked her to help us, but she told me she was in Russia hunting HYDRA. She said she was trying to make up for a past mistake," Skye said.

"A past mistake?" May asked.

"Remember? The earlier phone call where I asked her about the circles Coulson was carving? She said she knew Ward was HYDRA, but at the time did not want to put us at risk by exposing him. Said she should have killed him there and then, but knew we would come after her if she did." Skye replied.

"Yeah I remember. You said she was after some kind of serum?" May asked coldly.

"Yes, the serum that made her," Skye said swallowing hard, "She said the serum could restore damage done to the brain, and she went to get it for Fitz."

"She wanted to fix me?" Fitz asked confused, no one had really told Fitz of this conversation. So he did not look like he knew how to respond to that as he scrutinised Kat on the screens.

"Alright I am just going to come out and say it, this is crazy! Coulson you put a known criminal in an interrogation room without checking her first, and because she claims all this we are just suppose to trust her?!" Mack pointed out, finding this plan beyond flawed.

"She helped us before when Coulson was kidnapped Mack!" Skye snapped back. Then she forced herself to calm down knowing if she got upset this could backfire.

"I am not saying we give her full run of the base, Mack. We keep an eye on her, check the serum she gave us and see what she wants. To help with this you all will be allowed to witness the interrogation. May and I will question her." Coulson said, turning and leaving with May following him out while Mack and the others turned to the screen for the interrogation room in Coulson's office.

* * *

Three sat there quietly waiting for Coulson to return and wondering if she was making the right choice by coming to him for help. For all she knew he may not even hear her out, they might just lock her up. However instinct told her Coulson was a very reasonable guy so long as she didn't play games with him or lie. The alternative would be he would refuse and this whole attempt would be in vain. Sighing softly, she decided to try a leap of faith to simply sit and wait. Eventually the waiting paid off as the door opened and in came Coulson and May. Coulson sat across from her as May remained standing nearby like a silent sentinel. "Evening miss... sorry I never caught your name."

"I don't really have one, but Kat is fine." Three said softly as Coulson opened a file and pulled out a pen.

"We have some questions for you if you don't mind."

"No, I figured there would be questions, lots of questions." Three answered waiting.

"Okay for the record could you state your name again, birth date, and nationality?"

"Just call me Kat. I don't have an actual name. My birth date I do not know, but I do celebrate February first because it is the day I escaped a HYDRA facility. As for my nationality I guess that would be China since that was where the HYDRA base was." Coulson wrote this down after a moment of staring at her.

"You are known by the codename Katseye?"

"Yes." Three answered.

"According to our records you killed a total of two-hundred twenty-eight SHIELD personnel over ten plus years, is this true?" Coulson asked.

"No, I killed two-hundred and twenty-seven HYDRA personnel over ten plus years, and was falsely accused of killing SHIELD agent Caroline Monroe." Three corrected.

Again Coulson wrote down notes, then looked up. "And how do you know they were HYDRA?"

"The same way I knew Grant Ward was HYDRA, and the rest of your team including Skye are SHIELD." Three answered, then sighed. "I am sure you are aware of the targeting algorithm that would have been used in the Helicarriers to kill people that did not share HYDRA's view?"

"Yes I saw the reports. Zola's algorithm they called it." Coulson said.

"Well I created a similar algorithm to locate HYDRA, it is what tells me who is and is not HYDRA." Three said, "Though I would not recommend using it in a targeting system of a Helicarrier."

"Skye mentioned that you went to Russia to retrieve a serum that helped make you. Care to explain that?" Coulson asked after writing down what she said.

"It is called the Mastermind Serum, I believe you already know it's creator. Doctor Abraham Erskine." The name drop made Coulson do a double take.

"The doctor that created Captain America." Coulson said.

"Well before he created the super soldier serum, he created another serum. Sadly in it's raw form the serum drove the injected mad before killing them. The Nazi's loved using it in the concentration camps, this was after Erskine escaped to the US. Later the serum was shelved by HYDRA until in the 1980s one Doctor Vincent Vermonte found a way to inject people with it safely. He did this by breaking down the serum into five injections instead of one. Thus HYDRA opened project Mastermind, and I was one of its lab-rats."

"What does the serum do?" Coulson asked.

"Mostly it expands the mind and grants the person a genius level IQ. It also gives an Eidetic memory, and has the medical applications to restore a person's mind if damaged. That is only the first injection. The second, third, and fourth increase those abilities. However with each injection the serum becomes more volatile and life threatening. The fifth injection drives the person mad and eventually kills them. However I only brought the first injection, the others were destroyed. The first injection is the safest, and Fitz only needs the first to regain what Ward took." Coulson resumed writing. "I also have this..."

Three reached into her belt pouch and pulled out a computer drive. Holding it up she set it down in front of Coulson. The man picked it up regarding it carefully. "What is this?"

"Everything, it has the algorithm I use. It also has everything on me, and the Mastermind program. Figured you would want all the details since I would be asking for help." Three said as Coulson set down the drive.

"And what do you want?" Coulson asked.

"I told Skye I was mostly alone in Russia, I wasn't. I was with..." Three sighed as she trailed off, no one was going to believe her, "This is going to sound unbelievable, I was with James Buchanan Barnes. HYDRA: they held him for fifty-plus years. They made him into the Winter Soldier, they erased his memory, and had him kill people. When they didn't need him they froze him. After the Helicarrier incident he escaped and helped me in Russia. He saved my life more than once, but when we attacked the HYDRA facility in the Ural mountains we got separated..."

Three sighed trying to think clearly as she remembered wanting to find him. "It had been a week and with both HYDRA and the Avengers in the area, my allies could not find him. The longer they remained the more likely someone would notice them. They have called off the search, saying all evidence points to him being dead, but I refuse to give up."

Coulson looked at May, then back at her, it was just too unbelievable. The idea that James Barnes was alive just seemed too surreal. Another part of Coulson was geeking out about one of the Howling Commandos being alive. Sure he had read the reports, but it almost seemed unbelievable to the Director. Still he felt he had to ask. "How do we know you are telling the truth?"

Three unclipped her phone and slid her fingers over the screen then set the phone down in front of him. The image was of a very familiar face, pulled from history books and photographs. James Barnes was smirking at the camera, albeit he had longer hair and had not shaved recently, but it was still him. Coulson finally looked up at her after getting over his shock. "We will need some time to confirm everything you told us and go over the computer drive."

Three nodded, "Please just hurry. I want to find him."

* * *

 **March 19th, 2015**

 **The Playground SHIELD Base**

It was for many more hours that Three sat alone in the interrogation room waiting, as Coulson's team poured over the information, and eventually she dosed off on the bed in the corner. However sleep was not at all peaceful as she dreamt of HYDRA capturing Bucky and his memory being wiped. She jolted awake with a gasp as they froze him, only to see a young woman with brown hair. "Oh you are awake. Sorry I only came to leave you some healthy snacks."

The English accent was a dead giveaway. This was Jemma Simmons. Three merely nodded as she noticed the bag of snacks on the table. Sitting up she merely sat on the bed as she replied. "It's okay, I don't really like sleeping much anymore."

Three thought Simmons would leave then, but instead the SHIELD agent remained and peeked at the door before coming forward. "Is it true?"

"Is what true?" Three asked.

"That you knew Ward was a HYDRA agent, and you got the serum for Fitz?" Jemma asked, the question made Three look down at her hands ashamed.

"It is true," Three said softly then looked up at her, "I am sorry, I should have just killed him and saved you all a lot of heartache and Fitz would not be suffering because of me." There was a number of things Three expected from Simmons anger, hatred, tears; instead Simmons rushed forward and was hugging her? Three was certainly confused and hesitantly returned the hug.

"You didn't know Ward would remain loyal to HYDRA. It isn't your fault, what Ward did is on him. About an hour ago we tested the serum's properties and found you to be telling the truth. You wanting to help Fitz is the best news we have had in a long time. The drive you gave Coulson is proving to be true too. So soon I am sure Coulson will let you out and want to help you find James Barnes." As she spoke Jemma released her and stood, then Jemma smiled at Three, "And I promise to help you however I can."

"Thank you," Three said after a moment then swallowed, "I was not sure how I would be received, and I am sorry for my terrible timing. I had heard about Agent Triplett, I am sorry."

Jemma patted her arm. "Thank you, well I had best get going." With that Three was left alone again, but with a bit more encouragement that Coulson would help her find Bucky.

It was only a couple more hours before Coulson came back in with a note pad. The friendly smile was a nice change as he stepped forward. "We checked the data, the algorithm, everything. You certainly gave us a lot to go over. Since you put your trust in us, I am going to trust you. Walk with me."

Three got up and moved with Coulson out of the interrogation room, however some agents stopped to watch her carefully. "Why do I feel like I am on my way to the principal's office?"

"Mostly a number of agents are just worried about you being here. Katseye is not a fun name SHIELD remembers."

"But I did explain my actions." Three pointed out.

"You also kept vital intelligence from SHIELD about a known threat. That action cost lives." Coulson said coldly.

"And what exactly would you or everyone else here have preferred? Hmm? Me on the six o'clock news several years ago trying to warn SHIELD that they had an infestation? Would SHIELD have even listened? Think carefully before you or anyone here answers." Three said as they had slowed to stop in the corridor and were being watched by a number of agents.

"Obviously keeping it secret did not do any favours." Mack was the one to speak up, and so Three turned to face him, "Telling us could have prepared us for HYDRA."

"Or it could have gotten you killed faster."

"Says who?" Mack scoffed.

"Says one agent that died in my arms! Her name was Caroline Monroe. She went digging and HYDRA had one of its Strike team members shoot her in the back all because she was getting close to learning the truth." It was one way to shut this guy up was to point out how quickly HYDRA killed one of their own just for digging.

"Mack she has cleared, and knows more about how to eradicate HYDRA than anyone." Coulson replied, then led Three along to give her a tour of the Playground. Eventually he led her to his office where one Billy Koenig stood with a smile.

"Hello there Kat, I can call you Kat right?"

"Uh yeah, that fine."

"Oh good, well I am here to give you your lanyard for the base."

"I uhh do not think that is necessary I mean I doubt I will be let out of anyone's sight nor be allowed near any restricted areas." Three replied.

"Actually you will have the access of a level seven agent." Billy replied, so Three with a raised brow looked to Coulson with an expression that asked: 'Are you kidding me?'

"What can I say, him and his brother are sticklers for the lanyards." Coulson replied.

"Yeah I got that but _you_ are giving _me_ level seven clearance? Before I let this sink in I must ask: did you hit your head?" Three asked.

"Kat, you have been hunting HYDRA down longer than anyone in this base. We tested your algorithm for accuracy, and it is one-hundred percent accurate. I just lost a good agent to HYDRA, I need your help to take these bastards out. So yes you are being given level seven access, and I promise to help you find James Barnes." Coulson stated, then extended his hand, "Do we have a deal?"

Three licked her lips, "One condition, I help you take out HYDRA, we don't spare them. Sparing them was what got us into this mess in the first place."

"I know, and I am asking for your help because I do not intend to spare them. We already took out some of the leadership with a ruse but I get the feeling they are much larger than originally thought." At those words Three nodded.

"Then we have a deal." Three said shaking his hand, and so let Billy set her clearance level up. Hours later she was wandering the base with a lanyard. Mostly she kept to herself as she felt the other agents really did not care for her. She was given a locker where the overnight bag that she had brought with her had been put. She picked out some loose-fitting clothing to wear. She then headed down to the training area where May and Skye were working out. However she headed over to one of the treadmills to keep out of the way. In between matches Skye turned and smiled at her.

"Hey I see you got clearance. Welcome to SHIELD."

"I would not go that far Skye, I know I am as welcome here as a bad rash." Three said as she upped the program.

"Those agents can take it up with Coulson, the decisions been made." May said stiffly, then attacked Skye again. Three merely smiled as the two spared. She listened to the grunts as the two fought hard until Skye pinned May, then stopped.

"Not bad, but once I am pinned you should try for a finishing blow."

"You want full mortal combat?" Skye asked breathlessly as she bent over, and May got to her feet.

"I want you to stop holding back Skye."

"I didn't want to hurt you." Skye pointed out, Three kept silent as she ran not wanting to intrude on them any further than she was. "I feel like I am constantly on the verge of I don't know."

"Look we lost Trip, and it hurts like hell. But you can't shut those feelings out can't sustain that." May said.

"What's my other option? I just lose it right here?" Skye asked, and Three sighed.

"Holding it in is only going to make it worse." Three finally said, then peeked at the two looking at her. "Sorry, pretend I am not here."

Three continued running as the pair turned back to each other. "We talked about this," May pointed out, "Control, your emotions embrace them, use them on your terms."

"I don't know what I am feeling is pretty dark." Skye said, and Three peeked back but swallowed down the words. "I am afraid I am going to go postal and tear your head off."

"Go for it, I promise you won't." After a moment May added, "You know you are allowed to talk."

When Three looked up the SHIELD agent was looking right at her so Three sighed as she stopped the treadmill and stepped off. "Umm okay well Skye bottling up what you are feeling is never a good thing. You don't want to lose it in the field. You want to maintain control and use what you are feeling to the greatest advantage."

"You make it sound so easy."

"Yeah well it's not, I have to remain calm in any situation. I have to have a constant control over my emotions because if I lose myself for even a moment... I stop thinking straight and I make mistakes." Three admitted, "It is one of the side effects of the serum as you know. Luckily you do not have to hold such restraint, it would not benefit you." For a moment they both just watched her, so Three said, "Okay done giving my wisdom, zipping and locking it."

She made a gesture of zipping her mouth closed and tossing away the key, then she moved to another machine, and jumped when a new voice entered. "Maybe Skye needs a break."

Three turned to see a young man with light brown hair standing near one of the other machines. However it was May that spoke up. "Training is not a group activity."

"Yeah I just came down to...see what it's about."

"I tell you what Fitz, come back in an hour. I would be happy to show you what it's all about." May replied.

"I am fine Fitz. Really." Skye added, so Fitz left but kept looking back at Skye worried. The action got Three's attention as she watched him. Still this was the man she brought the serum for. "It would be pretty funny to see you and Fitz go—Oh okay I guess we are back on."

May had tried to hit Skye by surprise as the sparing lesson resumed. "And no holding back."

Three would have stuck around, but she wanted to actually speak to Fitz so she quietly left the room and rushed down the hall. She caught up to the man as he headed for the lab. "Fitz?"

The man turned and smiled faintly. "You—you're Kat."

"That is what most people call me." Three admitted.

"Thank you for... for... the uhhh the serum." That was when Three noticed it, Fitz had trouble with his speech, "It is good to finally... meet you in person."

"Yes you too," Three said then felt awkward, "I uhh am sorry about what happened to you, I should have taken Ward out. I am also sorry about Agent Tripett."

"Ne—ither was yeeer—your fault." Fitz said with a smile. With that Three walked with Fitz to the lab where they continued chatting and even met with Simmons.

* * *

 **March 20th, 2015**

 **The Playground**

Three tried to mostly stay out of everyone's way as Simmons set her up with a computer and she began using the software to set up a search pattern for Bucky. Coulson was kind enough to let her leave to retrieve some more clothes from home and reassure Aida. It was her second day of being with Coulson's group. However as she continued her search she could not help but notice the extra activity as Fitz and Simmons packed up some gear. She was not one-hundred percent sure, but it seemed they were going on a mission. She guessed if Coulson wanted her he would let her know. "Kat grab your gear. We are going to see how you do in the field."

 _'Speak of the devil,'_ Three thought as she spun the chair around, "What is it? Have you found a lead on HYDRA? Or Bucky?"

"Neither yet, but we have a situation and I need everyone. Besides this will be a good way to evaluate you for Field ops." Coulson said it casually.

"Alright," Three said standing and went to grab her gear. Ten minutes later and she was on the bus heading for Faro Portugal. Mostly she felt like the rookie as she looked around the 'bus' and got comfortable for the flight. However it hardly felt like a field op she was used to when Coulson and May left to visit the local police station. However when the pair returned with a dark haired woman Three was even more confused.

"Kat this is Lady Sif, she is not from around here."

"She is from Asgard, I know. Met Loki he mentioned her during the battle of New York." Three said remembering perfectly where and when she had heard the name spoken, "A pleasure to finally meet you Lady Sif. Everyone just calls me Kat."

Three already knowing about Sif seemed to surprise Coulson, but after pleasantries were traded the group huddled around the computers where Simmons explained that they were analysing a video from the beach frame by frame. The video was of Sif fighting an unknown man on the pier. Eventually Fitz mentioned that something mechanical was struck during the fight, and Three drew closer trying to see it better:

"Once we land, Fitz you go with Hunter and Mack handle forensics. I need you and Bobbi to talk to witnesses in the area." The second sentence directed at Skye, then he turned to Three. "Kat I think you know where you are best suited, so decide quickly what team you are with."

"Alright, I do not do too well with people so I will stick with you guys." Three said. The group headed out after Fitz mentioned some upgrades had been made to the icer guns, and Three stuck close as they visited the pier where Sif fought the strange man.

"My mind is that of an lost adolescent, I can provide no information of value." Sif admitted as Three looked around.

"Not totally true, judging by your clothes we know you were undercover. Probably something you learned after your last visit here. Your usual full armour look is a little more conspicuous."

"So you are saying I wear that armour most of the time?" Sif asked and Coulson nodded, "Does this mean I am a warrior?"

"A good one." May supplied.

"That should have been obvious from the video, Sif you were kicking this guy's ass." Three said making Sif smile at the complement.

"A great warrior." Sif seemed to like the sound of that.

"It is just details you are missing. You must remember things about your home world right?"

"Only basic lessons one would learn as a child." Sif admitted.

"So in other words it's selective..." Three said thinking.

"The name of your sword?" Coulson asked, but Sif could not recall it.

"What about Thor?" May asked, and Sif immediately smiled at the name.

"I do not know this word, but when you say it I want to smile." Sif admitted even blushing a little. "Why?"

"Who can explain the mysteries of the Asgardian mind?" Coulson asked.

"I can." May said with a smirk.

"Yes, yes every other woman on Earth seems to be in love with Thor." Three laughed shaking her head.

"Not everyone can have a Howling Commando, Kat." Coulson pointed out making her blush. She had not told him the relationship she had with Bucky, but apparently he guessed it. The knowing smile from both May and Coulson meant that they both guessed correctly.

"Okay back on topic here," Three said trying not to think of Bucky, "Selective memory loss would not be uncommon for blunt force trauma to the head, but we are talking about a well trained warrior from Asgard."

"Meaning?" Coulson asked.

"In the video she was struck but not in the head, the bump she has is probably from when he threw her off the pier. The device he struck her with in the stomach is the item in question. It gave off some sort of charge, or energy blast when it hit her."

"You think this device took my memories?" Sif asked, and Three nodded.

"Something tells me Lady Sif that the blow would have to be one hell of a lot harder to take memories. This took certain memories... basic life history, skills..." Three said.

"So you think the device this guy was wielding is key?" Coulson said.

"It's a theory, and a sound one." Three admitted. Coulson seemed to be impressed with her. After that they walked around the pier looking around and Three thought it a good time to call Aida for help on it as she walked with Sif and May. "Hey Aida I am forwarding a picture from SHIELD, I need you to run facial recognition software to find out who he is and locate him."

" _This man is not HYDRA,"_ Aida said after she got the image.

"No I know he isn't HYDRA, but I am assisting Coulson with another mission."

"Who is she talking to?" Sif asked as she and May turned back to look at Three.

"Aida she is a friend. An AI I created that is my friend. She helps me." Three said though the more she said, the sillier she sounded.

" _Are you telling them about me?"_ Aida asked _, "Put me on speaker so I can greet them."_

"Yeah I am," Three answered then put her on speaker, "Okay they can hear you now."

" _Hello! I am glad to hear Kat is working with you. I was worried you would lock her up when she came to you for help."_ Aida said.

"Well you need not worry about that." May replied.

"What help?" Sif asked looking at Three.

"Help in finding a friend, though that can wait we are helping you now, Lady Sif." Three answered. "Anything yet Aida?"

" _No match whatsoever on the man. Though Facebook recorded his fight with a brunette on the pier not far from your location."_

"That would be Lady Sif." Three said.

" _Unfortunately there is nothing else to go on, no priors, no IDs...this man is like you Kat."_ Three sighed thinking that this news was not good.

"Alright keep searching, I will be in touch." Three said hanging up. The trio walked further along as Sif and May talked of serving a king, or more importantly talked of serving Odin. Until Coulson got their attention with an older man that recognized Sif. The man spoke of the assailant stealing liquid nitrogen.

" _Sir,"_ Simmons voice came over the comms, _"_ _The boys were right it definitely wasn't blood."_

" _What are we talking about?"_ Mack asked joining in the conversation.

" _It was liquid nitrogen. The post was frozen solid. The man must have been carrying a supply and Sif must have damaged it."_ Jemma said.

"So that is what he needed the tank valves for, to repair it." Coulson stated.

"Why carry nitrogen?" May asked.

"Might have needed it for fuel, or a weapon."

"If he is alien he might have needed it to breathe." May suggested.

"Not breathe," Sif answered, "Only seven known intelligent species across the known realms requires high levels of nitrogen gas, non-humanoid." The look Coulson gave her made her state, "I learned this as a child did you not?"

"We don't exactly have other alien species here much." Three replied, "So he is using it to look human, explains why Aida can't ID him." Just then Coulson's phone rang, it was Bobbi. From the direction of the conversation it sounded like the guy they were after was at the hospital to get his fix of liquid nitrogen. Immediately Three contacted Aida. "Aida can you do me a favour use cameras in and around the hospital, and run facial recognition based off the picture I sent. If he leaves please track him."

When she hung up Coulson had already hung up and was just looking at her. "What?"

"Nothing I am just realising how you kept ahead of us all these years." Coulson replied as he put away his phone. The group headed for the hospital but by the time they got there the man was gone and both Bobbi and Skye needed to have their injuries checked. So the group rendezvoused back on the bus where Three sat by Skye.

"Simmons is attending to Bobbi, she is going to be okay." Coulson said coming into the area.

"The guy was blue. Like he just had some Willie Wonka gum blue and needed nitrogen to turn his skin pink." Skye said.

"Great so we are hunting an angry mean Smurf." Three replied.

"Do you think he is a Kree?" Skye asked, and Three frowned she had no clue what they were talking about but both looked to Sif.

"You told me last year the Kree had not visited our realm." Coulson said.

"If the Kree came to your world unannounced I would assume he is up to no good." Sif said.

"It attacked Bobbi and Skye so that is a yes." Coulson said as Skye got off the table she was sitting on.

"Yeah the guy throws a mean punch."

"Let's assume you were here to stop him. That still doesn't explain what he is doing here."

"No, but knowing he is Kree helps. Kava for example, I thought it was a name, it is a Kree word."

"You also learn entire languages as a child?" Coulson asked sceptically.

"I learned seven-teen by the age of nine—ish." Three said nonchalantly making Coulson smile at her.

"Kava means keys. A device used to-"

"Yeah I know keys." Coulson said not needing an explanation. "It's something. Let's look into it."

As Coulson opened a laptop Three raised her hand and Skye laughed a little gaining Coulson's attention and a funny look.

"Really?" He asked.

"What is a Kree?" Three asked dropping her hand.

"A blue alien Smurf." Skye replied getting Three to shake her head.

"Oh boy! Coulson I am used to fighting HYDRA and ones like them: not blue aliens." Three said feeling a bit out of her comfort zone.

"True but I wanted to see how you do with us, so consider this your test." Coulson said making Three sigh as she turned and pulled out her tablet to begin searching as Sif thanked Skye for engaging her enemy. Meanwhile Three started up her own tablet and got a message from Aida.

"Looks like Aida was able to track the guy heading east out of town, but lost him shortly after. I also am having her check up on the nurse he zapped and..." Three trailed off as she looked over the file and looked beyond angry.

"And what?" Three looked up at Coulson.

"And it looks like I will fail your test." She handed over the notepad that held information on the nurse. Saying this hit a sore spot for Three was a vast understatement as she quickly walked away. She would help hunt down the blue bastard, but whether he would still be breathing by the time she was done was another question. After that she set to work looking for anything regarding keys with the group but was unusually quiet as she heard them in the background.

"Wait look at this." May stated showing the notepad to Coulson.

"Chaves a city known for it's sedimentary basin, I don't-"

"Guess what Chaves means in English?" May asked.

"Let me guess, Keys."

"Bingo." Three stated, "and according to old records of HYDRA's Chaves was mentioned as a dig site back in World War Two."

"How did-" Coulson started.

"Your latest mission when Skye called me it involved Whitehall, he had a dig site in Chaves. I had researched him in the hopes of killing him one day." Three explained.

"That was where he first uncovered the Obelisk back in 1945."

"That is where the Kree was heading. That was where I was chasing him. That was my mission." Sif said confidently.

"Then that is where we have to go." Coulson said.

* * *

 **Author's Notes:**

 **First off thank you all for the lovely reviews. I am glad you enjoyed the last chapter. I will also try to start posting twice a week to hopefully eventually catch up to the movies.**

 **As for this chapter I am sure you Agents of SHIELD fans can guess which episode Three is involved in. Way back when I saw this episode I thought this would be a fantastic point for Three to start working with Coulson's team. I also tried to get the SHIELD agents reactions right. While the more prominent members such as Coulson, May, Skye, Simmons, and Fitz have had dealings with Three before; the others have not. So there is a lack of trust. Besides some SHIELD agents simply remember too easily that Three was wanted by SHIELD. Thus ones like Mack do not like the fact that she is there. Bobbi also might be wary too or at least shares Mack's concern. Hunter? I don't imagine he cares one way or another. Also the fact that Three came to them and did not hold anything back spoke volumes. Hence they are willing to form an alliance, and Coulson is giving her this test.**

 **Plus she also gets to meet Lady Sif!**

 **Anyway please let me know what you think of this chapter by leaving a review.**

 **Lesliezin**


	33. Welcome to SHIELD

****Hello everyone,****

 ** **Here is Chapter 33, enjoy.****

* * *

 ** **March 20**** ** **th**** ** **, 2015****

 ** **Chaves****

"Then that is where we have to go." Coulson said and they rose to get ready. Skye asked to sit this one out. Thus Kat was asked to suit up and join them when they headed for the dig-site. By the time they arrived they surrounded the guy who had pulled out a large crate from the caves. As he was hostile they ended up tasering him with an electrified net. It was a lot easier than Three imagined it would be and so she wondered if it were always this easy with a group of people. Coulson led her into the interrogation room on the bus where they had him locked up. She joined Sif and Coulson there but was more inclined to beat him within an inch of his life.

"I am here to help." The Kree said, making Three glare at him harder as Sif paced around him.

"Is that why you attacked me, Kree?" Sif asked equally disgusted.

"You were the one who attacked. I had to take your memory to keep you from tracking me."

"And Rosalie Montano?!" Three asked glaring, "Was she going to 'track you'?" Three said coming forward and slamming the notepad down in front of him. On it was the nurse's Facebook page, "According to her Facebook page she is engaged to be married in a couple of weeks and has a four year old daughter! Was she such a threat to you that you just had to rob her of her memories?! So she does not even recognise her own daughter?!"

The Kree was looking down at the information on the notepad as Sif glared at him. "My mission-"

"I do not give a shit about your damn mission Smurf! You took a woman's life away in the worst possible way! To be forgotten is worse than death, so you better pray to whatever deity you worship that what you did is reversible or Sif and I are going to take turns beating you to death with your own weapon!"

"Kat, that's enough." Coulson's voice was warning her to back off.

"Look I apologise for offending you, and for what I did. I can prove I am not a threat, and that I am here to help. Bring me my truncheon."

"How very Kree, he needs a weapon to prove a point." Sif said.

"I am with Sif on this one, we give him his weapon he'll try to use it on all of us." Three said crossing her arms.

"My truncheon can restore her memory, and the nurse's. Would that not be a gesture of my noble intentions?"

"I will consider it once we are sure that thing does what you says it does. Do you have a name?" Coulson asked.

"Ven'tak, and I will earn your trust." Making Three scoff.

"You will only earn that when you return what you stole from that nurse and Sif." Three said disgusted, then left the interrogation room. She was sick of being in the same room with him and needed a good strong drink so she headed for the bar. She poured herself a drink and slammed it back before pouring another to sip to help calm her down.

"Well you were particularly aggressive, wanna talk about it?" Coulson asked when he came from the interrogation room. Why did Coulson let her go off the rails with the Kree? Three did not know, maybe he stepped back because he knew this was a sensitive subject. He only intervened when she threatened to kick the Kree's ass.

"I told you I would fail your test." Three said flatly.

"The mission is not over yet," Coulson pointed out as he shrugged, "So what is it?" Three took another swig before turning to face Coulson and Sif.

"You read my file Coulson. Everyday HYDRA loved telling myself and the other five test subjects that we did not exist and would be forgotten. Until our greatest fear became being forgotten. I am angry because the four year old daughter and the fiancée of that nurse will have to face that." Three said, then gave a humourless laugh, "There is also the other reason I am so pissed off. I did not just get the Mastermind serum for Fitz. For years I was trying to get it before HYDRA's big reveal. I became close to Peggy Carter, and knew that with her dementia she would one day forget me. I just hate people forgetting, and the thought that this monster can do it with a vile weapon and still claim to be some kind of good person disgusts me!"

Coulson nodded, now understanding just how this particular mission was hitting home for her. "Okay I get it, when this is done he is going to give back Miss Montano's memories one way or another."

"He will reverse what he did to both of us Lady Kat." Sif added, though adding lady to her name made Three smile a little. Finishing her drink, the bus was soon landing back at the Playground. Where they brought the Kree into one of the basement rooms. From what they had discovered the truncheon only seemed to work for the Kree, not a comforting thought. Again Three found herself in a room with the Kree, Sif, May, Coulson and Skye. Apparently Coulson was intent on having her close by to evaluate her.

"Tell us how the truncheon works Kree." Sif demanded with Three still glaring at him.

"The Kree has a name, and that only works in my hand."

"Hmm that's convenient." May said, as Three silently agreed.

"It has a dial on the bottom." The second the Kree moved closer to Coulson Three was reaching for her weapon, but the Kree was faster. He kicked the truncheon out of Coulson's hand, flipped, caught it, and hit Sif with it. Then he dropped it as four guns were aimed at him. "Sorry the argument was going nowhere."

"You back with us?" Coulson asked.

"Yes, my memories have returned. I am Lady Sif of Asgard friend of the SHIELD." From there she punched the Kree.

"Good shot Sif." Three said as Coulson moved to keep the two separate.

"Asgardian, well that explains a lot." The Kree said.

"It is true we do not trust Kree." Sif stated.

"For obvious reason I can see." Three said still aiming her gun as she stood next to Skye.

"That is why I am here. When Heimdell saw that one landed on your world, Odin charged me with retrieving him."

"So you came to pick a fight."

"Actually from my perspective you have no business on Earth. You came picking the fight first." Three said.

"Regardless we know enough about Kree history to be concerned." Sif added.

"Let me guess, they don't play well with others? Are they the bullies in the playground?" Three asked.

"Yes, I suppose those terms suffice." Sif answered.

"Well if you know enough about Kree history then you know about Terrigenesis." The Kree answered.

"Of course Ancient Kree descending on planets, altering the inhabitants to fight their war."

"So in other words the Kree are a bunch of pussies that are too afraid to fight their own damn battles." Three replied.

"Well Earth was one of them." The Kree said, suddenly Three did not like where this was going.

"Blue angels that fell from the sky." Skye mumbled getting Three to look at her for a moment then back to Sif.

"Eons ago the Kree waged a very long war. The casualties were high, and they needed more soldiers."

"You mean cannon fodder." May added.

"We needed killers!" The Kree said.

"Because heaven forbid your people get their blue hands dirty." Three pointed out, however the Kree continued regardless.

"One vicious faction amongst the Kree genetically modified other creatures DNA. These modifications can be activated with terrogen crystals."

"We know these torturous experiments failed." Sif pointed out.

"Not on Earth," The Kree said and Three felt a shiver run down her spine as she peaked at Skye. Before she arrived she knew they went into a hidden city to stop HYDRA, "Here we had to shut them down. Here they built a city, they brought the Diviners that hold the crystals. Their plans were discovered and thwarted by the better of my kind. Putting an end to that dark chapter of our past."

"Until now." Skye said.

"When I saw an ancient signal had been triggered, I knew it had to be a diviner. If the Kree empire learned that these experiments were a success, they would be likely to renew them."

"Why did you come here?" Skye asked.

"These transformed beings are abominations, I knew I had to find the remainder of the diviners before another atrocity occurred and erase any knowledge of it." Coulson looked down at the truncheon.

"How many diviners are suppose to be in the crate?" May asked.

"Enough to create an army." The Kree answered.

" _Sir the crate is empty."_ Simmons voice came into the room through the speaker.

"My worst fear has come true. We must find the remaining diviners and anyone who is transformed."

"We drowned the city where the diviners are activated so that is a plus." Coulson stated.

"I don't think HYDRA has them. Whitehall was pretty determined to get that one from the military, meaning outside party?" Three pointed out with a shrug of her shoulders.

"Most likely," Coulson said, "and we do know the woman that was changed."

"So someone was transformed into a Kree slave warrior. Have you put it down?" Sif asked, though saying that made it sound like the transformed was some mindless animal.

"No, she disappeared." May said.

"What do you know of her?" Sif asked.

"We don't know much about Raina's transformation, but Skye witnessed it but didn't see much." Coulson said and so Three like everyone else looked to Skye for answers.

"You were there, what did you see?" Sif asked.

"I didn't—I mean nothing." Skye said, and Three noticed how she was getting nervous.

"Were there others with you? The changes may not be on the surface but buried within. You must understand these creatures are weapons, abominations. Even if they don't know it."

"Well they are also human beings! You had better have a way to reverse it, and not kill them because I do not harm innocent people!" Three stated firmly.

"I-" The Kree stopped short as the room began shaking and Three frowned.

"Son of Coul what is this?" Sif asked, but now Three peeked over at Skye. She was with Raina when changed meaning—' _Oh shit!'_

"Skye? You want to talk to us?" May asked, Coulson slowly moved closer not wanting to believe just yet that she was causing this.

"Skye, what's doing this?"

"I am." Skye admitted, and the moment Sif reached for her Three stepped in to block her. "Don't!" Skye moved away as she began to panic more and then the glass behind her shattered. Three immediately moved to keep the Kree and Sif from Skye and Coulson was right next to her.

"Hand her over." Sif said, "I will take her to Asgard it will be safer for all of you."

"We will do no such thing." Coulson said.

"The weapon has been activated, it needs to be eliminated before it hurts someone!" The Kree said.

"Funny I was saying the same damn thing about you blue boy!" Three replied.

"Skye is not a weapon."

"Coulson no one is saying Skye chose this, but she is dangerous." Sif stated.

"I don't want to be this way." Skye added.

"We will find a way to help you Skye," Three said peeking back at her fellow hacker, then looked ahead at the Kree and Sif, "but she is not going anywhere with either of you."

"Imagine what will happen if your powers grow, it may not stop at breaking glass. You could bring down buildings, tear continents apart." Sif pointed out.

"Right and she would not be able to do that on Asgard hmm? Amongst strangers the might just I don't know put her down? Was that not what you asked about with Raina?" Three asked.

"This is different." Sif said.

"I can get a handle on it." Skye said.

"That is not what you were designed for, you were designed to destroy. Which is why you must be put down." The Kree said.

"Yeah well that sounds an awful lot like killing to me." Fitz's voice sounded behind them.

"And in the case of who would die first I say blue boy would be put down first." Three added.

"This is not either of your concern." The Kree was as dumb as he looked. May grabbed Skye and headed for the door as Coulson trained both his guns on Sif and the Kree.

"Fitz we need Vimbino. You want her, you go through me!" Three aimed her own guns at the Kree and Sif.

"Kat go with them!"

"Ya sure about this Coulson?" Three asked peeking at Coulson.

"I've handled worse, go!" Three immediately ran off after May, Skye, and Fitz. She was catching up as she ran. Soon she saw Simmons outside the lab.

"Jemma which way?"

"Skye and May went that way towards the holding cells." Three stopped short looking back in the direction she came. She knew that Skye just needed time to calm down, so she would buy her more time. Turning around she stood waiting then peeked at Jemma "You might want to seek shelter."

A moment later Mack, Hunter, and Bobbi showed up. "Turbo said the Kree and Sif are gonna try to take Skye away?"

"Yeah that is basically it." Three stated, it was then the Kree showed up.

"Your friend Skye is an atrocity, and I must go put an end to this."

"We'll decide what she is, but for now you're not going anywhere." Mack said

"This is not your fight." The Kree said.

"You're on our planet blue, you don't know how wrong that statement is." Three said, it was then Mack punched the Kree, but when he punched back Mack slid across the floor down the hall. Next Hunter went to punch him but got knocked against the wall and knocked out. "I guess we're on tag-team." Three grumbled as Bobbi pulled her batons, and Three pulled her wrist daggers.

Immediately the Kree charged them and the pair traded blows with the alien. However as they fought, Three did not see him pull the truncheon. "Kat! Watch out!"

Those words came too late as the thing hit her, and Three was knocked to the ground. A surge of energy passed through her as all of her memories flashed through her head in a painfully fast replay, but then nothing. Three winced in pain as the truncheon would leave a nasty bruise, but she gasped. _'My memories!'_ Three knew the Kree device took memories, wait shouldn't that be gone too? Blinking she realized that she remembered the acute heart wrenching pain she felt when the HYDRA base in Russia blew, and the dread that Bucky might still be inside! Her memories were not gone! The truncheon only brought all the memories back to the surface. It felt like hours she lay there but it was only mere seconds as she shook off the dizziness and got to her feet.

The Kree had Bobbi pinned against the wall. "You knew you couldn't stop me-"

That was when Three ran jumped and kicked him in the side of the head knocking him away from Bobbi. "Kat?" Bobbi asked shocked.

"That hurt, asshole!" Three said, deciding that was enough games she was going to kill the blue bastard for attempting to steal her memories.

"What are you?!" The Kree asked shocked, then something seemed to dawn to him, "You are one of them." Three raised a brow as if to ask 'Really?!' However rather than freak everyone out Three merely shrugged.

"Ya missed pal!" Three said, but as he went to lunge for them Fitz showed up with Vimbino and shot him sending him sliding across the floor. Where Bobbi forced the truncheon to be used on him. "Good he needed a taste of his own medicine." Three grumbled as she leaned against the wall rubbing her side where the device hit her.

"He hit you, I saw it." Bobbi stated, and Three shivered the old memories now pulled to the surface in a painful effect meant Three could only shake her head.

"I—I am gonna go check on Skye and May." Three said as she moved down the hall and felt dizzy as the hall tilted at an odd angle. She pressed along it as she moved trying to regain control of her mind.

" _THREE!"_ Six's voice made Three grip her head as pain shot through her skull.

" _I want you because you understand, because you are the only dame that will ever understand!"_ Bucky's voice made her want to cry. There were many other voices from her past, then they faded at least for the moment allowing Three to move down to the holding cells to find Skye unconscious, and Sif standing down.

"It's okay Kat, we're good." Coulson said as he holstered his gun, and May looked over Skye carefully. If only she was good, the truncheon did not take her memories, but it did bring things back to the surface. She still stumbled which got Coulson's attention.

"If.. we're good... why is the room still spinning?" Three asked, then everything went black. The last thing she remembered was Coulson calling out.

"Kat!"

* * *

 **March 20th, 2015**

 **The Playground**

After waking up on a cot to the sight of a concerned Simmons, Three just wanted fresh air and time to think on her own. There was little argument considering the current state of the base. Rather than admit to resisting the Kree's weapon, Three claimed she merely hit her head in the fight. Her mind was still jumbled and did not react the same way, but at least Bobbi did not press the issue. In truth Coulson confiscated the weapon and a imprint of the Kree's hands replicating it so that an agent could take the device and restore the nurse's memories. However Three was simply glad the memory-less Kree would be gone soon with Sif's help. She sat outside the hanger with a bottle of water and a pair of dark glasses on. The light was hurting her eyes and she felt like she had a nasty hangover. It took time for her mind to clear. When the painful throbbing stopped and the pulled memories faded back into the depths of her mind, Three breathed a sigh of relief. She eventually stood and re-entered the hanger to find Sif in full Asgardian armour with the Kree, May, and Coulson.

"Kat you okay?" Coulson asked.

"Yeah just a huge headache." Three replied, then looked to Sif, "It was a pleasure to finally meet you Lady Sif. Be sure to give Loki the birdie for me."

"Birdie? I do not know what that is."

"It's a rude gesture, if you prefer and are so inclined you could instead give him a really hard kick between the legs. Ensure he can't have children." Three suggested.

"I am afraid that is not possible. Prince Loki died redeeming himself when he gave his life to protect Thor."

"Oh thank god," Three replied relieved then added bitterly, "Sorry but you will have to excuse me if I do not mourn his passing."

"You speak as though you have a personal grievance with him." Sif pointed out concerned, "What is it?"

"It—it no longer matters if he is dead. At least he cannot come back and do it again." Three said not wanting to talk about it. May seemed to catch on that this was a private matter.

"Come on Phil, we'll go wait in the car."

Both Three and Sif watched the two agents and Kree walk away before Sif asked, "Please if he did something I should report it to my king."

Looking down ashamed Three sighed. "It was after the battle of New York. I had encounter Loki on the roof, and managed to kick him off. Later I went home to get cleaned up, I was not in the shower five minutes when suddenly Loki was there. He...assaulted me."

"He forced himself on you?!" Sif asked shocked and horrified.

"It felt so real, then he spoke of coming back to have me. I learned it was not really real, he was in my head." Three continued shakily.

"He mentally attacked you." Sif said, and Three nodded.

"I think he did it just to trick and scare me. He is the god of mischief after all. I know it isn't the same as a real assault, but when you cannot forget anything it's..." Three trailed off trying to find the correct word.

"An atrocity! Regardless of it being real or mentally done it is still traumatic, Lady Kat."

Three looked up a bit stunned part of her did not think Sif would believe her. "So you believe me?"

"Of course Lady Kat, that and besides Thor regaled us with tales of the battle of New York. He spoke of how after the battle Loki had mentally attacked someone, and that someone retaliated. Obviously now we know who resisted Loki." This knowledge made Three relax a little as Sif placed a hand on her shoulder. "While Loki cannot be punished for his crime against you, I will inform my king of the incident. No doubt recompense must be paid for Loki's crime."

"Actually it is just a relief to know he can never mentally or physically assault me again." Three replied.

"Of course," Sif said, then added. "It was a pleasure to meet you Lady Kat. May your future battles be glorious, and that you find your Howling Commando."

"You as well Lady Sif." Three said as they shook hands and Sif got into the truck. Soon they drove off, and Three used her lanyard on the scanner letting herself back inside. She had considered just going to bed, but instead started helping the group clean up the broken glass. At first everyone was just quietly cleaning up, and Three was glad for it because she still had one hell of a headache.

However the silence did not last as Fitz tried to apologise to Simmons for not telling her about Skye. Gradually the voices became raised. "Skye is my friend. She is different."

"Oh yeah like I was your friend, then I changed. How did you handle that?" Fitz asked.

"The point is secrets don't help any of us. Skye should have just come clean." Mack stated.

"What so she could be locked up, studied, or who knows what else? No I wouldn't let her."

"Oh you wouldn't let her." Simmons said.

"We could have handled her in a way that would have been safe."

"It wasn't fair to us Fitz." Bobbi pointed out.

"Oh? And locking her up because you're afraid of her that is fair?!" Three finally had to weigh in, "You are suppose to be her friends! You are suppose to be looking out for each other, yet the moment something happens you turn so easily on each other. Simmons talked of eradicating a plague, you Mack talk of handling her like she is fine China, and sorry to burst your bubble but everyone has secrets. Things they would rather lock away because having it surface is more painful! You want to know why it was kept a secret and I am not mad at Fitz at all? Because of this right here right now. Where your friendship goes out the window because Skye has changed, and you're all too afraid to stand by her."

"Kat we still had a right to know." Bobbi said.

"A right to know? What like the Kree and Sif had a right to know?" Fitz asked.

"I think this situation is a little different mate." Hunter pointed out.

"No! You would have done to her exactly as they wanted."

"You don't know that!" Simmons pointed out.

"No I do know that! Mack just said it, you would 'handle' her like like Skye is something to be locked away in a cage somewhere! We should be protecting her!" Fitz stated.

"No Fitz, we need protection from her!"

"Oh yeah you are a true friend then Mack! Never mind Skye being in your lives all this time...earth quake powers? You run away!" Three yelled, however Mack was now looking towards the entrance as was everyone else and she turned to see Skye standing there hurt by the conversation. Skye didn't bother to stick around she had a bag on her shoulder and was moving down the hall. Three threw them a nasty glare before following Fitz out to talk to Skye, but instead Fitz stood in the hall alone.

Coming closer she placed a reassuring hand on Fitz's shoulder and he turned to look at her. "Thank you for b—backing me up."

"No problem, how is Skye? Did you get to speak to her?" Three asked, but Fitz shook his head. He looked saddened that Skye had not wanted to talk to him. "It's okay Fitz, this is a lot for her and to have some of her friends turning against her...she probably just wants to be alone for a bit. It's not you."

Fitz nodded then peeked back at the room where the others were still cleaning, neither one really wanted to go back in there. "Come on we will go get a drink, and wait for Coulson and May to get back."

Strangely Fitz did not argue as he really did not want to argue with Simmons anymore. Three gently guided him down the hall to the lounge and got him a drink, the pair came to sit on the couch and were quietly drinking some beers. "Why did you stick up for me?"

Three had been about to take a drink when Fitz asked the question, but now she lowered her drink and stared down at it. "Because the moment the Kree explained why he was there all he talked of was destroying those effected by these crystals, and I saw Skye getting more and more nervous. Didn't take much to realize that she had been affected. However even before catching on, I knew that his solution to the problem was wrong. Raina was a major pain in the ass, but that doesn't mean she deserves to die for what she has become."

"Yeah, but you defended me for hiding the truth." Fitz pointed out.

"Because you saw it correctly, you saw how everyone would react to Skye changing." Three said taking a drink of her coke then continuing, "I was there when this group first formed when you were investigating Mike Peterson. I may not have been physically there for every mission, or been able to help in every situation; but that did not mean I wasn't there. Before Russia I would not have considered coming here, even now I feel like I do not belong. But I do know this: Skye deserves more than to be locked away, she fought hard to be here harder than anyone here."

The two would have continued drinking in silence but they had not heard Coulson or May enter, only the order Coulson gave. "Kat, my office, now."

Three sighed as she set down her coke. "Well looks like I did fail Coulson's test." She mumbled to Fitz and followed Coulson to his office with May trailing behind them.

Coulson went behind his desk and for some reason Three thought he did not look pleased, so she started first. "Okay, I get I do not fit with your team. I failed your test, no need to rub it in."

"You didn't fail." Coulson said with the beginnings of a smile.

"We can still help each other out, I will just do it at a distance and—wait did you just say I didn't fail?" Three asked as his words caught her off guard. The calm smile grew a little as Coulson watched her.

"Got you didn't I?" Coulson asked, then looked at May, "I honestly tried to look angry, I did."

"Okay I am confused here, I thought I failed miserably here." Three said looking between the pair.

"Actually you succeeded extremely well," Coulson replied looking back at her and May had a pleased look too. However Three only looked more confused, so Coulson explained his logic. "You showed compassion and a fierce protectiveness towards a woman you didn't even know. Because of you we corrected what the Kree did to Rosalie Montano and she has her memories back. You also showed an unexpected loyalty towards protecting Skye despite learning of her change. You can be blunt, outspoken, and violent but you also showed that we can trust you and you will always do the right thing. Will we clash on some issues? Yes, but like with Mack I value people that can think for themselves."

"Wow," Three said shocked, then added. "Well this is unexpected, so what does this mean now?"

"You would make a perfect agent, but I doubt that is what you are looking for. You work best independently, but regardless you are going to keep your level seven clearance as an agent of SHIELD. As promised we will help you find Bucky."

"Considering recent events it looks like you have your hands full, Coulson." Three pointed out, as much as she wanted his help she also knew he had more pressing concerns.

"Something I am hoping you can help me with. We help each other out as we agreed." The deal still stood and Three could not help but feel relief at knowing they would help her to find Bucky. Nodding Coulson relaxed before continuing. "Now all that remains is some details, Bobbi said you and she engaged the Kree until Fitz hit him with Vimbindo, and-"

Three felt she knew where this was going so she cut him off. "I lied."

Coulson looked to May, then back at her wanting her to elaborate. "This cannot leave this room. I have seen how members of your team are reacting to Skye, so this stays between us."

"Alright." Coulson said confused.

"In Bobbi's future report she will most likely mention me getting hit by the Kree device, I lied when I said he missed and I had hit my head. He did hit me with it, but it didn't erase my memories it just brought all my memories to the surface. It hurt like hell too. All I can guess is the serum protected me from losing my memories. Hence my passing out for a bit there." For a moment Coulson sat there stunned as did May. That Kree weapon was used on an Asgardian to erase Sif's memories yet it didn't work on her?

"Well that explains you falling unconscious earlier. Are you okay?" Coulson finally asked.

"Yeah just suffering a headache and random memories springing up like daisies in my head."

"Okay let us know if it gets worse, you might need to be checked over by Simmons." Coulson said.

"Okay, but aside from Skye and Fitz, I really want this kept under wraps."

"For now I think that is best. Everyone is still recovering from the news about Skye, no need to shock everyone that you were immune to a Kree weapon." Coulson said, "For now you might want to take a few days to recover from the jumbled memories. We will need you at one-hundred percent."

With that Three was dismissed and returned to the lounge with Fitz who looked up worried. "How did it go?"

"I actually passed his test, still cannot believe it either." Three said as she retook her seat by Fitz.

"Well," Fitz raised his beer in a toasting gesture, "Welcome to SHIELD, Kat." Three laughed a little and picked up her own beer clinking the bottles together and taking a drink.

* * *

 **March 29th, 2015**

 **New York**

After visiting Skye and reassuring her, Three left to recover. Her memories kept popping up at random often so real that it caused an emotional reaction. She of course left a phone for Coulson, Fitz, and Skye before she left. Over the course of the next couple days the Kree weapon's effect faded and her mind calmed down so that Three could resume her search for Bucky and research Skye's blood results forwarded by Fitz. Sadly trying to find a way to help Skye or find Bucky were proving unsuccessful. To make matters worse, Three woke one late night and ended up throwing up. She had caught some sort of stomach bug that was latching on and not going away. Hence her not returning to the Playground base.

Three heard about the incident involving Skye's father and the damage Skye sustained by trying to hold in her powers. Sadly Skye was taken off of active duty and taken to a hidden location. Luckily the SHIELD hacker kept the off network phone, allowing Aida to track her, and Three even hacked in to contact Skye.

Suffice to say Skye was not expecting a video call from Three when she answered and saw her. "Kat, how did-"

"Like you Skye I am very good at getting in where I am not suppose to, that and you took the phone I gave you so I tracked you." This got Skye smiling.

"Coulson said you stepped out to resume your search for Barnes."

"I did, but I also heard about your dad causing trouble. I heard you were injured. How are you doing?" Three asked.

"My powers caused all kinds of hairline fractures according to Simmons." To make her point she held up her gloved arms.

"Ouch! Still fractures are better then full on broken bones. Those suckers take months." Three said leaning back in her chair.

"When did you end up with broken bones?" Skye asked.

"File remember? Tried to swan dive off the Nanjing Bridge?"

"Oh yeah, I forgot about that part." Skye said, "So I doubt you called to hang with the invalid."

"You are not an invalid, Skye. Besides would you prefer me to go old school and hack SHIELD's systems to find out how you are doing?" Three asked.

"I don't think Coulson would like that. Besides you must be busy looking for Barnes."

"Not so busy that I won't help out, I agreed to help Coulson. Currently Aida is running the search for Barnes while I look for avenues of reversing this ability you got. Both endeavours are failing miserably though."

"So it can't be reversed." Skye replied looking disappointed.

"Doesn't mean I am giving up yet. It just means finding the answer is taking longer." Three said not wanting to discourage Skye.

"Well I appreciate the call anyway." Skye said softly.

"Yeah well keep this conversation between us. I am not suppose to know where you are nor be able to contact you. Also keep that phone close, and if you need me call me. I'll come running." Three said earning another smile from Skye, then they wished each other a goodnight. Shortly after she left Aida to continue the search while she slept some, but hours later woke to find her stomach bug proved unrelenting. She came out of the bathroom deciding she slept enough and headed back down to her computers to work.

"Perhaps you should have a physical performed by Simmons, Kat?" Aida suggested. "Perhaps she could proscribe some antibiotics to fight off this stomach bug."

"I will see about it, but for now..." Three trailed off when she noticed her access to the SHIELD network cut, "Aida when did the SHIELD connection cut?"

"Apologies I only just noticed it."

"Only just? Aida what have you been doing?" Three asked.

"I was performing the searches, and running simulations on the results of Skye's blood." Aida said.

"Neither of which is so distracting that you would fail to notice communications cut with SHIELD. What is going on Aida?" Three asked trying to re-establish a connection.

"I was also running simulations of the HYDRA base in Russia and the chances Barnes escaped alive." Aida admitted, making Three smile.

"Awe Aida why didn't you say so? Well the results must be good right? What are they?"

"Actually, the results are not in any way good. In fact the probability that he escaped before the facility blew is extremely low." Aida said, "It is why I did not mention the simulation. I am sorry." For a moment Three was really quiet as she thought of what this could mean. In truth she didn't want to think about this, the simulation had to be wrong or off. However instead her phone began ringing bringing her back to the present. It was Coulson.

"Hey Coulson this isn't-"

" _I need your help, Kat."_

Sighing shakily, Three decided to shelve the issue of Bucky for later. "Alright what is it? And does it have something to do with your communications being down?"

" _It does actually. The Playground has been taken by those claiming to be the 'real' SHIELD. Hunter and I are holed up where I brought Skye but she was taken by well I am sending the video to you."_ There was a beep as Three received a secure video link and she opened it to find Bobbi, and another agent attacking Skye in a wooded area. However when the agent fired on her Skye used her powers. The power at Skye's fingertips was not what concerned Three it was the fact that the agent did not fire an icer, but an actual gun! A moment later a man teleported in and took Skye.

"What do you need me to do?" Three asked.

" _I need you to suit up and meet up with an old friend, then meet us here."_ Coulson said as she received the text message of the location to meet this old friend.

"No need to send me your location, I already have it." Three said knowing he would have text her it otherwise. "Your phone is easily traced." Three explained, "We'll be there in a couple of hours."

Three hung up, and grabbed her gear heading for the rendezvous location outside the city at an old abandoned gas station in the middle of nowhere. Hence how she was found waiting outside her car fully suited for some unknown individual to show. "You are the one I am suppose to meet?"

The voice sounded familiar as Three turned to find a scarred Mike Peterson standing there with obvious upgrades and new gear. His appearance stunned her for a moment having thought the poor man dead. Instead he looked like a cyborg. "Hello Mike, a pleasure to finally meet you in person."

"You know me?" Mike asked confused.

"We communicated on the bus when I sent messages and offered my help." Three said getting a look of recognition from him.

"Katseye."

"Just Kat is fine, hop in I imagine Coulson needs us as soon as possible." Three said, once they got in they sped off with Three heading for the hidden cabin location. The drive was speedy and very quiet, neither one being very talkative as they headed to the location. When they got close enough Kat pulled off the road. "We will need to head in on foot to remain undetected."

"Understood." Mike said as they got out and Kat put on her pack and sniper rifle. She already had her other weapons on so she pulled up her mask and hood. Getting to the edge of the perimeter fence she disabled it and they entered the location to find Coulson and Hunter being loaded onto a Quinjet. As the Quinjet's docking ramp was closing Mike went up and grabbed it pulling it back down while Kat rushed some of the SHIELD agents about to shoot Mike from behind. She was careful not to badly injure them, just knock them out. However seeing powered Mike and Katseye sent some agents running for the other Quinjet, one that Mike shot down with an EMP pulse from his wrist launcher.

At the back of the Quinjet Coulson was on, a SHIELD agent got up and took aim at Coulson. Rushing him she kicked him in the back of the head knocking him out. Then looked down at Coulson, who she helped up. "Hey ninja girl."

Three shook her head as Mike came on board and broke the cuffs on Hunter. "Agent Hunter meet Agent Peterson."

"Call me Mike." Mike said shaking his hand and Hunter wincing at the firm handshake.

"Ah that is quite the handshake you got there."

"Thanks to you both for coming on such short notice." Coulson said then looked back to Mike as he broke his cuffs. "I see you have taken well to the upgrades."

"I got no complaints," Mike said.

"Yeah and we work well together too." Three added making Mike smile at her as she pulled off her hood and her face cover down.

"That is good because we are going to be working together for a lot longer." Coulson said.

"Want me to get this bird in the air?" Mike asked.

"Please do, unless you want to learn how to fly, Kat?" Coulson asked.

"I call co-pilot's seat, I can watch what he does and learn." Three said. As Mike headed for the pilots seat and she took the co-pilot's seat. She watch him as he sat there learning via his upgrade to fly.

"At some point you might have mentioned backup was a lethal cyborg." Hunter said.

"Hey what am I? Just a ninja that looks cute?" Three asked getting a laugh as she shook her head, "So ungrateful."

"You did great Kat," Coulson added.

"Agreed." Mike put in.

"As to your earlier comment Hunter. Truthfully I just wanted to see the look on your face when he showed up. Priceless."

"Glad you still have a sense of humour Coulson." Three laughed.

"Glad I amuse you both." Hunter grumbled.

"You know I can hear you up hear." Mike pointed out. _'Well this will be a barrel of laughs at least.'_ Three thought as she continued to watch and learn how to fly. Eventually he hit a button and got up from his seat. "Auto pilot is set, cruising at forty-five thousand feet."

"Thanks for the flight lessons." Three added earning a smile from Mike, then he looked back at Coulson.

"Any destination?"

"Mexico?" Hunter suggested.

"Very funny, but I have too much to do to take a vacation." Three said.

"Kill-joy." Hunter replied.

"I'll let you know. Agent Peterson has been doing some overseas work for me. Remember List?"

"The HYDRA head we didn't cut off." Hunter stated.

"List? Heard of him. Haven't had the pleasure of putting him down." Three added.

"Yeah him. Mike has been trailing him for the past six months. Tell him what you found." Coulson said looking back at Mike.

"Last week I received a coded transmission from List. Mentioning his interest in powered people."

"Yeah they seem to be trending these days." Hunter said.

"He is hunting them down and experimenting on them."

"Another reason to put a bullet in his head." Three pointed out.

"You may get your chance Kat." Coulson said.

"You think the no-eyed-guy that took Skye is one of his."

"No but he is connected to Skye's father, and whatever powered group of people he is involved with." Coulson pointed out.

"Does HYDRA know about them?"

"Seems likely." Mike answered.

"More than likely if List is experimenting on them." Three pointed out, "It is all but assured."

"There is only one man that is connected to both sides of this equitation." Coulson said.

"List." Three sighed.

"If we are going to find Skye we need to find him first."

"I will call Aida she can help us locate him." Three said.

"That will be great Kat, but the one I want to find first is not List."

"Then who is that?" Hunter asked.

"Our bad option," Coulson answered "Grant Ward."

"Oh hell no!" Three blurted out. She would sooner shoot him then get his help.

"I know, but that is why you are here Kat. One I trust you, and two your my HYDRA killing expert."

"Hey! What about me?" Mike asked.

"You're my other expert, but she has ten plus years experience." Coulson said trying to be reasonable, then turned back to Kat, "You also know how to lie low and disappear we really need those skills now. You have the unique talent to go off the grid."

"My favourite place. Alright I get it I am a valuable asset, so where are we heading? Also what are you looking for in regards to a lead?"

"Ward and Agent 33 kidnapped Bakshi from Talbot, so I am looking for where they might be."

"Why didn't you say so, let the expert do her thing." Three said calling Aida and putting it on loudspeaker, "Hello Aida allow me to give proper introductions to Director Phil Coulson, Agents Lance Hunter, and Mike Peterson. Gentlemen This is Aida."

" _Greetings it is a pleasure to finally meet you. I take it this is not a social call. How may I assist?"_

"We are looking for one Agent 33 of SHIELD captured by Whitehall and doctored, she is helping Grant Ward and we need a locale." Coulson stated.

" _Pulling up everything from the SHIELD data banks on Agent 33 now."_ Aida replied, then it went silent for a moment as she called up the information.

"She sounds like a beauty." Hunter said trying to be flirty.

"Aida stands for Artificial Intelligence Defence Associate. She is also one of my oldest friends helping me fight HYDRA for the past ten plus years." Three said stunning the group.

" _Though I do appreciate that you think I am a beauty Agent Hunter."_ Aida replied, _"_ _Got it, Agent 33 also known as Kara Palamas. Has a mother in Chicago...monitoring phone conversations. Ah was contacted from Tijuana Mexico. Retrieving phone logs. It appears Kara contacted her mother requesting a photograph of herself."_

"The photograph must be to restore her face to it's original appearance. There was a report of the creator of the nan-masks Selwyn being kidnapped." Coulson said thinking.

"Aida pull up Kara's photo from her file and run facial recognition software for Tijuana Mexico. From there monitor her and triangulate a location."

" _Of course, and good hunting."_ Aida said then hung up.

"See? I can do things in a quarter of the time." Three said making Coulson laugh a little.

"So set course for Mexico?" Mike asked.

"Yes." Coulson said.

"Yes!" Hunter cheered.

"You really want to go to Mexico don't you?" Three asked shaking her head **.**

* * *

 **Author's Notes:**

 **First off thank you for the lovely reviews. I am glad everyone is still enjoying the story and each time I post a chapter it seems I get more and more notifications of those favouring or following the story. I hope you continue to enjoy the story as Three settles in with working with the Agents of SHIELD for a little bit.**

 **Anyway onto the Chapter, we continue where we left off last time right in the middle of season two's episode 12 'Who you really are'. The biggest things to note is for Three this is one big test for how she handles herself amidst SHIELD. However way back when I was writing this story I knew that the Kree wiping that Nurse's memory would play a huge role in how Three responds to the situation. It would severely piss Three off, so I tried to consider what might be happening in that woman's life. Would she be married? Have children? Other family members? Hence Three finding her Facebook page and learning that not only did the Kree rob the nurse of her memories, but made her forget those in her life. To Three I felt this would be a severe crime for which Three throughout the chapter makes it more than clear that she wants to kill him. However by the end of that episode that is why she has no qualms about his memories being taken, because she feels he deserves to know what that is like.**

 **As for Three getting hit with the Truncheon well the whole point of the Mastermind serum is she never forgets, so the truncheon while designed to take memories away; does not affect her as it normally would. However it was bound to have some type of negative reaction to her, so if it could not take the memories it pushed memories she buried to the surface. Lastly her discussion with Lady Sif about Loki. Naturally this episode takes place after Thor the Dark World, so everyone thinks Loki is dead when in fact he is pretending to be Odin. Since Heimdal is mentioned I am going to just say that Loki has not been fully discovered by Heimdal yet. So you can guess Lady Sif reporting the conversation to Odin and mentioning Three might be interesting.**

 **The latter half of this chapter takes place in season 2 episode 16 'Afterlife'. Yeah Three is not holding the Agents of SHIELD's collective hands. While Coulson has agreed to help her and vice versa, Three will still to some degree work alone. She is not going to be in every Agents of SHIELD episode because she likes her independence, and still just wants to find Bucky. Besides she does not feel very welcome there by some of SHIELDs members *Cough* Mack *Cough*. Since being whammied by the Kree weapon Three takes a break and resumes searches for Bucky while trying to help determine a way to reverse what was done to Skye. However that is when Coulson calls her asking for help and she is drawn into what she calls the SHIELD pissing contest.**

 **Anyway I hope you enjoyed this chapter. Please let me know what you think by giving a review. You know I love reviews.**

 **Lesliezin**


	34. An Invaluable Asset

**Hello everyone,**

 **Here is Chapter 34, enjoy.**

* * *

 **April 1** **st** **, 2015**

 **Tijuana Mexico**

It was so weird that Coulson was relying on her to keep them hidden, as Three booked them into a ratty old motel in Mexico. They also received updates via Aida, who kept them appraised of what went on back in the Playground. Because Three could move more freely without being ID'd she stepped out to grab them a bite to eat. However when she came back Fitz was on Coulson's tablet. So she came forward with Coulson, and set the bags of takeaway food nearby. "Fitz? How did you open Fury's toolbox?"

" _Don't worry it is safe. I stole it first."_

"Thata-boy Fitz." Three said smiling as she leaned down.

"You stole it?" Coulson asked shocked.

" _Yeah."_

"Fitz you are amazing, can we meet up?" In the background someone was pounding on what looked like a bathroom door.

" _I am being followed, they will grab me. I think they are hoping I will lead them to you first. Thing is will it be okay if I still came and hung out with you?"_ Fitz asked making Three smile, _"_ _Maybe you could show me how to shake a tail. Maybe you could start like now?"_

"I can have Aida provide a digital shadow. It will cut off communications so the agents tailing Fitz cannot report him missing. Gives plenty of time to escape with him." Three offered. Coulson nodded at her as Three began calling Aida to help with freeing Fitz from his unwanted tails. She heard Hunter ask if he was in a bathroom, and Fitz said yes, but little else as she told Aida what was needed. Eventually Fitz hung up as Aida got a fix on his location, and the group prepared for the pick up. They took the Quinjet for a flight and went and landed on a roof of some building which turned out to be the rendezvous point to pick up Fitz. Aida gave her updates via her earpiece.

" _Fitz is on his way with agents giving chase. I have activated a digital blackout for this building so the agents cannot call for backup."_

"Great Aida thanks." Three said stepping off the plane so that Fitz would see her. Within moments Fitz ran onto the roof. "Fitz over here!"

The SHIELD agent smiled and ran for her as the pair ducked aboard and closed the docking ramp. They joined the others at the cameras, while Fitz caught his breath. The agents appeared weapons drawn and were searching the roof with one running right at the invisible plane.

"That won't end well." Hunter commented.

"Oh!" Everyone said as the agent ran into the invisible plane.

"That will leave a mark." Three said shaking her head.

"Get us in the air." Coulson said to Mike.

"Will do." With that the plane began taking off. On the camera one agent helped another up and was trying to call for backup, but apparently realized he had no signal.

"Mike." Fitz said surprised.

"Hey Fitz." Mike said as he resumed flying, "It's good to see you again."

"New hardware, hey how did-"

"Not now Fitz, besides Kat is learning to fly." Coulson said as Kat climbed into the co-pilot's seat.

"Strap in." Hunter added, as the group strapped in Fitz thanked Hunter for the help as Three continued to watch and learn how Mike flew.

"Toolbox?" Coulson asked, and Fitz threw him a little box which Coulson could activate by touch.

"Yeah it's been a while since I have been in the field solo." Fitz explained, "Not since um..." Fitz tapped his temple to indicate that it was before his injury.

"Looks like you held up alright." Hunter said.

"Yeah?" Fitz asked with Hunter nodding, "Still I think after this I will... take the serum." Three turned around to look at Fitz in her chair. The serum had not been mentioned since she brought it to the Playground, and Three had not wanted to press the issue. She figured when Fitz was ready he would decided weather or not to use it.

"You sure Fitz?" Three asked wanting him to be sure of the decision.

"Yeah, you uhhh offered me a chance to repair the damage. Mack and different ones said I shouldn't but seeing who they really are... maybe I should."

"You shouldn't let them sway you Fitz. The decision to use the first injection should be yours alone. If you decide not to take it, I will understand. But don't let anyone make this decision for you." Three said.

"Okay." Fitz said, as Coulson resumed looking at the toolbox.

"Fitz we need to find Skye. Problem is all we know is she was taken by the same powered man that took Raina and Cal."

"Well do we have any leads?" Fitz asked.

"No but HYDRA might. HYDRAs new head is Strucker and List. My sources say they are researching powered people. Apparently they are even more obsessed than Whitehall."

"We need to get into HYDRA, Know what they know." Hunter said.

"Desperate times call for desperate measures." Fitz said.

"I am glad to hear you say that. We are making a deal with Ward." Coulson said. The group flew back to Tijuana Mexico, and Coulson placed a call to Kara's mother as a means to scare her into the open. It was hardly necessary when Aida got a location on her from a security camera outside a restaurant. Three let Coulson and Mike handle bringing them in because of her inclination to shoot Ward on sight. Thus Fitz, Hunter and herself remained on the Quinjet with both men checking the gear.

"This is crazy." Fitz muttered then slammed the case shut, "I want to find Skye, yes but we are making a deal with..."

"The devil." Hunter finished since he seemed to be having trouble. "I am afraid it is in the job description mate. Expedient alliances with despicable characters." Hunter put the cases away as the two sat across from each other and Three stood quietly nearby.

"You would work with Bobbi?"

"No not a chance." Hunter answered, "And point made. Look mate we are infiltrating HYDRA our options are limited. Ward is a psychopath, but for now he is our psychopath, so we use him to stay one step ahead." Fitz did not look pleased, so Hunter looked to Kat. "Help me out here."

Three sighed as she came forward, "Fitz no one wants Ward's help, and believe me I want to shoot him. I have wanted to do that since literally the beginning. I didn't and now I have to live with the regret of that decision. The only reason I am not going to kill him is because he can help us find Skye, you once hid the changes she went through. How far are you willing to go to get a friend back?"

Fitz nodded knowing he could do this. "Alright, but only for Skye."

The hours ticked by as the trio waited until finally Coulson, Mike, and three very unwanted people arrived. Immediately Mike headed for the pilot's seat to start take-off procedures. "Kat you going to continue learning to fly?" Mike asked.

"Already learned Mike. I am good."

"Really after only two flights?" Mike asked, and Three smirked.

"Coulson never tell you I learn stuff on a dime." Three said, "Besides I want to be back here for this." The group strapped in with Bakshi getting very nervous at the suit Kat wore.

"Yo—you're K—Kat—" The HYDRA guy looked like he wanted to run as Kat sat down and strapped in with a smile.

"You know it so good when HYDRA practically pees themselves around me." Three said with a devilish smile. However for Ward the penny had not fallen—yet.

"Wow he is really scared of you, Kat." Coulson said with Bakshi trying to cringe away.

"Of course. I pride myself on my work." Three said.

"Bakshi? Who is this?" Kara asked, obviously the former SHIELD agent did not recognise her suit.

"Katseye, she was placed on SHIELD's most wanted list by HYDRA with two-hundred and one confirmed HYDRA kills." Bakshi said.

"Two-hundred and twenty-seven kills actually and still climbing." Three corrected, "Keep the number right Baki." Three said purposely butchering his name.

"So you're her? The one that wiped out entire Strike teams. You think you scare me?" Ward asked.

"No what should scare you is Fitz only needing to say the word and I make a nice splash art with your brains on the wall behind you." Three said nonchalantly.

Fitz smiled as he liked the idea Kat was willing to grant his wish. However Coulson spoke up. "Actually I would prefer you not, it would make a mess we would have to clean up."

"Killjoy, brain matter on walls adds character." Three said then smiled at Fitz getting him to relax a little at the situation. However now Ward seemed a little more on edge. It was one thing to have a cyborg on board, it was another to have both a cyborg and well known killer of HYDRA agents on board. Especially when she gave the unnerving smile that was making Bakshi whimper in fright. However as they flew, Ward turned his attention away from Kat as Coulson resumed debriefing the group.

"Bakshi reached out, arranged a meeting with Doctor List."

"And do we trust Stefford Bakshi?" Hunter asked, though Three was thinking no, but she was sure she could scare the man into complying.

"Trust might be a little strong."

"Bakshi has been instructed to act exactly as he would." Ward replied. "Before."

"Before the brainwashing?" Hunter asked sceptically. "Oh well in that case I feel comforted."

"Any questions?" Coulson asked.

"I have one, but you will probably say no." Three said.

"I already know the question and the answer is no." Coulson said.

"How much longer?" Kara asked obviously wanting this over with. While Fitz trained the gun on him and Hunter gently tried to calm him down by stopping his shaking.

"Couple hours." Mike answered. _'This is gonna be a long couple of hours.'_ Three thought as she looked at Fitz hoping he was doing okay.

"So Fitz? How ya been?" Ward asked, and Three wanted to punch him for that. It only took those words from Ward to send Fitz over the edge. He launched himself at Ward, and not only did Hunter and Coulson grab him, but Three.

"Hey, hey, hey!" Hunter called trying to calm Fitz down.

"Easy Fitz I know. Hey look at me-" Three said trying to calm Fitz down as Hunter and she kept him from Ward.

"Sit down Agent Fitz." Coulson added.

"Bakshi, Bakshi sir! No he is the same as Ward. So they will double-cross us the second he is with HYDRA." Fitz said shakily.

"Yes he would," Coulson said calmly, "If he was going in alone."

"He is not?" Ward asked.

"He will have his bodyguard with him." Coulson explained.

"That would be me." Mike spoke up from the pilot's seat.

"Who we will monitor the entire meet through Mike's eye."

"Doctor List's instructions were explicit. Bakshi was to come alone." Ward pointed out, as Coulson turned to face Ward.

"Luckily Bakshi is good at talking his way out of things, aren't you?"

"I have been told it is one of my more useful skill sets, yes." Bakshi answered.

"See? No problem." Three had to smile at Coulson he was a smart man always with a plan. Turning to Fitz she smiled encouragingly, and mouthed the words to him. _'Just say the word.'_

The group sat back down and Three headed for the co-pilot's seat to check in with Mike. For a few minutes Three just silently watched Mike until he sighed. "You are still worried about this plan."

"Are you okay with this? I mean ones like List can be vicious and-"

"I will be fine, though I appreciate the concern." Mike said as Three leaned back in her chair. For the rest of the trip Three remained quiet – just staring out a window. Right then it felt like she was a million miles from where she wanted to be. Instead of finding Bucky she was having to deal with pretend SHIELD attacking Coulson's base and their pathetic power squabble. Never mind that HYDRA was still very much in play. Worst of all was thinking HYDRA had Bucky, that they took his memories and he was just the Winter Soldier again.

Vaguely she was aware of their landing, and had to return to the issue at hand. Soon Mike and Bakshi left for the rendezvous point where they were picked up by List's men. In mere hours they were gathered around Fitz who activated the eye's feed. "We are online."

" _It is good to see you alive and well Mr Bakshi."_ The camera allowed them to see the old man that was List shaking hands with Bakshi.

" _Doctor List, a pleasure. You are a difficult man to find these days."_ Bakshi said.

" _Please."_ List gestured to the chairs and both took seats with Mike moving to a corner out of the way for a better view.

"Three men, heavily armed. Bet there are more where they came from." Hunter stated.

"I've handled worse odds." Kat said considering how best to get into the room and take out the men as well as cover any possible entrances.

"Does it matter? You got a cyborg on board with rockets in his arm." Ward pointed out.

"He is not a cyborg, he is a SHIELD agent...with rockets in his arm." Coulson corrected.

" _Our world is much more complicated after the tragic death of Mr Whitehall, and the ensuing bloodbath that it caused. Our agents can barely breathe without the Avengers, Katseye or SHIELD coming for them."_ List said as someone brought them a wine glass. _"_ _Thank you. Tell me Mr Bakshi, how exactly did you manage to escape unscathed?"_

" _What are you implying Doctor?"_

" _Well most of HYDRA's leaders were wiped out in one fell swoop, but not you. I was just curious if you might know anyone involved."_ No wonder List was such a hard SOB to get, he certainly was careful and paranoid enough.

"Let's see how well Bakshi holds up to questioning." Coulson said.

"He has held up to worse than this." Kara said seemingly proud of her brainwashing Bakshi.

" _You think I poisoned the Baroness, killed Bloom."_

" _Someone put a bullet in his head."_ List pointed out and Hunter looked around with Three giving him a thumbs up.

" _I assumed it was you, or Strucker. You had the most to gain and yet here you sit alive and well. With more money and manpower than ever."_ Bakshi pointed out as he took a drink of wine.

"See? Told you he was good."

" _The truth is I didn't escape unscathed, I was captured by the U.S. government. Mr Peterson helped me escape, you do recognize him don't you? Well you should: HYDRA invested quite a bit of funds turning him into the perfect killing machine. Money well spent I might add."_

"What's he doing?" Coulson asked concerned, which was exactly as Three felt right then very concerned.

"He is gaining List's trust." Ward stated, but this seemed a bit much with Bakshi endangering Mike.

" _I know Strucker has been experimenting on powered individuals, I believe with an compliance upgrade Mr Peterson would prove quit useful to him."_

" _You are offering him to me?"_

" _Consider it a sign of good faith."_ Bakshi said and Three glared at the screen outraged.

"This wasn't the plan, what are you doing?" Coulson asked, but already Three was ready, and she did not like how close Kara was to Fitz.

"Getting us closer to Strucker." Ward said.

"Bastard sold us out!" Hunter said thinking the same thing she was. Ward snatched Fitz's gun, and Kara pulled a blade on Fitz. Hunter had his gun trained on Ward as did Coulson, but while Kara held a knife to Fitz, Three gripped her hair and held a blade to hers. It gave Ward pause as he saw Kara in danger. However Ward had his gun trained on Coulson.

"Put the gun down now!" Coulson ordered.

"Just listen to me-"

"Put the gun down now!"

"Do you want to get to Strucker or not?!" Ward asked.

"Fitz are you alright?" Hunter asked.

"Yeah I know that if she moves she dies." Fitz said looking up at Three.

"Damn right she does."

"Strucker wants powered people, Bakshi alone does not get you to him. Deathlock does, and he can take care of himself trust me."

"Trust you?! I ought to shoot you just for saying that." Coulson stated as Fitz seemed to notice something on the screen.

"Umm Sir." Fitz said looking more at the screen.

"What if this had gone south would you have been willing to sacrifice Mike?" Ward asked.

"This wasn't your call to make." Coulson replied.

"Sir Deathlock he is-"

"Is that Deathlock's targeting system?"

"Looks like it." Three said.

"That is because it is, he is going to kill everyone." Fitz said.

"Not a bad idea actually." Hunter pointed out.

"No we need them alive. Fitz tell him to stand down."

"Yeah no that is not going to happen." Fitz said as Kara tightened her hold, but so did Three.

"Stand down Agent 33." Coulson ordered.

"My name is Kara and I don't work for you anymore."

"Regardless you will release him or Ward gets to see your blood colour this plane!" Three growled as she pulled Kara's head back a little more in warning.

"You won't let anything happen to Fitz, I have seen it!" Kara said.

"Nothing will happen to Fitz, just you." Three promised

"You never hurt SHIELD agents, I was one of them!"

"Yes you were but like you said you don't work for them anymore." Three pointed out calmly.

"Deathlock is locking on." Fitz said, so Three did the only thing she knew she released Kara's hair, grabbed the blade pulling it away from Fitz's neck. Which cut her own hand slightly. With a quick move she twisted Kara's wrist at an odd angle until she dropped the blade. Kara also released Fitz and Three kicked her in the back of the knees forcing the woman to her knees. Where Three returned the blade to her throat.

"Go ahead Fitz." Three said as Fitz typed into the computer giving the command to play along. Three focused on Ward, "Weapon down now Ward!"

Immediately Ward lowered his gun and Coulson took it away, Three pulled Kara to her feet and shoved her into Ward. "You pull anything like that again, and I'll throw your ass off this Quinjet at twenty thousand feet!"

"Without a parachute!" Three added as the group returned to the screen to find List preparing to take off.

"Strucker is overseas, I would say that is where they are going." Ward stated.

"Then we tail them." Coulson said turning to Ward, "Get us in the air."

"Coulson I can fly." Three pointed out.

"Later, right now you are bleeding on my plane." Coulson pointed out, "Strap in." Ward and Kara went to the front to pilot the Quinjet while Fitz pulled out the first aid kit and sat next to Three. Mostly the knife hit the hard fabric that protected Three's hand, but just past the fingers was not protected so the blade did do a little damage.

"Thanks for stopping her." Fitz said as he cleaned the area and bandaged her hand.

"It was nothing." Three shrugged.

"Are you kidding? It was amazing." Fitz said as they flew. Hunter and Coulson continued to watch the feed from Mike's eye as Bakshi stated he thought Strucker in Eastern Europe. Then List began talking about Quantum Entanglement.

"Quantum Entanglement, sounds like a method of torture." Hunter said.

"It isn't it's physics." Three stated getting looks, "HYDRA had me read a Physics book when I nine...ten."

"You know being scary smart gets annoying." Hunter teased, as Fitz and her joined him at the computer. List continued to explain more to Bakshi as Three considered how this could be applied. _"_ _We think this was created by a powered person. One we intend to capture."_

"The teleporter, They are tracking the teleporter." Fitz said.

"Of course the blue light that surrounds him when he has snatched someone that is basically a surge of the quantum entanglement. But if anyone is close to that... List grabs them thinking he has the powered individual." Three said. "Because...their clothes, skin, any items with them carry that unique charge."

"So he took Cal in Wisconsin, and Raina." Fitz realized.

"And Skye." Coulson said.

"This is about Skye." Ward said realizing what Coulson was really after.

"Why would HYDRA want her?" Kara asked.

"Because they are after the teleporter, and she has come into contact with him."

"Can Aida do a search or latch onto HYDRA's signal?" Coulson asked.

"Of course she is brilliant like me." Three said as she called Aida telling her how List was tracking the teleporting man, and asked her to do the same. _"_ _They have tracked the signal to an privately owned building, forwarding address to your cell phones now."_

"Thanks Aida." Coulson said as he went and told Ward where to land and Three prepared.

" _You are welcome, will you need further assistance?"_ Aida asked.

"No I think we should be fine, Aida just let us know if anymore entanglements show." Three said.

" _Very well be careful. You are still not at one-hundred percent."_ The AI was still concerned with her illness.

"I will be fine Aida." Three said hanging up.

"Something wrong Kat?" Hunter asked.

"No, just her worrying about me is all." Three said shrugging it off.

"Sir! It's Skye! Skye is here tenth floor!" Fitz said as they drew closer.

"The Skye that shot you three times?" Kara asked looking at Ward. ' _Way to go Skye!'_ Three silently cheered.

"Four."

"Don't you even think about it!" Coulson said to Ward. "You keep HYDRA off of us, I'll find Skye!" Coulson said as they stepped off the plane and Three pulled on her hood and mask. Heading down into the building. They didn't get far before they ran into HYDRA and Three shot one coming around the corner.

"We need to split up."

"We will cover you, go find Skye." Hunter urged, as Coulson headed down the hall, however she did not see Ward following behind.

"Where the hell is your boyfriend going?" Hunter asked.

"Look out!" Kara called out and shot some more HYDRA agents, but Hunter still got hit. Hunter slid down the wall with Kara rushing out to help him. She almost got shot as well had Three not shot the agent that appeared from the side door.

"Hunter you okay?" Three asked as she looked around.

"Peachy!" Hunter said as Kara checked the wound, it was a grazing shot nothing more. "Go Coulson and Ward might need backup. I am fine really."

Three sighed as she rushed after Coulson and Ward and headed further down. She caught up to them as they stood over Mike and another man. "That's a mean spark. I think he is protecting Skye."

"Where is she now?" Coulson asked. "Can you scan the floor?"

"My implants are down. I think she went down that corner." Both Ward and Coulson continued down as Three knelt by Mike.

"You'll be okay." Three said reassuringly and was trying to check Mike for injuries.

"No stick with Coulson, you and I both know Ward cannot be trusted." Mike said, "Go I will be fine."

"Alright." Three said following after the other two men. She caught up and found them fighting HYDRA. She slammed into one sneaking up on Coulson sending him into the wall where she kneed him in the groin and snapped his neck. In this moment it was so strange to be working with Ward but it must have been even more strange for Skye to find them together in the same hallway.

"Skye?" Coulson asked knowing he would have to explain all this to her. Regardless she started to move towards them, then sadly the teleporting man showed up.

"I need to get you out of here."

"No not yet!" Skye argued as Coulson rushed forward towards her. "Not yet!"

"No! Don't go!" Coulson called out. "I had her! Damn it I had her!"

"We can find her again Coulson." Three urged him not to give up as she stood in front of him. However as another HYDRA agent came from a side office and they took aim he was shot from behind by Ward. To be sure he stayed down Ward unloaded another two rounds into him.

"Deathlock's down, we got powered people on site, and HYDRA storming the building." Ward pointed out, as much as she hated him he was right this was not the time nor the place to regret what was already done. As it was, Kara helped a limping Hunter to them.

"What happened to you?" Coulson asked.

"Ah it is merely a flesh wound."

"A bad one." Kara said.

"We are out manned, out gunned, and our only backup is Fitz. It's your call boss."

" _As much as I hate Ward, he is correct. Building scans suggest high levels of heat signatures inbound."_ Aida's voice said as she cut into communications.

"Aida I told you-"

" _You are with a HYDRA agent, I was not going to leave you to it."_

"Move out," Coulson said and the group quickly left the building before more of HYDRA showed up. The plan backfired in a big way as they got back to Fitz on the Quinjet.

"So what now?" Three asked as Ward went to start up the jet.

"Get us out of here and land nearby. I am going back once HYDRA has cleared out." Coulson said.

"You know the wannabe SHIELD will be showing up too." Three pointed out.

"Exactly, we are out of options here. So we are going to reach out." Coulson said, "You will be in charge since Hunter was hit."

"Me?" Three asked sceptically.

"Yes, is that a problem?" Coulson asked as Three looked to Hunter and Fitz.

"I got no problem with it." Hunter said as he leaned back applying pressure to his wound.

"No me neither." Fitz said as he worked at the computer.

"Alright, you have a brilliant plan I take it?" Three asked.

* * *

 **April 1st, 2015**

 **On board the Quinjet**

"Alright, you have a brilliant plan I take it?" Three had asked. In short it was a good plan, as Aida used Coulson's phone to track him as 'SHIELD' took him on aboard the Bus. They followed the bus at a safe, quiet, distance. Three let Ward and Kara take up residence in the front with Ward flying while Three saw to Hunter's injuries. She was just cleaning his wound up when Fitz came over and sat by him.

"How you doing?"

"Nauseous." Hunter answered.

"You might have lost enough blood to-" Three started as she pressed some gauze to the wound.

"Oh not from getting shot, that is nothing. You are doing great Kat." Then Hunter looked disgusted as he looked towards the cockpit, "It's those two. I think they actually...like each other."

"I think they are more than that." Three added growing ill herself, either that or it was her stomach flu slash anxiety _._

"Oh now I do feel sick." Hunter groaned.

"Just umm focus on your wound it will be less unsavoury." Fitz said. Focusing was not the problem, as Three watched them for a moment then shook her head disgusted.

"What is it?" Hunter asked.

"They don't deserve to be happy, no one in HYDRA does." Three said as she carefully pressed a bandage to his injury. Right then she was thinking about Bucky and how they had been together. It had felt too brief, but once she had felt what it was like to be with someone she simply did not want to go back to being alone. However each day each damn hour it became less likely that she would ever see him again and it hurt.

"Hey it is okay, you will find Bucky. Don't give up, you know we will help you." Fitz said trying to be encouraging.

"I know you would Fitz but every time we gain a moments rest something else goes wrong. I want SHIELD's help, but you guys have enough on your plate... I think after we get things back on track, I will part ways and try to find Bucky. I cannot keep putting it off or throwing myself into missions, I barely sleep, I barely eat, and with this damn stomach flu and anxiety..." Three trailed off shaking her head. "I know Coulson wants to help, and I am not blaming him for this. But I am blaming this 'real' SHIELD, there are far more important things then a pissing contest between SHIELD factions. So when this is done I am going back to soloing it because I have no time for jackasses that want to play at being SHIELD."

The back of the plane grew silent as both men knew Kat would be leaving them once this issue was resolved. "When this is done Kat, I promise I will help you find Bucky." Fitz said, Three could only nod her thanks to Fitz.

A moment later Three's phone rang, and Three answered. "Yeah? Okay." Three said then called to Ward, "Green light, go."

They docked with the plane and eventually landed back in the Playground. Ward and Kara were given escorts that would shoot them at a seconds notice. A medi-team came and retrieved Hunter while Fitz stuck close to Kat, not liking being anywhere with Ward or this play-SHIELD. Three stood at the docking ramp, her arms folded across her chest.

"The illustrious Katseye, been wanting to meet you for a long time." An older man with glasses and a cane came forward. This no doubt was one of the ones playing at being SHIELD. Gonzalez offered his hand for her to shake but instead she raised a sceptical eyebrow. When it was clear there would be no handshaking he lowered his hand. "For years we thought you an enemy of SHIELD's, you were a major concern in Mack's report when Coulson welcomed you with open arms. However after researching what you gave Coulson we now understand you are an ally of SHIELD's."

"Not your quote-un-quote 'real' SHIELD." Three answered coldly. With that Three stepped off and headed for Coulson's office following Coulson and the others. She knew a meeting was inevitable. Three came in and stood leaning against the opposite wall arms folded as different ones trickled in. Gonzalez started the conference calls with his other 'board' members.

The meeting mostly began with introductions and they eventually got to her. "You may recall SHIELD's former most wanted, Katseye is an Ally of SHIELD's." Coulson replied.

"That is not to get it confused with the 'real' SHIELD," Three said making air quotes around the word real.

"I know the concept must be hard for you to accept, but Coulson's SHIELD is-"

"The real one!" Three interrupted Gonzalez, "Because of what I have seen of your SHIELD you act a little too close to HYDRA." Three said coldly as she received numerous glares. "What? Truth hurts? Tell me what happened when the team went to pick up Skye from the cabin? Bobbi? Would you care to share?" The ashamed look said it all, but Three was far from done. "No? Okay then check this out."

Three pulled out her phone and typed in some keys bringing up the footage on the main computer screens in Coulson's office, then she slowed it down to a crawl and enhanced it. So that those there could clearly see that a live round was fired at Skye. "Funny, that looked like a live round. Fired at a SHIELD agent." Three said not bothering to hide her contempt, "I never kill SHIELD agents, never even attempted it. But you know who does? HYDRA. As said you are a little too much like HYDRA for my liking. The only thing you can count on is I am here to kill HYDRA agents, and save Skye. But I see any of your agents _ever_ raise a gun against her again, then—well there is first time for everything!"

The tension and silence became too much as Coulson cleared his throat. "Well now that everyone has met onto the mission." He activated the feed from Deathlock. "This feed is from Deathlock's eye less than an hour ago."

It showed the eye being removed and the feed lost.

"What happened?" Gonzalez asked, but it should have been obvious.

"They removed Deathlock's eye."

"Well then we have a problem. Without Deathlock's feed we have no eyes on the ground." Bobbi stated.

"Not true, I got a man on the ground inside, Sunsil Bakshi." Ward said.

"I know Bakshi, he is HYDRA."

"Not anymore, now he works for me."

"Says the HYDRA agent." May grumbled.

"My days with HYDRA are over, just an independent contractor trying to make amends." Ward said, Three snorted.

"We remain sceptical." Gonzalez said as he sat on the desk.

"With good cause, but I believe using Bakshi is the only way to successfully infiltrate this base."

"The base is in the Arctic circle with nothing around for miles. HYDRA will see us coming." Bobbi pointed out.

"Which is why it is critical I take in a small team." Coulson explained.

"Just to be clear what is your objective here?"

"We rescue the enhanced prisoners then disable the defence missiles so that SHIELD jets can fly in safely to bomb the facility."

"You really believe a small team can do this?" Bobbi asked.

"My team can, and Kat took out a base in Russia with only the Winter Soldier at her back." Coulson pointed out.

"Well then we shall put it to a vote." Gonzalez stated with most agreeing to it, but the deciding vote was left to May. Who wanted a word in private with him first. Three waited outside until Coulson talked May into it. When he came out he told her to grab her gear and get ready to go. Eventually she and the others boarded the plane and the docking ramp closed. However a sound had May, Coulson, and Kat pulling guns on Ward.

"On your knees now!" May said.

"May it wasn't me."

"Than who was it?!" Coulson asked.

"It was me." The voice of Skye had Kat spin around and look up. "Hey guys."

"This is great, we finally got the team back together." Ward said making Three give a disgusted noise. "Well except for you, you are still new."

"Keep talking Ward, I got a full clip." Three said, it got May smiling a little as she went to get the bird in the air. Fitz and Simmons were bugging Skye for information though as Simmons stated she was being secretive.

"No it's that Ward is here I don't want to talk about anything personal."

"Did I hear my name?"

"He is like Candyman." Skye grumbled.

"Or like a plague." Three added moving past them to stand by Coulson.

"We should review the op. Ward? I cannot believe I am saying this, but bring us up to speed on Bakshi's intel." Ward immediately began doing so however the looks stopped him short.

"Alright can we just address the elephant on the plane? I know this is weird. Mistakes were made-"

"By you." Fitz stated.

"And people got hurt." Ward tried to keep going.

"By you." Fitz added.

"And I could stand here and explain how my parents-"

"Oh boohoo!" Three snapped, "My parents were HYDRA you don't see me whining about how they donated me as a lab-rat! Grow up and stop being a pussy!"

"I think the point Kat is making is we all had our traumas Ward." May added, "It didn't turn any of us into psychopaths not even Kat."

"Well we all have our ways of cooping. Don't we? For example how was yours?"

"Watch it Ward!" Coulson warned.

"Look I am just saying we all made mistakes. Coulson handed me over to my abuser, Skye shot me-"

"Yeah after you killed how many people?" Three asked.

"Yeah and we were a team, and family and you betrayed us!" Fitz said.

"I know it is what I regret the most."

"You know what I regret the most?" Three asked.

"I know you regret not shooting me."

"No I think I regret more entertaining the thought that you would make the right choice. I wanted to believe that you cared enough to turn your back on HYDRA, and that was the reason I did not shoot. I wanted to believe in you and when I saw you with this team I did not want to be the one to tear that apart."

"Actually I am glad you didn't take the shot." May said keeping a calm cold expression. The words though surprised Three a little as she looked at May, "Had you we would have believed him to be a good man and hunted you down. This way Ward tore us apart himself."

"You're right May. My actions destroyed this." Ward admitted, "I'll regret that forever, cuz there were good times. Right? Before? I mean for a while there we were a good team, weren't we?"

"I am so happy I shot you." Skye finally said.

"Yeah me too." Fitz said.

"Should have aimed for the face." Simmons said.

"Or emptied the clip." Three recommended.

"Yeah." May agreed with both suggestions.

"Guys I know this is so weird, but we have to come back to the mission. Two teams Skye, Ward, and Simmons on rescue and medical. Fitz and I will break into missile defence and gather intel. May is with us for fire power. Kat you are with Skye and Simmons to provide the same and keep Ward in line."

"Wait you are not on rescue?" Skye asked concerned.

"Let me handle the job assignments. The point is there is a lot of challenges ahead. We don't want to implode before we get there, and Ward just no more talking to people."

"Can I shoot him if he does?" Three begged, "Please."

"Try to refrain Kat, for those held prisoner."

"Okay." Three said with a sigh. Everyone moved to gear up with Three attaching her weapons and double checking her gear. She got a few more updates from Aida before radio silence was asked for. They did not want to risk HYDRA eavesdropping. Eventually May reported over the PA that they were spotted and Fitz rushed over next to her as the alarm blared.

" _I've got visuals on the target, buckle in!"_ May's voice sounded so Three rushed over with the others and strapped in. _"_ _They've locked on!"_

"Something tells me my stomach flu is going to be the least of my problems." Three grumbled.

"I am starting to think this wasn't a very good plan!" Coulson stated then looked at May concerned, "Can you do anything about the drop?"

"Not if we want HYDRA to think we are debris." May replied.

"I am really starting to wish I had not eaten that hot pocket earlier." Coulson said.

"If you throw up, I throw up Coulson!" Three said as the plane jumbled around and her stomach was doing dangerous flips.

"Hold on!" May called as Three was jostled around in her seat. She swallowed a few times once the jet stopped just before hitting the ground then slowly landed. Debris still hit overhead but nothing to destroy the plane.

"Kat? I didn't throw up, you okay?" Coulson asked.

"Yeah, I think though I will need May to teach me those moves." Three said as they unstrapped and got out. The group quickly headed for the HYDRA facility with Fitz quietly asking Kat.

"So is this like the facility you and Bucky attacked?"

"No it was not so open, it was located in the side of a mountain in the Ural mountains of Russia. Part of it was an old mine shaft, connected to a cave system." Three answered as they reached the facility, and Coulson blew the locks to allow them in. They eventually met up with Bakshi who led them straight to the containment cells. There were men inside waiting and they began shooting. Kat returned fire.

"Just like old times huh?" Ward asked.

"Not exactly." Skye said before stepping out and using her powers to knock the men into the walls.

"Cool moves Skye." Three commented.

"So that is what happened in Puerto Rico? The least you could do is thank me." Ward added.

"How about I just don't try to kill you again?" Skye asked as they headed for the closest cell where Mike was sitting up.

"Jesus Mike, what did they do to you?!" Three asked

"It is not as bad as it looks." Mike replied.

"Really?" Simmons asked.

"Ugh it's pretty bad." Mike admitted.

"There is another guy in here. He had electrical powers."

"Lincoln?" When Skye asked, he nodded as he continued, "They moved him just before you showed. You need to hurry. The guy is in pretty bad shape." Already Skye rushed off.

"Kat go with Skye she will need all the help she can get." Simmons said

"You sure about this?" Three asked, eyeing Ward.

"We'll be fine." Simmons promised, so Three followed after Skye and after a couple of halls heard gunshots up ahead. For the most part Skye could easily handle herself in a fight, though Kat told herself not to be so surprised as she came in shooting a couple of the agents before Skye could, then had to duck and roll while Skye shot the one shooting at her. From there Three turned around to shoot one that came in behind her, then shot another behind a table in the foot forcing him to the ground where she shot him in the head. Between the pair they quickly cleared the room. Both got to their feet reloading their guns and heading for the operating room.

The doctors fled when the fighting started and Three moved to the opposite side of the bed and began trying to patch up where they had started to operate. "Lincoln wake up."

"Skye you need to do chest compressions." Three said as she looked for a defibrillator. However Skye did only one with her powers a light one that revived him, "Okay well that works too." Three admitted and Skye breathed a sigh of relief.

Patching Lincoln up as best they could Simmons soon arrived saying Ward nor Bakshi would be joining them. "Let me guess they took off on you."

"No I tried to use a splinter bomb, but Bakshi got in the way." Simmons admitted. Three raised a surprised brow, then smiled.

"That a girl, Simmons." Kat replied.

"But I missed Ward."

"You still got a HYDRA agent, that deserves a drink and a high five." Three said as they wheeled Lincoln out and met up with the others. Soon they escaped the facility, in time to see the beautiful flaming display as the HYDRA base was destroyed. They got Lincoln and Mike aboard the Quinjet and took off back to the Playground.

* * *

 **Author's Notes:**

 **First off thank you all for the lovely reviews. I as always love hearing from you guys, and hope to continue to hear from you.**

 **Onto the chapter... Well again Three is called in to help team SHIELD and this time the episode she helps them in is still season 2 episode 16 'Afterlife'. Where Coulson places a lot more trust into Three than she could ever really expect since not long after joining them. Either way in this chapter she proves herself more than an capable asset by helping them disappear at the start of the chapter. All the way to the end where she helps them in the HYDRA base. A lot of my favourite parts was the banter between her and the SHIELD agents.**

 **What was you favourite parts? Anything you liked about the chapter? Please read and review, you know I love hearing from you guys.**

 **Lesliezin**


	35. Seeing the Truth for What it is

**Hello everyone,**

 **Well here is Chapter 35, enjoy.**

* * *

 **April 9th, 2015**

 **New York**

After taking out the HYDRA base, Three kept true to her word to walk away from SHIELD. It was easier than she thought, especially with Coulson willing to take advice from three people she viewed should not be leading SHIELD at all. The way they handled Skye before and their general attitude was too akin to HYDRA. So much so Three thought it could only lead to disaster for SHIELD. When she left it was not on good terms as she made it clear that if they followed her or tried to stop her they would regret it. Coulson hated to see her go, but respected her choice enough to allow it. Partly Three guessed Gonzales, Weaver and Oliver were simply glad she was gone. It must have stung like hell to have an age old enemy of HYDRA's turn around and compare them to HYDRA. However Three was not going to apologise for her words, they knew they did wrong by attacking Skye and none of them were going to apologize for it.

So saying goodbye became a lot easier when Three did not want a thing to do with them, the only one she was willing to work with was Coulson. However now, she found answering the call harder to do. Instead she said goodbye to Hunter, Fitz, Simmons, and Skye. May as usual did not say too much just said she was sorry to see her go, but Three could tell she was also disappointed. However with all that was happening with the Inhumans, Three knew trouble was bound to come so she left a free network phone with Skye before she left. There was a voice mail telling Skye that if she needed help to call, and that she hoped Lincoln recovered soon.

On returning to New York however a new problem rose, Tony Stark did the dumbest thing he could he created an AI. Worst of all he gave the AI an impossible task, and the insane AI tried to create an extinction level event over Sokovia. Partly Three considered hacking into Stark Industries and causing so much chaos that they would have to file for bankruptcy. Nevertheless Three did not want to hurt ones like Pepper, or those employed by Stark. Three did ask for tighter monitoring of Tony's activities from Aida, if he ever did anything so stupid again she would shut him down—for good.

Mostly things returned to normal, well as normal as could be with her searching for Bucky and coming up empty. The only other thing Three did was when she received word that Lincoln and Skye had left the playground. Then Three hacked in and deleted Lincoln from the Index. She was not about to let Gonzales have that victory. After that she focused on finding Bucky. It was the morning of April ninth that Three awoke to her phone ringing, the caller was Skye. "Hey Skye what's up?"

" _Kat? Were you asleep?"_

"Yeah, not been sleeping well." Three said, slowly sitting up.

" _I need your help. I mean I know it is a lot to ask, but-"_

"I told you Skye if you need me you need only call. Now what is it?" Three asked.

" _Gonzales he tracked Gordon back to Afterlife, and now SHIELD is coming to visit."_

"When did he track this Gordon?" Three asked confused.

" _Gordon is the teleporter, Kat."_

"Shit, he must have picked up on how to do it from HYDRA." Three said not at all pleased.

" _Look I am loyal to SHIELD, but I am also loyal to these people here too. I simply want there to be peace between them. Suggestions?"_

"You are looking for advice." Three stated then sighed as she looked up at her ceiling. "Skye when you were in Afterlife, I told Gonzales and his friends that they were too much like HYDRA and I meant it. They sent men to kill you, and now Coulson has agreed to have them as advisers? I am sorry but history here is repeating itself and eventually it will be just like before."

" _You believe it is a mistake."_ Skye said sounding worried.

"With Gonzales and his real SHIELD bullshit, yes." Three stated. There was a moment of silence and what sounded like voices in the background.

" _Kat if I ask, would you be willing to come here to Afterlife?"_

"Of course, but would I be allowed? It's not going to get you in trouble is it?"

" _No, actually Raina foresaw this conversation and you are on loudspeaker. The leader wants to meet you."_ The news floored Three, but she slowly recovered.

"Oh okay, I just need to get dressed and stuff. Give me an hour?"

" _Sure."_

"Where do I meet you guys?"

" _Well just text me and Gordon will pick you up."_

"Okay. I guess I will see you soon." Three said and hung up. She quickly shower, dressed, ate breakfast, and grabbed an overnight bag complete with phone, and tablet. From there she headed out letting Aida know the situation and that she would talk to her more later. Thus she walked some blocks away and texted Skye that she was ready. A few minutes later the whooshing noise Gordon created made Three jump and turn to face the teleporter. "Hello you must be Gordon."

"A pleasure to meet you." Gordon replied smiling, "Are you ready?"

"Yes, thank you." Three said as Gordon pulled her close and teleported. It was a little confusing as Three stumbled a little and Gordon caught her arm to keep her from falling over. "Thanks."

Three was surprised by the beautiful location as she saw they were in the mountains. It looked like the most peaceful place on Earth. "Wow beautiful place."

However before anything further could be said Skye came into view and hugged her. "Oh hey there Skye."

"I am so glad you are here." Skye stated and pulled away. Together they walked with Gordon through Afterlife, and Skye explained more of the situation. "Anyway I was hoping you could help with the situation. I mean Coulson might hear you out."

"Unfortunately I doubt that. I left the SHIELD base not just to look for Bucky. I also left because I was disappointed. I left you, Fitz, Simmons, and Hunter on good terms. I did not leave the others on such good terms. I walked from them because I saw the same destructive path that is now branded in history."

"History often has a way of repeating itself." A female voice said behind Three, the pair had stopped to talk and so when Three turned she came face to face with an all too familiar face and gasped. Her hand flew to her mouth as she stared wide eyed at Jiaying.

"Kat? What is wrong?" Skye asked confused while Jiaying looked equally confused. Her distress watch began beeping loudly showing her heightened distress at seeing a woman she had once before seen dead. "Kat! What is it?! What's wrong?!"

Skye asked grabbing Three's arm. Three knew she had to calm down as she uncovered her mouth. "It's you," Three said licking her lips, "I am sorry...h—how did you survive though? God! Sorry it is just I saw you before... October 1989."

The penny dropped for Skye. "The file on the drive, you stated you saw them removing a dead woman from a room that Whitehall—you saw my mother."

"You're HYDRA?" Jiaying asked now looking offended.

"N—no! I was a test subject at a HYDRA facility in China. I was five or six when..." Three sighed, "Sorry I—this is definitely a shock."

"I am sorry I forgot some of the details about Kat. She kind of dumped a lot of information on us when she came to us for help." Skye said to her mother. The woman now looked Three over more carefully then seemed to relax as if understanding the situation.

"It is alright, I can only imagine what it must have been like to witness something like that." Jiaying said with a kind smile. "Skye has told us a lot about you, and thought you could offer us advice about SHIELD. Perhaps we can talk further inside?"

"Of course, and sorry I freaked out." Three replied as the group went into a nearby building to talk further. It kind of looked like a large meeting room, but more cosy. They sat at a larger circular wooden table. The group consisted of Jiaying, Skye, Cal, Gordon, Raina, Lincoln, and Kat. They had tea brought, and Three tried to relax.

"I imagine this must be rather confusing, you saw my body. Allow me to explain Whitehall had my body dumped and Cal found me and patched me up. As you might guess I have a regeneration ability." Jiaying stated, as they sipped their tea.

"Yes one of the guards then mentioned that, but I thought with what I saw..." Three trailed off not wanting the mental image of what she saw that night to crop up, "Sorry you probably don't want to talk about it."

"It is alright, I do not imagine your time with HYDRA was any better. Skye told me some of what they did." Jiaying said gently then straightened, "However today is not about them, but SHIELD. Skye told me you have a unique outside perspective. What do you think of SHIELD and their arrival will mean?"

"I think SHIELD itself has the potential to be a good group. The whole point of the word SHIELD is to protect, but as history has shown that is not always the case. Had good men had the fortitude to eliminate HYDRA back during World War Two, neither of us would have had to suffer what we did. I want to believe in SHIELD, I do. I want to believe that they can be better. However the most recent additions to SHIELD Coulson's advisers mean SHIELD is repeating history." Three sighed and took a drink of her tea before continuing, "In the weeks prior when Coulson moved Skye to that cabin Gordon found her at. Coulson's base was taken by those claiming to be the 'real SHIELD'. In short I helped Coulson, and saw what happened at the cabin before Gordon rescued Skye. The point is the 'real' SHIELD is a little too close to HYDRA. Which was why after we rescued Lincoln and Mike, I walked because Coulson while a good man is now taking advice from those people."

Jiaying and the others remained quiet merely digesting the information. "I want SHIELD to be that positive force for good, that protects people. But the way it is going now? No I am genuinely worried what this will mean. I already can guess what they will want when they come here. They will want to put your people on the Index."

Jiaying looked troubled. "Both Cal and Skye have mentioned this Index. You have concerns?"

"The Index is a good way to monitor people with abilities, don't get me wrong. And there are some individuals that are of the mindset to hurt innocent people which with the Index SHIELD prevents them from doing. However HYDRA was embedded within SHIELD. For many years that list was in the wrong hands. How many others suffered similar fates to us because they were on that list? As it was I kind of have a confession... I knew Lincoln was going to be put on the index so I erased his file."

"You did what? Kat! They will know you did it!" Skye said shocked, "When Coulson finds out-"

"Skye just hear me out, please!" Three said trying to calm the situation down, "I removed his name because with Coulson's new 'advisers' the danger is too great. I just don't want in twenty or fifty years time someone to be put on an operating table, or experimented on. I am not saying there isn't a good reason for the index, I am saying that there is too many variables and chances for the Index to end up in the wrong hands."

"But it's SHIELD, we are talking about Coulson here. The Index—"

"Was in the wrong hands before!" Three pointed out, "Ten plus years I fought HYDRA within SHIELD. They had no problem accessing everything SHIELD could, no problem tricking good men and women into helping with their agendas, and they certainly had no problem getting their hands on unique individuals because of the Index. Did you think I always sat behind a computer? Why do you think Aida has taken over hacking and doing the digital work? I had to go out there more than once to fight them, to protect the ones they were after Skye. It is like any item, the Index in the right hands can do a lot of good, but in the wrong hands..."

Three let the implication hang in the air. The group was silent for a moment until finally Jiaying sighed. She looked so tired and worn just then. "I asked you to come here to advise me, so is there any way to avoid a war without being put on the Index?"

"Coulson," Three said, "Despite his new advisers, he is still a good man. He can be reasoned with, and maybe even a compromise can reached. They cannot force you to be Indexed, I doubt Coulson would start a fight over it. Maybe you can even work together..."

"How so?" Jiaying asked hopeful.

"Well for example if there are dangerous individuals who are abusing their abilities..."Three started.

"Like in Bahrain?" Skye said thinking aloud, and Three shrugged not knowing all the details.

"Maybe inform SHIELD and they can help locate the individual to stop them before anyone gets hurt. Perhaps even when SHIELD is more established and the trust has developed some of your people may want to use their abilities to help others and would be welcomed into SHIELD, who knows?"

Jiaying smiled at the idea that Three was suggesting. Perhaps it did sound ideal, but she sighed. "So you recommend that we form a peaceful alliance, but with no indexing?"

"Yes," Three said.

"Thank you Kat. You have given me much to think about. I know that you search for someone important to you, but would you consider staying until after the meeting with SHIELD?"

"I would be happy to help any way I can, but is that allowed I thought only Inhumans were allowed here. Skye mentioned it before I left." Three said not wanting to get in the way.

"Not to worry like Cal you are welcome here as guest in Afterlife, and I feel your advice will prove invaluable." Jiaying said.

"Well if it is okay, then yes I would be honoured to help out in any way I can."

"Thank you. Gordon can you show Kat where she will be staying?"

"Of course." Gordon said rising from his seat and leading Kat from the room. Once the two were outside Gordon chuckled.

"What?" Three asked.

"Sorry I thought that you would be on SHIELD's side, but I think you surprised all of us."

"Yeah I think I surprised Skye most of all in that regard." Kat said doubting she won any points with Skye for her actions.

"I think she understands why you did what you did." Gordon pointed out, "Thank you by the way for erasing Lincoln from the Index. He was deeply upset to be put on it."

"My pleasure," Three said as Gordon led her to a small cabin.

"This is your room. Tomorrow SHIELD will be arriving in the morning. I must attend to some matters, but I imagine Skye will be by to talk to you. Welcome to Afterlife Kat." With that Gordon teleported and Three smiled then looked around her room. She set her bag down by the bed and got comfortable in the new location. On entering the room the bed was straight across against the wall. To the right past a tan changing screen was the bathroom. Next to the screen was a dresser and bookshelf. To the left was a desk, and by the window was a small dining table with two chairs. Finally next to the bed was a night stand. It was a lovely place, but right then Three felt tired. Her anxiety over Bucky had affected her greatly, so she decided to find out how comfortable the bed really was. Lying down her head touched the pillow and she was out like a light.

* * *

 **April 9th, 2015**

 **Afterlife**

Three had not been asleep long when she awoke later that evening. She had imagined Skye would have been by a lot sooner to speak to her about what she told Jiaying. Instead Three was woken by Gordon, who informed her she was invited to dinner. From there he led her to a larger building that held a large dining room, where Gordon wished her a pleasant evening. Thus far Skye had not arrived it was just Cal and Jiaying. It appeared Jiaying was also curious about her as she smiled at Three. "Kat thank you for joining us. Truth be told we are only just getting to know our daughter, and thought you being her friend would provide us with more insight."

"Well I will help the best I can, but I am not as close a friend as Simmons, or the other SHIELD members she has been with. I have only actually worked alongside her for a few short weeks."

"True, but she does speak highly of you." Jiaying pointed out, it was then that the trio looked to the doors as Skye entered. "I hope you do not mind but I asked Kat to join us."

"No it's fine." Skye said as they took their seats around a round table.

"It seems Kat underestimated how you view her." Jiaying said to Skye.

"Which part?" Skye asked looking at Three.

"Well the part about us being friends. I mean Simmons, Fitz, and the other SHIELD agents you've known longer. Me? You have only known me a few weeks in person."

"Well yeah, but you are still a friend." Skye said surprising Three.

"By God, you act as if being someone's friend is something new." Cal chuckled.

"No, just surprised really. I mean I have had a few friends, but... it doesn't last." Three said, "I sort of had to accept that being alone is the best thing for me and everyone around me. Partly why I created Aida, I just wanted someone that could not be taken away."

"But that is not the same as another person." Jiaying said concerned.

"No it wasn't, eventually I met a SHIELD agent from before HYDRA's exposure. Over the years we became best friends, but I knew it could not last. I lied to her from the beginning and have since the Helicarriers incident had to disappear from her life. It is a similar situation that has replayed in my life."

"I think the reason Skye is able to relate to you is because you have so much in common." Jiaying stated surprising Three even more.

"Well we both are good hackers, but..."

"Don't be so modest now." Cal laughed, "You and our Daisy have a lot in common."

"Daisy? Is that your name?" Three asked looking at Skye.

"Yeah."

"That is wonderful news, and a very pretty name. Not that Skye is not a pretty name, but this is _your_ name." Three was happy for Skye, it must have been wonderful to have an actual name that her parents intended for her.

"I also found out that I was born July 2nd, 1988." Skye admitted.

"That is wonderful news! I am happy for you, not knowing is terrible." Three said, "You had better start expecting birthday cards, and presents."

"Now we just need to figure out when your birthday is." Skye pointed out. The conversation continued on into the evening as Three explained how she first saw Skye and Coulson's team. Three also told how she was always jumping between fighting HYDRA, watching Coulson's team, and watching the Avengers. As Cal said she must have felt spread rather thinly.

"So what made you desperate enough to approach SHIELD, you do not seem the type to seek help even when it's needed?" Jiaying asked taking a sip of her tea.

"Most recently in Russia I met someone, and for the first time I could be me. There was no hiding, no lying, no pretending... I could be myself, and so could he. His name is James Barnes, and like with you or I; he has suffered by HYDRA's hands. We became close. When we attacked a HYDRA facility and destroyed it we were separated. I went to SHIELD because I want to find him... I love him." Three said then had to shake her head to dislodge the encroaching hopelessness, and laughed a little. "Truth be told I have the worse timing I came to SHIELD and they already had their hands full."

"Or you had perfect timing, perhaps when this issue is over we can help you find James." Jiaying suggested, "I know what it is like to lose something dear to you, and would wish that on no one."

"Really? If you did I would never be able to thank you enough for your help." Three said, she was not sure why but Skye's parents seemed to actually like her. They talked for a bit longer until the hour grew late then Skye walked her back to her room. The pair talked along the way.

"Do you think tomorrow will be peaceful?" Skye asked.

"So long as Coulson meets with your mom, it will. Anyone else and your guess is as good as mine." Three replied, "I also hope you were not too upset with my honesty, or deleting Lincoln's file. I know I burnt that bridge, and Coulson may not trust me again; but I would rather have that then risk someone else having to face the same situation Jiaying or I did."

"I was at first, then I had time to think about it and realized that you are right. You had good reasons for what you did, and your logic is sound. I just hope others can see it."

"Well I will be with you guys tomorrow, so we will see."

"Yeah, well goodnight. See you in the morning." Skye said and Three headed inside and got ready for bed. Tomorrow was going to be a long tense day.

* * *

 **April 10th, 2015**

 **Afterlife**

The next morning Three awoke early and dressed preparing for when SHIELD would arrive. She dressed in normal clothing picking jeans, hiking boots, and a grey long sleeved button up shirt with the sleeves rolled up over a purple tank top. However when she came out she was greeted by Skye who told her Raina tried to manipulate Gordon, which was typical considering the woman had caused a lot of problems early on for Coulson's team. It was also decided that Cal would be handed over since he had murdered people before. In all honesty Three thought it might have been HYDRA agents that he killed which to her was no big loss. Still he wanted to do it to spare his family any reprisals, and give the air of cooperation. It was a logical plan, and Three honestly understood Jiaying's desire to do all she could to smooth things over with SHIELD. Thus she stood where the meeting was to take place with Jiaying offering up any other advise she could when Lincoln poked his head in. "They have arrived. Gordon is escorting them."

"Thank you Lincoln." Jiaying said swallowing, she squeezed Cal's hand knowing they would soon be parted.

"Are you sure about handing Cal over?" Three asked again, "From what I saw he only killed HYDRA agents, which should earn him a medal not a cell."

Cal chuckled. "Thank you, but turning me over to SHIELD is my way of protecting my family. I am asking Jiaying to let me do this."

Three nodded, but still looked concerned. As the door was opened to let in—Gonzales?! Three frowned then looked to Skye confused but she looked equally confused.

"Where is Coulson?" Skye asked, as Three folded her arms across her chest and regarded Gonzales with an disapproving look.

"At headquarters, but I represent SHIELD with the same intentions." Gonzales replied and Three had to bite back the bark of laughter that wanted to come out. "I might ask why he and Kat are here though?"

"Kat was invited here by my daughter as a guest. Since she is not of SHIELD I figured there was no harm." Jiaying replied the woman certainly had a head for diplomacy as she did not mention that Three was here in an advisory capacity. However Jiaying was not about to let Gonzales ponder the strategic reasons. Instead she continued, "Since you also returned Lincoln and Skye to us, we would like to return someone of interest to you. He has killed agents of yours hasn't he?"

"Uh no. No, not SHIELD agents. I don't think, just people who had it coming." Cal said making Three want to smile.

"We pride ourselves on doing the right thing, and as much as this pains me I do understand the larger goal."

"I will call one of my people to take him," Gonzales said.

"Skye can," Jiaying turned to Skye, "Would you take your father to the agents outside? I am sure Mr..."

"Gonzales, Robert."

"Robert and I have much to discuss." Skye silently agreed and looked to Cal before moving away, then Jiaying turned to Three. "Would you excuse us as well Kat?"

Three nodded and followed Cal and Skye out closing the doors behind them to give them privacy before moving away. She followed Skye and Cal at a distance to give them some privacy, and to think. However Gordon's voice brought her out of her thoughts. "You seem worried."

"Unfortunately it is not Coulson meeting Jiaying but Gonzales, so yes I am worried." Three said looking back at the building.

"Do not worry I will be close by, if Jiaying needs me I will know." Gordon said before moving back towards the building, and Three eventually caught up to Skye who was now talking to May. _'Oh boy this will be fun!'_

"Gonzales sent people to kill me a few weeks ago." Skye was saying to May.

"He is a much better man than you think." Then May caught sight of her. "What are you doing here?"

"Skye called and invited me, and am kind of thinking now she had good reason to." Three answered coldly, as Three noticed Weaver and came to stand by Skye.

"We are on the same side now." May said.

"No as long as there are ones like Gonzales, Oliver, and Weaver, I am not on the same side. That shoot first policy of theirs nearly got Skye killed, and that is a policy HYDRA has had for a lot longer. I am saying this now because you can handle blunt: SHIELD is walking a tight rope, and if they fall it will only be a matter of time before it is no different than HYDRA." With that Three threw Weaver an icy glare and walked away. She wanted to keep close to the building in case Gonzales got trigger happy. Thus she left Skye and May to talk more as she paced not far.

"You're worried." A man said and Three turned to find Lincoln leaning against a building nearby.

"Yeah," Three said with a sigh.

"Ya hear how Raina claimed it would be a disaster if Jiaying met with the SHIELD rep?"

"Yeah heard a bit, Raina is manipulative. The person I am worried about messing things up is Gonzales." Three said, Lincoln could only nod.

"Well try not to wear the cement down with pacing. I am going to go check on the others." With that Lincoln left and Three sighed. Logically thinking Gonzales would not try anything, not in the heart of Afterlife. She was worrying for nothing, and Jiaying was such a good negotiator that Three was certain they could find a reasonable compromise. Sighing she leaned against the wall and closed her eyes thinking. She would be glad when this was over and with Jiaying and Gordon's help perhaps she would find Bucky sooner. _'Relax everything is going to be fine. There is no need to overreact."_

Those words were almost believable—almost if not for the sound of two gun shots! Three almost did not believe her ears, as her eyes snapped open and she blinked. Already she was moving forward as she heard Skye, Lincoln, and Jemma rushing forward. "Mom!" Sky called out.

"Kat what happened?!" Lincoln called.

"I don't know, the gun shots-" The words cut short as Jiaying emerged clutching her shoulder from a gunshot wound. "Jiaying!"

The group rushed forward as Jiaying collapsed, Skye reached her first and held her mother while Lincoln and Three knelt nearby. "Mom, what happened?!"

"Gonzales, he said that we were...that Inhumans should be exterminated." Jiaying said. "Ugh! He had a gun."

"That son of a-" Three started to rise as did Skye, but Jiaying had a firm grip on her.

"No! Stay with me please!"

"I'll get him Skye." Three said.

"No Kat! Gordon will take care of him." Jiaying said, then looked to Lincoln, "Get everyone to safety."

Lincoln immediately rose and called out. "Everyone this way!"

As the Inhumans took off with Lincoln Jemma knelt by Three. "Let me take a look at that."

"SHIELD has done enough. We have our own doctors, I will be fine in time. Right now we have more pressing concerns."

"You should get out of here." Skye said to Jemma.

"What about you?" She asked not realizing that she was putting Skye on the spot, as she was torn between going with SHIELD and staying with her mother.

"Don't worry Jemma, I'll stick with them. After Gonzales though SHIELD is not going to be too welcome here. Go." Three said, and Jemma could only nod before she and the other SHIELD agents took off. "We need to apply pressure to keep you from losing blood."

Three tore some cloth from Jiaying's long shirt and pressed it onto the wound. The woman naturally groaned, "Sorry," That was when Three noticed it the gunshots easily missed the heart. Gonzales was a trained SHIELD agent most of his life—he would not have missed! However Three knew not to let on that anything was off as she sighed. "Thank goodness it missed the heart at least."

Eventually Lincoln returned. "We need to get you to the doctors."

They were helping her stand up when one of the Quinjet's flew into view and Three realized this was a cover up to keep anyone from entering the building where the meeting took place. However there was no time to worry about that, they were too close to the damn building!

"C'mon! Help me!" Skye yelled over the noise of the Quinjet, and they ran as it fired into the building twice. The second blast threw them to the ground. Three groaned stunned as she shook it off and her ears popped. They got to their feet.

"Are you guys alright?" Three asked as the jet flew off.

"Mostly." Lincoln answered.

"Why would you let them do this? I thought you were on our side." Jiaying said looking at her daughter.

"I am, I had no idea this would happen."

"It would not have happened if it were Coulson. Gonzales should not have been trusted!" Three replied angry as she glared back at his last known location.

"Jiaying! I am here!" A red head ran up and Lincoln helped her away.

"I'll go find Gonzales, Okay? Skye?" Three asked and had to shake her from her shock.

"Yeah okay." With that Three rushed back to her room in her overnight bag she had a knife that she grabbed just in case. She moved back to the destroyed burning building to locate Gonzales, but instead she saw Skye had used her powers on May knocking her back and out.

"What happened?" Three asked.

"Nothing, just May refusing to leave." Skye said angry. The pair quickly left and caught up to Jiaying and the others. Fortunately SHIELD left quickly, and they got to the doctors were the bullets were being pulled out of Jiaying's shoulder. Three stood guard quietly thinking putting all the pieces together. _'Gonzales was an ass, but he would not have attacked outright and missed. Nor would he not have had an exit strategy should things go south.'_ Knowing this meant that something was definitely off, and if she was going to learn the truth she needed to come off as being on Jiaying's side. She also needed to show she was a useful ally.

"SHIELD couldn't be trusted, but you convinced her why?" Lincoln asked.

"You think I knew this would happen?!" Skye asked.

"Lincoln, Skye." Jiaying said and Skye turned to Jiaying.

"I never meant for this to happen I swear."

"It was Gonzales, we never should have allowed the meeting with him! Coulson we could trust, but these new advisers?! I should have stuck closer to the building...maybe I could have got him." Three said.

"I should have been more careful." Jiaying said, "SHIELD has done this before, I had hoped they had changed. Skye feels as betrayed as we do Lincoln maybe more."

"I don't think we know the full story." Skye said, and Three sighed telling herself to play the role.

"What is there to know Skye? Gonzales had it in for your people—Inhumans. This just shows how vicious he is."

"Your brain is always operating faster, Kat. Why do you not want to pursue this?" Skye asked.

"Because I already guessed it. Gonzales shot your mother, oddly he missed but I am guessing his old injuries threw his balance. He must have escaped out a window after his failed assassination attempt, and ordered the Quinjet to blow the building to cover his tracks. There is no hidden mystery Skye. I wish there was, but we both know Gonzales wanted one thing here." Skye looked shocked and horrified by Three's conclusion, but if she was going to learn the truth she needed people to believe that she was on their side.

"I just...Coulson wouldn't do this. You know him Kat."

"Yes I know Coulson wouldn't, but Gonzales would." Three said making Skye slump into a chair to think. Three knew Skye would not drop the theories, but at least for now the conversation calmed down. "Right now Jiaying will need rest, and we need to prepare for what move SHIELD makes next so long as Gonzales is there the Inhumans will need to be protected. As it is right now... he is probably right now spinning a tale to Coulson to make the Inhumans the bad guys."

Skye nodded as she silently agreed. "We both know SHIELD best, we need to make a clean sweep. Make sure no other SHIELD personnel are here, and assure they don't sneak in."

It was then Skye caught on, Three wanted to get her in private. "You're right. As long as Gonzales is around we are not safe."

"Be careful, I do not want you putting yourselves in danger." Jiaying said worried.

"We will be careful." Three said reassuringly.

"Please get some rest, mom." Skye added as they headed outside and away from the most populated locations to the edge.

"Look like we are looking for SHIELD and performing a patrol." Three whispered as they moved, and Skye did as she asked. When Three was sure no one could hear she continued whispering, "Sorry to sound like I bought the stupidity drink, but they needed to believe the lies."

"You don't think-"

"Nope, Gonzales was most likely still in the building when it blew. The Quinjet blowing up the building was a cover for whatever happened inside." Three said softly. "He may have been an ass, but the man was a SHIELD agent most of his life meaning he would not have missed."

"Are you suggesting my mother-"

"I am not suggesting anything yet, but you and I are on the same page. We both know there is more to this and we both want answers." Three said as they resumed their patrolling. When that was done they decided to visit Raina for answers. Both entered her room to find Raina toying with a vase of flowers.

"You knew, didn't you?" Skye asked, while Three watched the thorn covered Raina. "Your visions. You saw fire destruction, you knew it would all fall apart."

"I'm afraid so. Everyone thinks flowers are so delicate, but they are actually quite resilient."

"We are not here to talk botany." Skye said impatiently.

"No you are here to ask questions about what is going to happen next."

"Yes."

"Well that is the tragedy because even if I were inclined to tell you, you wouldn't believe me."

"Try us. I've believed some impossible things." Three added.

"Not with our history." Raina said.

"Forget history, I don't care about the past-"

"Well you should, because the past and the future are intertwined just like us. Our paths have been intertwined since before we even met, and I am not talking about DNA. You and I have spent our entire lives searching for our destiny, and I finally have the answer. I had a vision today and it revealed the truth I've seen it."

"Tell us." Skye said as Three stepped closer drawn by the desire to know what was coming.

"You wouldn't believe me."

"You never know we might." Three said trying to tease the answers out of Raina, but Skye was not in the mood.

"Raina."

"It is the thorn that protects the rose, or in this case the daisy." That comment got Three to look carefully at Raina.

"Please stop with the metaphors!"

"Wait, I think she means literally...thorn." Three pointed at Raina, "Daisy." Three pointed at Skye.

"You really are the smartest woman here." Raina smiled, then looked at Skye, "It is not a metaphor. That's the irony. My true purpose, my destiny is to help you become what you are suppose to be." Raina said returning to the table with flowers.

"Why the hell did I even come here?!" Skye asked frustrated, and started to leave.

"Because you want answers you are just not willing to hear them."

"Stop and listen Skye..." Three said, then turned back to Raina, "Please continue."

"We will never speak to each other again, but you will see. Your mother is not leading our people, she is misleading them. It is you who are destined to lead." Raina said turning away, now Skye was confused, but Three was reading the hidden meaning. "Even in the darkness you will see the truth."

After that Skye walked out, but Three remained there a moment regarding Raina who finally turned to her. "She will kill you, won't she? When you said we will never speak to each other again, and even in the darkness-"

"It amazes me just how smart you are. Smart, but also blind to what is happening within. You will find him, but not in time." Three sucked in a pained breath—Bucky!

"Does he die?" Three asked.

"I did not say that he dies, only that you do not find him in time." The words hung in her head as Raina returned to arranging the flowers meaning there was nothing more to be said. Three stood there a moment considering what was said then turned and left. For all her lying and deceiving Three believed Raina this time. She soon found Skye sitting on a bench. Three was unsure what to make of Raina's words as she sat with Skye.

"We should not have bothered with Raina she is deceitful." Skye finally bit out.

"True, but she told us enough. Stop and think about Raina's choice of words, the way she said them. Often you can see through lies and deceit." Three advised and Skye sat there thinking for a moment. "I am going back to the meeting building try to find some answers," Three said but when Lincoln got close she added, "And track Gonzales. Hopefully he did not make it to the Quinjet and is hiding. With luck I can drag him in to answer for this."

"Be careful the man is evil." Skye said as Lincoln looked between the two.

"What is going on?"

"We just went to speak to Raina to ask about SHIELD's next move, try to prevent them from doing harm. However due to Gonzales' old injury I am guessing he may still be here, I am off to the meeting location now that the fire is out to try and track him." Three said calmly.

"Are you sure you will be okay? Won't he attack you too?"

"Oh I am certain he would, but he is older and slower. Plus I will be armed just in case." Three said reassuringly, "If I find him, I will bring him back to answer for what he has done. How is Jiaying?"

"Still resting, but I think she is grateful at least one of Skye's friends are good." Lincoln said, "Could I talk to Skye alone please?"

"Oh of course," Three said then looked to Skye, "I will let you know what I find." With that she left the pair heading for the mostly destroyed building. In the chaos most of it burnt down except for the back and side wall. Everything else was a smoking charred ruin. There was still a nasty burnt smell with some area still smoking, but Three moved into the ruin easily. She came to where the desk had been and looked around for anything to give her a clue as to what might have happened. Sadly the jet's bombings ensured all evidence was gone. Even with the bombs on the Quinjet something of the body would be left if Gonzales died in here. Three shook her head and rose to her feet, that was when she caught a glint of something metallic. Moving that way she knelt down and found a stick. Knocking the some of the ash aside, Three frowned as she used the stick to pick up a damaged gun by the trigger guard. It was Gonzales' gun. _'Gonzales would not have just dropped his gun if he had attacked Jiaying.'_

"You should not be here alone. This building is dangerous." The voice of Gordon made Three jump a little. She had not really had time to register him teleporting in.

"Geez Gordon, you are trying to give me a heart attack." Three said then shook her head. As Gordon seemed to notice she somehow found something.

"What did you find?"

"Gonzales' gun. In the ash, he must have dropped it when he fled. It is strange though given his injuries I thought he would have kept his gun to ensure his escape. Unless his injuries were fake to get a sympathy vote. Maybe he has more than one gun... who brings a gun to peace talks anyway?!" Three said shaking her head as she set the gun back down, and rose to her feet. She moved around as if looking at the areas where the windows had been.

"What are you looking for?" Gordon asked.

"Trying to track his movements find how he escaped, and track him." Three said, then sighed. Obviously there was no trail because Gonzales did not leave, but Three shook her head and kicked one remaining panels. "The bastard must have covered his tracks."

She quietly noted Gordon relaxing, but continued to act agitated by her lack of success. "You tried, that is what matters."

"I know, but if he escaped he will be back."

"Then we must be ready. Come these ruins are not safe." Gordon said and Three followed him from them.

"So where were you? I haven't seen you since this mess started?" Three asked trying to make conversation.

"After the attack Jiaying asked me to get those not changed, or incapable of fighting out."

"Ah of course, are they going to be okay? I mean SHIELD now has the tech to track you." Three said concerned.

"With luck their focus will be here." Gordon said, "It is why many are preparing to fight SHIELD."

 _'Ah a test, see where my loyalties lie.'_ "Well sign me up then, SHIELD has gone too far here. I am with you guys."

"Jiaying will be pleased to hear that, she was not going to ask you to fight but will not turn you away either." Gordon said. Eventually he left her and Three eventually located Skye, and told her what was found. The news was not comforting for either of them. Later that day as it turned to evening Skye met with her mother and discovered that Jiaying wanted to take the fight to SHIELD. In the privacy of Three's guest room, Three sighed.

"We need to follow Raina."

"Why? She is a lying deceitful-"

"Even in the darkness we will see the truth." Three said, making Skye wonder if possibly Raina was telling the truth in her own way.

"I don't know..." Skye admitted.

"Alright I will follow Raina, you keep an eye on your mother."

"Why?"

"Because that way, hopefully you prove your mother innocent in this." The pair left and split up with Skye heading for Jiaying's home and Three waiting in the shadows watching Raina's home. It was not until late that evening when most were in bed that she finally left and Three followed her. Keeping her in view then she stopped on a bridge where Jiaying was waiting. Briefly she looked for Skye knowing the SHIELD agent had to be hearing what she was.

"Thank you for meeting me Raina." Jiaying said.

"How are you feeling?"

"Stronger, I should have listened to your warning about SHIELD."

"I hadn't foreseen you getting attacked." Raina admitted, "I would have told you."

"These are dangerous days. I am grateful for your visions. You will be a valuable advisor." Jiaying said.

"Advisor, like Kat?" Raina asked.

"She is a powerful ally for a human with wisdom and insight into SHIELD." Jiaying said, and Raina smirked as she crossed her arms.

"She is meant for much more than that." Raina pointed out then sighed. "Growing up my dream was to lead the Inhumans."

"Life is rarely what we dream." Jiaying said.

"I have learned that more painfully than most, and now I've come to accept it. It is not for me to lead, but illuminate. I have seen the future and your plan."

"Does it succeed?" Jiaying asked.

"There is only one thing that can save the Inhumans from death and destruction, and it is neither you nor I. It's Skye." Raina said, though Jiaying did not look pleased by that. "I have considered killing her and you. Running from my fate, but then I realized what my grandmother used to say. That one day I would be an angel, and I realized her words have come true. I am not a monster," Raina removed her hood, "I am an angel. I am finally what I am meant to be."

"I am happy to hear you say that." Jiaying said but she sounded colder, it was not the sweet tone Three recognized.

"Angels are guardians Jiaying, but they are also Heralds sent to reveal the truth and that is my purpose. I am here to show the Inhumans exactly what you are. Even in the darkness they will see the truth."

"No, they won't." Jiaying said with that she stabbed Raina in the throat shocking Three, but it appeared Skye was even more shocked as she stepped out and her mother turned to face her as Rain fell to the ground dead.

"What did you do? How could you-"

"She threatened me, you tried to warn me but I didn't listen until it was almost too late."

"She knew I would see this." Skye said still shocked. "She said as much. She saw who you really are, so you killed her."

"Everything I have done, everything I will do is for the protection of our people."

"You killed Gonzales." Skye said realizing the terrible truth that Three had merely eluded to. Three swallowed hard, she was considering stepping out but instinct told her to wait. "You want a war."

"War was inevitable," Jiaying said, "I struck first so we would have the advantage."

"He came to make peace!"

"Peace?! I built this community in the middle of nowhere so we would be left in peace. Yet SHIELD found us. No matter where we go or what we do they will hunt us down. If we are to survive, SHIELD must be destroyed."

"What are you planning?" Skye asked horrified.

"I am planning for our future, your future. Daisy I won't live forever and when I am gone you must lead these people. Protect them as I have done."

"Protect them? You killed Raina, you are leading them into a war! If they need protection it is from you!"

"I am sorry you feel that way." Jiaying said. Three saw the man come out of the shadows and knock Skye out. By then it was too late to act, and Three needed to think of a way to help Skye. "Restrain her. Take her with you. When this is done hopefully she will understand, and dispose of Raina's body."

With that Jiaying walked away, and Three immediately followed the guy taking Skye away. He got a short ways then she decided that this had to stop. She snuck up on the man knocking him out. He dropped Skye, and Three knelt by her. "Skye? Come on we need to get out of here."

"You are not going anywhere." Gordon said, and Three looked around to find herself surrounded. "A shame I really liked you, and I honestly thought you were on our side."

"I still am but why not ask Jiaying how Raina is doing, oh right you can't! Skye and I saw everything." Three said, "Is she going to kill me like Gonzales? What did she use? Because even with a high powered missile it would not disintegrate the entire body!"

"You were onto us from the start," Gordon sighed.

"Pretty much, yeah." Three said.

"It is a good thing Jiaying likes you." Gordon said, then there was a sharp pain in the back of the head and Three fell to the ground. She was still conscious for a moment as she lay there next to Skye. "No, Jiaying wanted us to take her as well."

Three groaned as she slipped into unconsciousness.

* * *

 **Author's Notes:**

 **First off thank you all for the lovely reviews. I do love hearing from you guys. One of the Guest reviewers asked about Three coming into contact with a child and pretty much shining more light on the huge difference between childhoods. It is a good idea, I honestly had not thought of. In truth Three was forced to grow up fast. We may see something like that later on, but I really don't want to spoil anything. The same goes for those asking the potential question of Three being pregnant... you will just have to keep reading. *Gives evil laugh***

 **As for this chapter I know it will disappoint some since towards the beginning Age of Ultron is referenced and Three is still with the Agents of SHIELD to some degree. Of course not completely she does not like Coulson's SHIELD merging with the 'real' SHIELD as she thinks one faction is just a little too radical in how they handle situations. So there it some head butting going on there. However all it takes it one phone call from Skye and Three is back in the thick of it.**

 **I mentioned before Skye has a type of default setting 'When in doubt call the other hacker'. Hence Three ending up with Skye and trying to help her in Afterlife. The episode this is taken from is season 2 episodes 20 'Scars' and 21 'S.O.S'. The other interesting point in this chapter is Three meeting Jiaying. In the very early chapters Three saw the body of Jiaying so seeing her alive and well is a shocker, but it also gives the two of them a unique kinship. Lastly the meal Three sits in on with Skye and her parents in not the one in the show, but more like the second or third dinner the family have and so they invite Three to learn more about Skye.**

 **Anyway I do hope you enjoyed this latest chapter and look forward to hearing from you.**

 **Lesliezin**


	36. Just Another Curve Ball

**Hello everyone,**

 **Here is Chapter 36, enjoy.**

* * *

 **April 10** **th** **, 2015**

 **SHIELD Boat**

Three winced as she slowly woke. Her head felt like someone was using it for a drum. As always she knew immediately what happened before, she was in Afterlife and got knocked out along with Skye. But where was she now? She was lying on the floor of what looked like a control room. Three avoided opening her eyes fully, knowing the Inhumans would notice. Instead she felt and heard rather than see. Her hands were zip-tied behind her back, there were others around her nearby. Slowly she peeked round to find herself lying on the floor of a SHIELD command room, and the people nearby were SHIELD. Two of them she recognized as Weaver and Oliver with a couple of others.

"That is the fan room down on the fourth deck. All of SHIELD's air circulates through it except for the tech labs on the third deck. Those run on a separate ventilation system for biohazard reasons. That fan room is just down from the labs." A man said and Three frowned, what did they intend to do with the air vents?

"Take a case of crystals to each, load the rest onto the Quinjet." Three heard Jiaying say and Three stiffened. What did these crystals do?

"It seems Kat is awake." Gordon said. Immediately she was yanked roughly to her feet, and made to face Jiaying.

"Where is Skye?!" Three asked.

"Safely locked away. She will understand in time." Jiaying said as the two men held Three, and she shook her head.

"No she won't. Skye is a good caring person, she will never go along with this." Three said.

"Which is why you are still here, you understand the measures that must be taken."

"I understand the measures that must be taken against HYDRA, not SHIELD!" Three argued.

"And what is the difference between the two? Last I heard HYDRA was within SHIELD for the past sixty-plus years!"

"Well for starters HYDRA is evil, SHIELD is good." Three pointed out making Jiaying laugh at her.

"You honestly believe that?! Did SHIELD stop Whitehall from cutting me open? Did SHIELD stop Vermonte from giving you those injections? What about the other test subjects? Did they stop the guards from raping Six, Three?" Three was a bit surprised Jiaying even knew the number she was given, everybody seemed to prefer calling her Kat. "Skye pulled up your file for me at Afterlife, when I wanted an outsider's opinion of SHIELD. Subject Three of the Mastermind program. What about the father and daughter that adopted you? Did SHIELD protect them?"

Three swallowed back a biting remark as she watched Jiaying. "For years you fought HYDRA and tip-toed around SHIELD, but what have they done for you? You went to them desperate to find your beloved James Barnes, has Coulson even bothered to look?"

"What do you want Jiaying?" Three asked wanting to get off the touchy subject of Bucky.

"You are one of the select few that truly understands what it is like for HYDRA to take everything from you. We are on the same side. All I ask is you help me destroy SHIELD, and I will help you find James. Don't you want to be reunited with him again?" Of course Jiaying wanted her for her knowledge and experience, but she wanted those skills turned against SHIELD. As much as Three wanted to find Bucky she was not willing to go full on dark side.

"I do not kill SHIELD agents." Three said firmly.

"How can you be so loyal to them?" Jiaying asked mostly due to disbelief.

"They are good people. SHIELD is nothing like HYDRA." Three said as Jiaying shook her head in disbelief. The conversation may have continued but Lincoln rushed in and came down the steps.

"We have a problem. I disabled the communications systems, but an emergency beacon was sent out to Coulson's base. It's hard-wired, and there is no way to cancel it without the proper code." Lincoln said coming up to Jiaying.

"Do one of you have the code?" Jiaying asked coming to stand before Weaver and Oliver.

"I suggest you surrender peacefully, when Coulson gets the message he will come at you with everything he has." Weaver said.

"Coulson is being dealt with. I don't need you to cancel the beacon, I want you to expand it. This ship and Coulson's base are not the full extent of SHIELD's operations. Expand the beacon, invite them all."

"You want them to know we are here?" Lincoln asked shocked.

"We have to show them what we are capable of. It's the only way they will ever leave us alone." _'No! The crystals to the ventilation rooms, them calling all of SHIELD. None of this is good!'_

Three shook her head at Weaver and Oliver trying to warn them not to do as she asked. Oliver noticed as he looked to Jiaying. "We don't know what your planning but we will play no part."

Jiaying looked to one of the other men, and they grabbed Oliver tossing him in another room with a few others. "Hands off you freak!"

"What are you doing? Let him go!" Weaver called out as Three tried to move forward but was grabbed and held back.

"Do you like rare gems?" Jiaying asking holding up the blue crystal in a case that was handed to her.

"You don't think you can bribe me-"

"It is not a bribe, it's an incentive."

"No!" Three called out, "Jiaying don't do this! I know you think SHIELD and HYDRA are one and the same, but they are not! These are good people."

"Name one SHIELD agent that is good and actually helped." Jiaying spat.

"Peggy Carter!" Three yelled, "The arresting officer that arrested Whitehall back in 1945 and saved you! She locked him up and had HYDRA not gotten inside SHIELD, he would have rotted in a cell! She is the embodiment of everything SHIELD stands for." For a moment Three thought she was actually getting through to Jiaying. The woman even came to stand before her considering her.

"One good agent, does not mean all are good." Jiaying turned and handed the crystal to another as Three began struggling more, that was when she felt the handle of something—a knife! Carefully she lifted it off of the one holding her as she struggled more. They tossed the crystal in with Oliver and the other two then shut the door to prevent the mist from escaping. It shattered and soon Three heard their cries as the mist briefly clouded the room. When it cleared all three were encased in horrid black stone.

"That is how you killed Gonzales, then blew the building up using one of the SHIELD jets!" Three said glaring at Jiaying, but was ignored. Only Lincoln now looked at her horrified, as Jiaying spoke to Weaver.

"Expand the beacon, or there will be more."

Weaver went to the console to expand the beacon as Three was released, fortunately the man did not notice his knife missing as she stood nearby Weaver. She discretely began cutting through the bindings as Weaver tapped keys. The remaining SHIELD agents were moved to containment cells except for Weaver and Kat who stood nearby. Eventually SHIELD showed up as coming, but when they got closer all but one broke off.

"All the SHIELD jets have turned around except for one."

"Someone must have warned them. Go check Skye's cell." Jiaying said and the guy went to do that leaving Jiaying and Gordon watching the monitors. The one guy was still guarding them, and a few others were at the terminals.

"What do you want to do with the rest of the prisoners on this ship?" Gordon asked. "If SHIELD is not coming..."

"Than there is no reason to wait. Break the crystals release the mist. Either they are Inhuman, or they are dead." Jiaying said coldly. Immediately Gordon set out for the fan room, just as Three cut the ties.

"Stay behind me." Three whispered to Weaver, then grabbed the Inhuman in front of them holding the knife to his throat. "Use your powers and I colour the floor with your blood!" Pulling him along Jiaying and the others watched on, but the crazy leader was not about to risk one of her people. Getting to the door that Weaver went through she shoved the guy forward after hitting him in the back of the head to knock him out.

"GO!" Three yelled as Weaver ran down the hall with her right behind her. They ran through corridors until it was clear they gave their pursuers the slip, either that or they simply did not care.

"What now?" Weaver asked.

"You want my opinion?" Three asked with a raised brow, and Weaver nodded, "I need access to a computer, if I can contact Aida she can help us."

"What about the crystals in the fan rooms?" Weaver asked.

"Some of SHIELD has already landed, but it looks like they have been warned. Seven jets were coming then all but one broke off. With Aida I can contact those SHIELD agents and we can coordinate our efforts. Besides I only need to plug this in..." Three said holding up a drive, "I always carry it on me, usually I use it on HYDRA bases...plug it in then Aida is allowed into the system."

"There are offices. This way." Weaver said leading Three down the hall and into the now empty offices. Three quickly plugged in the drive, and a moment later she activated it knowing Aida would receive the signal and tap into the system.

" _Hello? Kat is that you?"_ Aida's voice sounded from the speakers.

"Yes Aida, listen we don't have time to explain, but I need you to seize control of the ventilation system controls for this ship."

" _Unfortunately the main fan room cannot be shut down as everyone would die. I can however gain control of the lab's ventilation room, but the labs have personnel inside. If I vent the air, they die."_ Aida said.

"Close enough I guess. You will have to unlock the labs which will take time."

"And in that time the Inhumans could break a crystal." Weaver pointed out.

"Let's see where we stand first with help. Aida, can you patch me in with Coulson? His team should be here."

" _Establishing an connection."_

"Coulson, you hear me?"

" _Kat? How did—never mind that is a stupid question."_ Coulson's voice came through. _"_ _Where are you?"_

"Currently in some offices, but where are you?"

" _Heading for the main fan room, Skye warned us of the crystals."_

"Okay good, you guys hit that one I am heading for the lab ventilation room." Three said then turned to Weaver, "I need you to take me to that room."

When Weaver nodded, Three looked back at the computers. "Aida I need you to try and override the lab lock down, get the SHIELD personnel out of the labs in case I fail. If the worst comes to worse I will need you to purge the ventilation room so that the mist doesn't spread."

" _I will begin immediately, but it will take time. Also be warned if I purge the ventilation room anyone trapped inside will die."_ Aida said.

"Understood." Three said as she followed Weaver out of the offices, and down the hall. As they moved around a corridor, an Inhuman slammed Weaver into the wall and Three immediately attacked him. Kicking him in the stomach sent him back a few feet, then she kicked him in the head. In the narrow corridor the kick sent his head into the wall knocking him out cold. The attacker must have dropped a gun, and Weaver picked it up. She was about to shoot him. "No! He is out, let's go."

"He could come after us again." Weaver argued.

"Jiaying has tricked them," Three stated.

"He would not have hesitated to kill us!"

"Neither did SHIELD agents several years ago! More then once good agents tried to kill me, and I spared them. Are you telling me I should have killed them?!" Three asked bluntly as Weaver stood there silent, "Then show the same compassion I once showed SHIELD and let him be."

Three said walking away, Weaver sighed and followed leaving the man unconscious. Strangely the halls were mostly empty, and soon Three glanced into a smaller ventilation room with the crate in the middle. Why was no one here? Looking to Weaver, Three tsked. "Wait here, guard the hall."

Stepping into the room slowly, she gripped the knife she had stolen earlier. Moving towards the crate she ascended three metal steps to get to it and check it. The problem was the crate was open but no crystals were removed, so the only thing they had to do was hold this room. Three was just latching the case when Weaver cried out. She whirled around to see the woman slammed into the wall by some unseen force that knocked her out. She moved down the steps towards the hall when someone unseen grabbed her and threw her back.

"Ah!" Three cried out as she winced in pain, and looked up. Suddenly a man appeared, but not the teleporter, this man had been invisible! He was grinning smugly at her as she climbed to her feet. "You don't want to do this."

"Sure I do," The guy said closing the door to the room with Weaver on the other side, "You cannot fight what you cannot see." Immediately the man went invisible and Three got into a defensive pose while keeping an eye on the crate.

"Damn it, Where is the Avengers when you need them?" Three grumbled. An invisible punch came knocking her back and she swung but only hit air. The invisible man punched again, then hit her in the ribs. Knocked to her knees she kicked her leg out in a sweep and grinned when she knocked his feet out from under him. She heard the grunt as he hit the floor, and tried to kick him again but he must have moved. Obviously she had pissed him off because she was grabbed and thrown into the hard wall. A sharp pain jarred up her back, and falling to the floor meant she landed wrong on her forearm.

Shaking off the pain and dizziness she rolled away to hopefully give herself breathing room between herself and the invisible man. She needed a new strategy, trying to fight him like anyone else was getting her ass kicked. That was when she remembered some of what Takai had taught her, he taught her as his father had—and his father was blind! They had even blindfolded themselves in practise. Three calmed down and listened carefully as she watched the crate. The old memories came back as she listened to the soft sound of the ventilation fan, the soft breathing, and finally the slightest noise of a boot. He was on her right, so she acted like she heard something on her left. Then he drew in a breath as he prepared to attack.

The punch never got to her as she twisted out of the way and caught his arm, then she was twisting it back as she kicked him in the knee forcing him to kneel. From there she punch him, but he was tougher than that as it did not knock him out. Instead she released him to avoid getting hit, and kicked him away. "You can fight what you can't see if trained to do it."

Three heard him getting to his feet shakily and his breath coming out ragged. However rather than try to attack her she heard him rush for the case, so she attacked. Being invisible, Three did not see him pull a knife, nor did she see that he had pulled a crystal from the case. Frankly not seeing him at all played a surprising twist of fate. He turned and she ran right into him. The two stood frozen as Three felt the wet gush of hot liquid on her stomach and looked down shocked at the blood coating her shirt and hands. Then the invisible man became visible, his knife protruding from his stomach. He stood there shocked that she had beat him.

"I am sorry." Three said as he fell to his knees then fell back dead. Three exhaled a sigh of relief as she looked towards the door.

" _Kat you will be pleased to know I overrode the lock down and released the SHIELD personnel. The labs are clear."_

"Well that is good news," Three said as she saw Weaver in the small round window of the door. "Everything is fine Weaver."

Briefly the woman smiled, then the smile disappeared as a look of alarm came over her face. "Kat get out of there!"

For a moment Three was confused, the Inhuman was dead, then Three followed her gaze to the dead man. A blue crystal teetered on his fingers over the steps about to fall off. Three rushed forward stretching out her hand to grab the crystal as it fell down the steps. It clinked on the first and second steps but miraculously did not break. On the third step it happened, the crystal shattered, releasing the mist. Three shot upright knowing she must have breathed some in. "Aida! Purge the ventilation room now!"

They could not risk the mist getting anywhere on the ship, a purge was the only safe way to be sure. Already the strange rock like stuff formed over her legs and was quickly spreading upwards.

" _Kat! No!"_

"Do it now!" Three yelled, the AI could mourn her later. _'I am going to die!'_ Three thought as the shell covered her, and she squeezed her eyes shut. She heard the sound of the air being purged from the ventilation room, and was glad no one else would be at risk. Purging the contaminated air would only take a few moments then new air would be allowed in, but she would not live to see it.

* * *

Whatever Kat expected death to feel like this was not it. For a moment she wondered why her heart was still pounding, and why she could not move. Panicking she struggled and that was when what encased her broke apart and began falling away in pieces. She was alive! She was not dead, and the relief hit her hard as she fell to her hands and knees crying. By some twisted miracle she was alive! Either the mist or lack of oxygen should have killed her, the only thing she could guess was she had been protected by the encasing she had been put in. Still the relief and how frightening the experience had left her shaking and crying. She was not even aware anyone came in until someone wrapped their arms around her.

The contact made her gasp and try to escape until she realized it was the last person she would expect to hug her—May. The quiet woman just did not seem the comforting type, but Three could care less in the moment as she gripped May's arm and cried openly.

"It is going to be alright." May said calmly, but somehow Three did not feel alright. Something had changed.

* * *

 **April 11th, 2015**

 **The Playground**

Everything sort of happened in a blur after Three had been hit with the Terrigen mist. She had been vaguely aware of the Inhumans being locked up, or the aftermath of the fighting. She had heard a crystal almost broke in the main fan room, and Coulson lost an arm because of it. She also was at one point informed that Jiaying tried to kill Skye, but Cal killed her. Aida kept close, well as close as an AI could. There was a concern that SHIELD might try to lock up Three, and the AI would simply not stand for it. Eventually when all was said and done Coulson left Weaver in charge of the Iliad.

Three was too shaken to argue after her ordeal with the crystal. Slowly she began to calm down and wondered: Was this why Jiaying 'liked' her? Because she had the potential to be more? Had this been Jiaying's plan all along? Three shivered at the thought as she tried to relax, but now she felt sicker than ever. Her stomach turned as she sat aboard the larger jet across from Coulson. Both of them were being closely monitored by some medical personnel. Skye sat between Cal and Coulson as both men wanted her close by. It must have been nice to have two father figures, one being her actual father, the other being like one. Still Three knew Skye was not overjoyed, while Jiaying was crazy, she was still Skye's mother.

Lincoln sat by Three to keep tabs on her transformation, he was one of the only Inhumans not arrested as he had changed sides when he saw what Jiaying was doing. Besides, Coulson wanted someone experienced in this to help Three, and considering he knew Three a little he agreed. Fitz sat on the other side with Mack just down from him. May on the other hand was piloting the plane. The plane ride was mostly quiet as people considered what had happened.

"Kat? You doing okay?" Coulson finally asked.

"You are asking how I am doing when you are the one who lost a hand?" Three asked raising a brow.

"Fair point, but you were exposed to the crystal."

"Yeah," Three said hating to be reminded of her new situation, "Honestly I am just wondering if Jiaying knew. Is there a way to tell if someone can survive the Terrigen mist or not?"

"There is," Lincoln answered, "Before we would trace someone's genealogy and look for the same genetic traits. Though I do not think Jiaying knew you would be able to pass through the mist."

"Lucky me..." Three said humourlessly.

"Think of it this way at least you are not making everything shake." Skye said giving an encouraging smile.

"True, so what do you think I got?" Three asked looking around the plane.

"You know flying would be cool." Fitz pointed out.

"I don't know the flying ninja?" Coulson said shaking his head as he cracked a joke about her suit.

"What about super speed?" Skye asked, and Three nodded at the idea. Super speed sounded cool.

"You better not have x-ray vision." Mack said.

"Awe what is the matter Mack? Afraid I will see something I shouldn't?" Three teased and looked Mack over on purpose making him uncomfortable. Finally Three laughed, "Relax Mack, I was kidding. I tell you this much, it better not be a lame power like learning stuff fast because I already have that ability."

"Don't worry whatever ability you receive, you are meant to have." Lincoln said

"I also thought the abilities were overwhelming when you first get them, like Skye's. How come it isn't effecting me?"

"The mist affects everyone differently. Depending on the powers received some might not need to worry." Lincoln said.

"Oh well that is a good thing." Three replied, then seemed to consider what happened. The plane went quiet again and Three let her mind wonder over everything that happened. Then she thought of May and the comfort the woman gave, which had surprised Kat.

" _Hopefully Kat's abilities won't be dangerous."_ She heard May say.

"I am sure it will be fine May." Three said, but now everyone was watching Kat carefully. "What?"

"May didn't say anything Kat." Coulson said.

"Sure she did I heard her, she was hoping my abilities won't be dangerous." About then May put the auto pilot on and came back having heard it all.

"I think we just found out what your ability is." Lincoln said. Three was confused as she looked at May.

"Didn't you say that?"

"No, I thought it." May said.

"Mind reading abilities, also cool." Cal said.

"How did you do it?" May asked.

"I was just relaxing then I was thinking about everything that happened." Three said trying to figure out how she triggered the ability and stiffened, "Lastly I thought of you, you rushed into the room after I was changed."

"I get it when Kat thought of May, her mind must have reached out and picked up on May's thoughts." Lincoln explained.

"Sorry I wasn't trying to read your mind or anything." Three said hoping May did not hold it against her. She didn't seem to. "How am I controlling this though?" Three looked to Lincoln for answers, "I mean I am glad it is not overwhelming me, but doesn't the abilities overpower the individual at first?"

"I don't know, usually the Inhuman has to adjust to the change." Lincoln said confused.

"We will find out," Coulson promised then looked to May, "How far out are we?"

"ETA – twenty minutes." May said then returned to the pilot's seat. Briefly Three looked to Coulson then retreated to her own thoughts. This was troubling she didn't want to invade people's privacy by listening to their thoughts.

"Coulson? What is it?!" Skye asked and Three looked up to find the Director looking at her wide-eyed and shocked.

"What? What did I do? I swear I was not listening-"

"I heard your thoughts, it was like you... sent them." Coulson said, "You were worried about invading someone's privacy." So not only could she read minds but also send mental messages? This day just kept getting better and better!

* * *

The Playground was still recovering from Cal's destructive path when they arrived. Apparently he had been sent by Jiaying to get rid of SHIELD until Coulson talked him down. Thus Three, Coulson, and Cal sat in a make-shift medical area with Bobbi unconscious in the bed across from them. Hunter sat by her side.

"What happened to Bobbi?!" Three asked.

"That would be Ward's doing, Kara was left in our care and tricked Bobbi into leaving the base with her pretending to be May." Coulson explained.

"Please tell me that son of a bitch is dead." Three pleaded. Looking Bobbi over, the woman looked lucky to still be breathing.

"Unfortunately not," Simmons replied as she came in and looked shocked by her three newest patients. It was not everyday you saw the Director of SHIELD missing a hand, a new Inhuman, and a man still recovering from his—what was it Cal took anyway? Was he a Doctor Jekyll Mr Hyde type person? Either way it took Simmons a moment to shake the shock off.

"Yeah I know, we only look like the team that got our asses kicked. Don't let appearances fool you." Three said, as Coulson tried to relax. The man's pain meds were wearing off as he laid back on the bed sweating bullets. Naturally Coulson was the worst off and so Simmons attended to him first by ensuring infection did not settle in and the pain was kept at bay—well mostly. Coulson refused to be fully drugged up. Once Coulson was seen to Simmons took a blood sample from Three, asked some questions, and was informed of Kat's new abilities.

Lastly Simmons checked Cal making sure there was no serious damage from the concoction he took. "Well despite it all you seem to be in good condition health wise." Simmons said looking at them.

Lincoln had come in about then after being cleared. "I still do not know how you are doing it Kat. Usually gaining control of abilities takes... adjusting."

"I have a theory," Simmons stated, "Perhaps because Kat's abilities are mental, the Mastermind serum HYDRA injected her with has acted as a type of booster. A preparation for the abilities she got from the Terrogen mist. Because of this there is no adjusting because the adjustment was made long ago."

Three had to admit it would explain her mastery of these new abilities, and sounded the most feasible reason. Even Lincoln had to admit the theory was a good one. "You have a point, this is new territory. We have encountered 'enhanced' people before, like Cal, but never has an enhanced become Inhuman."

"I think Simmons is right, I mean there is no other way to explain the control I have over these abilities." Three said honestly.

"Well I think we should just be thankful you do have this level of control. Meantime we are going to check your blood, and see how it has changed." Simmons said, "For now just try to relax and rest you did after all, take a beating from the Invisible man."

Three did not argue with that as she lay back, throughout the rest of the day different members of SHIELD visited them to make sure they were okay.

* * *

 **April 13, 2015**

 **The Playground**

It had been a couple of days and one morning when Three woke, she was groggy. They had moved Bobbi to a more private recovery room as the damage had been cleaned up. Cal was given a guest room to be held in after his concoction burnt off, no doubt Skye was visiting him a lot. That left Coulson, who was no longer in recovery. She knew he was the Director, but honestly you would think losing a hand would at least slow him down. Nope he was up and wondering around. This left her being moved to a recovery room as well, since her abilities were non-destructive the need to lock her in containment was non-existent.

Three yawned as she considered going back to sleep, she had not been sleeping much and with her anxiety it just made everything worse. She stretched then winced: the Invisible Inhuman had certainly left bruises. Another reason to shut her eyes and sleep. _"_ _Coulson should not be up wondering around so soon."_ Jemma said, no she thought it.

" _I need to ask Jemma out, maybe that Italian restaurant?"_ Fitz thought, okay this was annoying. Merely relaxing she was hearing thoughts from others. She tried to ignore it and go back to sleep.

" _Wonder who won the game..."_

" _Meatloaf again for dinner..."_

" _Maybe I should request some time off..."_ Damn it all did everyone need to think so loudly?! Three grumbled, she did not have problems like this the other day. Wait that was it, she was calm and relaxed. Normally she was busy, her mind working on several problems at once, in this case the problem was not them, but her mind was too quiet. Music, music always helped focus her mind, that and it might drown out everyone's thoughts. Then she could work on what to do next, with her mind clear.

Slowly getting up she went to the glass and knocked, getting Fitz's attention. "Hey Fitz don't suppose I could have my Ipod? Music helps, and if I relax too much your thoughts break in regardless. Also FYI I think Simmons would love the Italian restaurant. Go full on Casanova and get her flowers too."

Fitz blushed a little, "Sorry Fitz, I was only trying to go back to sleep when I was bombarded by everyone's thoughts."

"Oh okay, Ipod?"

"My bag..." Three said then groaned as she remembered bringing the bag to Afterlife, but then they ended up on the boat. "Crap my bag was at Afterlife."

"Oh don't worry it was picked up and put in the lock-up. Coulson ordered a retrieval team to Afterlife after he came back to the Playground." Fitz said, "Be right back."

"Great thanks." Three said as Fitz wondered off and Jemma came up.

"Got great news your blood work is almost done. Soon you will be back to hunting HYDRA, plans?"

"Resume my search for Bucky and pray you guys do not call. I swear you guys are a magnet for trouble. Next up you guys will call saying Darth Vader has come to Earth and you guys need help defeating him." Three said getting Simmons to laugh.

"Well if it helps, hopefully the world threatening events are over with."

"You might want to tell the Avengers to behave, or there may be another world threatening event." Three pointed out. "No to Artificial Intelligence Tony Stark means no, that sort of thing."

"Speaking of AIs Aida is pestering me non-stop about how you are doing."

"She is just worried is all. We both thought I was dead when that crystal broke." Three said as Fitz came in with her Ipod, and gave it to her. "Thanks Fitz. I will let you guys get back to work."

With that the two returned to work, while Three laid back down on the bed listening to Taylor Swift. At least now peoples thoughts were not invading her mind, just good music. She was not relaxing long before she heard someone come in and opened one eye to find Coulson standing there. So she turned off the music and sat up against the head of the bed. "You know rest will do you good."

"I am good, just coming to see how you are doing."

"I am good, so what is up? What is everybody up to?"

"Well May is taking a vacation," Coulson said, then looked like he was about to tell her something she would not like, "I have decided to put Cal through the TAHITI program, I am sure you remember what that is."

"I do." Three said calmly.

"I wasn't sure how you would feel about that, since it is messing with someone's memories." Coulson admitted.

"Normally I would be against it, but I overheard that he was the one to kill Jiaying. That must have been the most painful thing for him to do." Three said, she did not bother to mention what else Jiaying most likely had him do. "He doesn't deserve that pain, but before you take the memories from him let Skye have some good memories with him. Give her some days to know him. If you simply put him through TAHITI, all she is going to remember is some bad memories."

Coulson nodded agreeing with her suggestion, though thinking about Jiaying Three sighed. Why had the woman even bothered with her? "What is it?" Coulson asked.

"Just thinking about Jiaying. Why she had me come to Afterlife, why she didn't kill me. All I can think is she viewed me as the same or similar..." Three sighed.

"But you're not, you may have shared life experiences but your path and hers went in separate directions. SHIELD... HYDRA she wanted both dead, and didn't care who got caught in the crossfire. You did, and that is what matters." Coulson said, he was right she never got so lost in revenge that she fought blindly. She had heard Jiaying was a good caring person once, and HYDRA destroyed that. "What HYDRA did to her broke her, what they did to you... I think it made you stronger."

The encouraging words helped as Three slowly agreed, then Coulson decided a change of subject was needed. "I also managed to convince Mack to stay, he was going to leave SHIELD before. He is now in charge of the Alien items we've confiscated."

"Well he will keep them locked up so that no one is hurt by it." Three said, then frowned, "But I must ask why are you telling me this?"

"Because last time you walked, and you were brutally honest. You had good reason for concern over the direction SHIELD was heading. You most of all know what to look for and what to avoid so that SHIELD does not become another HYDRA. Which is why I am asking you to help in an adviser position, Weaver and May agree. It seems you taught Weaver an important lesson aboard the Iliad."

Three frowned, the offer was tempting but she was used to operating solo. Besides she had been distracted enough at this rate she would never find Bucky. "As tempting as the offer is Coulson, I cannot. I need to be out there, and I need to find Bucky. If I stayed something else will come up, then something else and another and I will never find him. Besides you forget, I am merciless with HYDRA. I do not hold back or go easy on them, I always go for the kill shot with them. I am simply not the type of person you want around."

"I figured that which is why I am not asking you to join SHIELD. I am asking you to advise me as May and Weaver do but only as a consultant to SHIELD. Also if possible answer the call when SHIELD needs a hand," Coulson gestured to his missing hand, "Pun intended."

Three shook her head at the terrible joke, "Alright, but I will at times be operating independently."

"I know cats always love their independence." Coulson said.

"That joke was as bad as the last one." Three pointed out, and Coulson was about to respond but Simmons came in with a notepad.

"Sorry to interrupt, but the blood results are coming back, sir."

"Go ahead," Coulson said, as Jemma turned to Kat.

"Well your results are just coming in...now." Simmons said as she looked at the screen, "Your genetic markers have changed due to the Terrogen mist, but that is to be expected." Three watched as Simmons eyes ran over the results, then a look of shock came over her features as her eyes widened.

Simmons looked to her, then to the report unsure of what to say. Coulson also noticed and asked. "Simmons? What is it?"

Jemma looked too shocked to speak, so Three decided maybe a joke would help her. "Alright lay it on me. How long do I have left to live?"

The joke did nothing as Jemma finally asked. "Kat, have you been feeling ill within the past five weeks?"

"Yeah..." Three answered slowly, "At first I thought it was a stomach flu, but since it hasn't gone away it must be anxiety."

"It isn't." Jemma said softly.

"Sure it is what else would it be?" Three asked confused.

"When was your last menstrual cycle?"

"February twenty-." Three started to answer then realised how long ago it was before finishing her sentence, "Twenty-fifth." She remembered easily and also realised that she was well past due for one. Simmons only nodded as she swallowed hard judging the results to be completely accurate and coincide with the date Three had given. Three shook her head not believing the date of her last menstrual cycle really mattered. "Why do you ask, Jemma?"

"Kat it was not anxiety or a stomach flu, according to your blood results you are five weeks pregnant." The words sounded foreign and strange to hear as Three could hardly believe what the SHIELD agent was telling her. _'Five weeks pregnant?!'_ Five weeks ago she had been with Bucky in Russia about to take out a HYDRA base. It was during one of their sexual encounters that she must have conceived! _'Not just any one of those encounters... his birthday!'_ Three thought as she sucked in a breath. Normally such news would be good, a happy thing; but it wasn't. Her mind was racing with the need to find Bucky and tell him this news, and what of HYDRA? They would not simply take a break and come back later. Then there was the thought of HYDRA finding her or finding out she was pregnant! What would she do?! How would she protect this baby?! What was worse was the idea that if Pierce was still alive his dream would have been achieved—a individual with both the super soldier and mastermind serum.

None of this was helping to calm her down, she wanted Bucky back now! She needed him! Then there was the ever burning question how did she not know this? How come she had not drawn the conclusions? Had she become so focused she lost sight of everything else? It was not like she went to school and took sexual education classes. She never expected to become romantically attached to anyone, so why bother learning about it if in life she would never experience it? For all her knowledge she was certainly caught flat-footed this time. Suddenly she felt like she could not breathe, like she was caught in a very large crowd of people. She was panicking as she got out of bed only to stumble in her panic. That was when an arm caught her and helped lower her to the floor, Coulson pulled her close to offer up what comfort he could as Three burst into tears.

This was probably not the reaction expected from women told that they were pregnant, but how else was she suppose to react? HYDRA was still out there, if they discovered her or this baby; they would be hunted for the rest of their lives! She also could not do this alone. She did not even know that she was gripping Coulson's jacket as she cried against him, but the director did not seem to mind. She managed between sobs to babble out. "I—can't do this! I—I need Bucky."

She barely heard Coulson's calm promise. "We will find him."

* * *

 **Author's Notes:**

 **First off thanks for the lovely reviews. Also congrats to everyone that totally called it on the pregnancy theory.**

 **As for this chapter well it is taken from Season 2 episode 22 'S.O.S' part 2. Mainly the biggest thing to note is Three becoming an Inhuman. This was done as a minor power boost so that later when Three needs to she can stand a better chance if or when she stands along side the other Avengers. Her abilities are not as grand as Skye's, she is merely a telepath that can send and receive thoughts. However there is one other feature to her ability that will be revealed soon. Mostly this power will make her more effective in combat situations.**

 **Lastly Three being pregnant, I was quickly chuckling when many reviewers asked the question or noted Three being ill at times in the previous chapters. Not only is she now an Inhuman, but she is pregnant. I love tossing these curve balls at my character. Yeah I know bad me... partly why I did this was because I am always looking at what has not been done in a story before. So few fan fictions feature the OC character getting pregnant, so I thought it would be a nice unique change.**

 **Anyway I hope you liked this chapter, and please leave a review telling me what you thought.**

 **Lesliezin**


	37. Situation has Changed

**Hello everyone,**

 **Here is Chapter 37, enjoy.**

* * *

 **April 13** **th** **, 2015**

 **The Playground**

The tears had been spent and now Three sat still on the bed feeling a cold numbness take over her. It didn't matter that Coulson sat beside her and had draped a blanket around her shoulders, nor that Simmons had come in and put a hot drink in her hands. She was still too shocked and deep in her own thoughts to register what was happening around her. At some point Coulson had ordered Lincoln to be brought back, but why? Jemma was a good doctor, why bring in another unwilling doctor. Three had not moved when Lincoln came into the room and Coulson rose from the bed to greet him.

"Mr Campbell, thank you for returning."

"Yeah thanks for asking 'politely'." Lincoln grumbled, obviously the man was not happy to be dragged back. His desire to not show off his powers and start life anew had kept him from acting out against the SHIELD agents sent to retrieve him including Mack. Something told Three that one way or another Lincoln would have been dragged back.

"Mr Campbell, may I call you Lincoln?" Coulson asked ignoring the young man's attitude, but the man did not answer. Eventually Coulson continued guessing it was okay to call him by his given name. "You may recall Kat helped us back on the Iliad, and that she was changed."

"She has also already adjusted so there is no need for me." Lincoln pointed out.

"There is, she is five weeks pregnant. I need to know if that mist will affect her unborn baby in any way." Coulson said, as Lincoln now looked at Kat. Coulson's statement was what brought her fully back as a new set of worries entered her thoughts. She now looked up at Lincoln with red rimmed eyes.

Lincoln sighed as he ran a hand through his hair. "There was one case before... an accident. One of the hopefuls at Afterlife named Heather. She was in no hurry to go through the mist, was afraid of the change. Jiaying offered to let her, but understood her hesitation. When she became pregnant it was decided that she would wait to make the change. However fate choose differently she discovered her close friend Eva was going to steal a Terrigen crystal for her own daughter Katya."

"The Bahrain mission." Coulson said.

"Heather tried to stop her, urged her to wait saying that when Katya would come into adulthood Jiaying might grant her the honour, then it could be Katya's decision." Lincoln said, then sighed, "But Eva did not want to wait, the two argued and Heather raised the alarm. She tried to grab the crystal from Eva, and it broke. She was seven weeks pregnant at the time when she went through the transformation. There was fear that the mist would change both, but it was unfounded. We learned fairly early on that only the mother was changed not the unborn baby."

"So then the baby will not be Inhuman?" Simmons asked and Lincoln nodded

"The baby will be perfectly normal, but it will most likely have the potential to go through the mist later on." Lincoln said trying to warn them of a potential danger. However Three was more focused on the word 'normal' which did not really fit with any of this. At least the baby would not be affected by the mist, that was the one good thing out of this situation. As Three looked down still lost in the terrible fears and worries of what all this would mean.

"It is going to be okay, Kat." Simmons said as she placed a gentle hand on Three's back. Perhaps it was how she looked or the atmosphere in the room, but Lincoln misread Kat's upset appearance.

"Look there are methods of ending the pregnancy if you-"

"What?!" Three asked horrified as she looked up at Lincoln shocked.

"Well you look like you don't want this," Lincoln started, and Three was not about to let him finish his mistaken interpretation of what she was thinking or feeling.

"I am scared, that doesn't mean I want to get rid of it!" Three practically screamed at Lincoln, "and before you make any more stupid assumptions... I am scared I won't find the baby's father! I am scared that HYDRA has him, and the next time I see him he might try to kill me because they brainwashed him! I am terrified that if HYDRA finds out they will hunt my baby and I down!" The entire time she was yelling at Lincoln she barely noticed him wincing in pain. She did not even know she was doing it, sending her angry thoughts to Lincoln as well as voicing her fears. It was not until at the end that he clutched his head, and fell to one knee in pain.

"Stop!" He cried out. Immediately Three was confused as to what had happened, then looked to Simmons and Coulson. What exactly was she suppose to stop? It was then Lincoln released his head and stood shakily. "You need to be more careful...your thoughts when directed at someone like that can be extremely painful."

"You are saying Kat can hurt people with her thoughts?" Simmons asked perplexed.

"Yeah felt like a vice was going tighter around my head." Lincoln replied, then looked at Three. "I am sorry, it is just you looked really upset over this situation and didn't want this." Now suddenly Three felt terrible for the unintended mental attack. However now everyone knew it was not so much being pregnant that upset her, but the dangers it posed.

 _'So I can hear thoughts and send them, but if I send them too pointedly it can be harmful to the recipient.'_ Three thought biting her bottom lip, she was still learning more about her abilities. However that hardly mattered, what did matter was she was pregnant and needed to find Bucky not sit around worrying over what her new found abilities would be like.

"Can I speak to Coulson alone for a minute?" Three finally asked after she took a calming breath, and the others hesitantly vacated the room. When the door shut Three sighed as she looked at Coulson. "It looks like consultant is all I will be for a while..."

"Yeah, when I asked you to be that I had not expected this." Coulson admitted. Again there was a long silence to follow as Three considered everything that was happening to her. Before she had been in danger, but that was on her own fighting HYDRA solo. Now she met Bucky, befriended Coulson's team, and was pregnant. Talk about jumping in the deep end before learning to swim, Three felt like she was drowning. She had come to Coulson for help in finding Bucky and got pulled into one messed up situation after another. Of course she was not blaming Coulson or the others, but at this rate none of them would have the chance to breath much less look for the Winter Soldier. Like with all her friendships and relationships it was time to go before some other disaster occurred and she was pulled into the middle of it. "As soon as I am cleared, it will be time for me to go. I was being selfish to ask for help when you have enough crap to deal with here."

"I promised to help you, and I will that has not changed Kat."

"I know you would but look around you. You lost a hand, you have Inhumans to deal with, this 'real' SHIELD crap, and..." Three trailed off knowing it was only a matter of time before some other problem cropped up. "It feels like you are finding problem after problem, and I am one more problem you do not need."

"You are not an additional problem. You've helped us through the past couple disasters, and I am not going back on my word." Coulson said adamant about looking for Bucky. Three sighed as she looked down at the tiles on the floor, and Coulson must have realized that there was no changing her mind. "No matter what SHIELD teams are being sent to Russia to pick up the trail. Fitz and Skye are determined to run searches. So no matter what you decide we are going to look. Which begs the question what will you do?"

"Keep looking for him," Three replied, "I would not be much good to you in the field anyway. Besides I can pursue other avenues to try and find Bucky."

"You will keep in contact though right?" Coulson asked warily.

"I won't be far." Three said. After that it was just a matter of being cleared to leave. Everybody busied themselves with cleaning up the base, organising Cal for the TAHITI project, and locking up the Monolith taken from the Iliad. It gave Three time to lie back and think about her next move as she stared up at the ceiling. She ran her hands over her flat stomach nervous about what was going on inside her. Mostly she was left alone until Simmons came back and announced she was cleared and could leave. From there Three would pack and get ready to leave, she needed to part ways otherwise she would never find Bucky if she kept rushing off to help Coulson.

Entering the locker room she also found May packing up and holding some red lingerie and wearing a smile. "Special occasion?"

May looked up as she tucked the item in her bag, but otherwise did not say anything. Heading for the locker lent to her, Three grabbed her stuff that had been put there after being retrieved from Afterlife. Like May she started packing. "I heard from Simmons. Congratulations."

"Thanks," Three said softly as she frowned down at her bag and began checking to make sure everything was there.

"You heading out too?" May asked concerned.

"Yeah, past time I got back to soloing it." Three said, then sighed. "I need to find him, and I won't find him hanging about." Three peeked back at May who had that calm passive expression that never really revealed what May was thinking. She seemed to understand as she nodded then picked up her bag to go.

"Good luck." May said, then stopped and went back to her locker to retrieve her gun.

"Never can be too cautious." Three pointed out earning her a rare smile from May. Soon she was left alone in the locker room as May said her goodbye and left. After checking over her gear, Three snatched up her bag too and left the room. She did not get far when she saw Weaver, Mack, Fitz, and Simmons.

"You leaving too Galadriel?" Mack asked, making Three laugh at the new nickname she received for having these new Inhuman powers.

"Yeah, time for me to get back to going solo." Three replied, Mack looked disappointed as he sighed.

"Look we uh... we have never really got along before, but you are a good person. Coulson needs you." This was a lot for Mack to admit, but it was nice of him to admit it.

"And I need to find Bucky, not another disaster. Now more than ever it is important I find him. I won't be far, but I can't keep rushing off to every new disaster the crops up." Three said, then looked to Fitz and Simmons who gave her hopeful smiles. They both knew the need she had and neither wanted to stand in her way.

"Good luck, Kat. I hope you find him." Simmons said as she came forward giving Kat a brief hug.

"We will look for him too and let you know if we find anything." Fitz added as he hugged her, and Three purposely thought to Fitz. _'Thanks, but don't forget to ask Simmons out. The Italian restaurant sounds great, also roses. I am sure Simmons will love roses.'_

When she pulled away Fitz was blushing a little, but otherwise pretended nothing happened. That was when Weaver spoke up. "I hope you will maintain contact. Coulson expressed a desire for you to be an advisor to SHIELD."

"I told Coulson I would maintain contact, but I will also be operating independently." Three said calmly as she wondered if Weaver would argue. Instead the woman nodded in agreement.

"Good, I never got to thank you for what you did aboard the Iliad. You saved my life and countless others. You also taught me how close SHIELD was to falling in the trap that would have made us no different from HYDRA. You reminded me of the difference between the two, and we needed that." Weaver replied extending her hand to shake Three's, and Three was surprised that the woman admitted this. Shaking her hand Three wished them well as they continued about their work and she headed for Coulson's office.

Three stopped at the door when she saw Coulson and Doctor Gardner inside talking, so she knocked on the door frame. Both men turned to her as she came in and noticed some blue printouts on the floor. "Sorry to interrupt the meeting. Just dropping by to let you know I am heading out."

"You sure about this Kat?" Coulson asked cautiously, "You just found out you are pregnant."

"I have to go, I have to find him. I kept putting it off and being distracted by the crisis' here. I cannot do that anymore." Three said, then noticed the frown on Coulson's face. "I already said I won't be far, if you need me you need only call and if able I will be back."

"Be careful out there. We will be looking for Barnes, and if you need anything let us know." Coulson said. Saying goodbye to both men, Three briefly stopped by to say goodbye to Hunter and Bobbi, then headed for the exit. That was when she ran into Cal and Skye, the SHIELD agent was simply showing Cal around and spending time with him before he would be sent to TAHITI. Most likely it would be the last time she would see him. Both spotted her and Skye rushed up to her hugging her.

"I heard what happened, are you okay?" The reaction stunned Three, but she hugged her back.

"Yeah, just heading out."

"You are leaving?" Skye asked pulling away to look at her.

"Yes, it is past time for me to go." Already Skye was shaking her head not wanting Three to leave.

"Kat we will find Bucky, you do not need to go."

"I know you will look for him, but I too must resume my own search. I want to find him before our baby is born...the thought of doing this alone is too much." Three admitted.

"Daisy, she needs to do this." Cal spoke up, "Believe me when I say no father should miss seeing their child." Cal smiled at Three as he came forward. "I wish you all the luck in the world that you find him, you will make him the happiest man alive."

"Thank you Cal." Three said grateful that he understood the need to find Bucky. "I heard you are to go through the TAHITI program, are you okay?"

"Yes, I heard I have you to thank for giving me a couple of days with Daisy. Thank you Kat." Cal said he gave her a hug before stepping back to give her and Skye a moment. Three swallowed hard as she looked to Skye.

"You will keep in contact right?" Skye asked, and Three nodded. "Good because we will miss you."

"Really? I thought I was a pain in the ass." Three joked getting both to laugh.

"No, you're a friend." Skye said firmly surprising Three as she hugged her. "Stay safe out there, and if you need anything call us."

"I will the same goes for you." Three replied, then pulled away. Stepping past them she moved up the ramp towards the hanger that held her motorcycle. She looked back at Skye and Cal waving to them before heading through the door and to her motorcycle. From there she focused on getting home and starting her main mission, the only mission that mattered now.

* * *

Coming home felt strange as Three entered the empty warehouse. As always the scanners checked and came up empty for trackers. This also surprised Three, before she had to ditch her clothes and items the last time she left. She never expected Coulson to simply let her leave without knowing where. However the trust she built with the group must have been enough to where Coulson made no further attempt to track her. Now alone though the crushing feeling of the situation made Three crumble to her knees when she neared the computers. Breaking down completely at the Playground was out of the question. Sure she had broken down a little with Coulson when she learned the news, but here and now she openly cried unashamed on her knees by the steps. She looked towards the clipboard where a picture of the Howling Commandos were pinned, and looked to James Barnes. "Are you alright Kat?"

"No—ooo." Three answered shakily realizing just how alone she was and how she hated it. While Aida was there, it was still not the same as having a physical person to hold you. "You heard what happened." This was not a question Aida knew she was pregnant because she was given entry into SHIELD's systems.

"It will be okay." Aida said reassuringly.

"Ple—ease! Just find him. Please Aida! Never stop looking." Three said breaking down crying as she sat on the step leading to the computers. She pulled her knees to her chest and rested her forehead against her knees effectively hiding her face. "Please find him..."

* * *

 **May 29th, 2015**

 **San Francisco**

This was not where Three intended to be, but what choice did she have. HYDRA's agents were drying up, no money was changing hands and leads were getting cold. Most of those within HYDRA had long since gone to ground or been arrested. Those that went to ground were not guaranteed safety as the Avengers had ransacked every base they knew of. However the only logical reason no trace of James Barnes had been found was because HYDRA had captured him. Both Coulson and Three had been searching for months and finding nothing.

Sadly Coulson was being pulled in a couple different directions, which was nothing really new. Shortly after Three left Simmons was sucked into the Monolith leaving a devastated Fitz. It was the one thing that pulled her back to close contact with Coulson's team. She promised to help find Simmons, so Aida was running constant searches for both Bucky and Simmons. However the other problem was the Terrigen crystals that were dumped into the ocean had now entered the echo-system with devastating effects. Now anyone with the potential could get powers. As terrible as the situation was Three offered intelligence to Coulson while performing her own searches. However anything else was not in the cards, not when her main purpose was to find Bucky.

Thus she had come to San Francisco where one of the last HYDRA operatives was meeting to secure some new game changing technology. Mitchel Carson was supposedly out of hiding to acquire tech from the CEO of Pym Technologies: Darren Cross. What this tech was, she did not really care; what she wanted was Carson's knowledge on the remainder of HYDRA. He would be the one to tell her where they were keeping Bucky.

Tonight was to be the unveiling of this new technology according to what Aida and herself discovered. So it was expected that Mitchel Carson would be in attendance to seal the deal he had with Cross. However securing an invitation was slightly harder to do as was suiting up for this mission. Three was already starting to show, and according to SHIELD doctors she could thank the super soldier serum for the accelerated pregnancy. At least she was not showing overly much, just a slight bump, however in the next couple months that would drastically change.

Due to the delicacy of the situation Three found herself in, Aida discovered an interesting fact. Someone had broken into an Avengers facility with some new shrinking tech, no sooner than this had happened Pyme Tech began tightening security. It was no coincidence, whoever broke into the facility was tied to Pym tech somehow. With the unveiling of the new tech, Three was sure something would disrupt the sale. In fact she was counting on it, and was not disappointed. She had scooped the location out days before learning that it was a highly secure building with few exits. There was a helicopter pad on the roof, and both a main and maintenance entrance with security checkpoints.

Three could probably bypass the maintenance entrance, but there were too many factors and Aida did not want her to risk herself trying to get to Carson. The night of the unveiling, Three had wondered it she had made a mistake in not trying to break in. There were too many chances Carson could escape, or so she feared. Turned out that staking out a building like this was far more interesting than she had originally thought.

First there were the cops that came to arrest the man that started Pym Technologies, Hank Pym. The most amusing part was watching the cop's car get stolen, an amusing diversion to allow Pym to escape the cops. The more Three watched the more amusing it got especially with the two jokers in the van. About then Three was laughing on the rooftop watching them through the scope of her rifle. That was when the chime of her phone came and she looked to see it was Coulson calling. "Hey Coulson what's up?"

" _You have not called in a while, we were getting concerned."_ Coulson's calm voice replied.

"Oh you know me, I have been keeping busy." Three replied watching as the two men were pulled from their van to be arrested. _'There goes tonight's entertainment.'_

" _Any news?"_ Coulson asked.

"None, but I am in the process of chasing a lead. Mitchel Carson is a HYDRA operative that disappeared with the fall of SHIELD. He has resurfaced intent on acquiring some new tech from Pym Technologies."

" _And he will lead you to Bucky how?"_

"We have not found Bucky because I believe he was recaptured by HYDRA. So my only option is to find out where." Three explained.

" _So Carson tells and we save Bucky."_ Coulson stated, and Three smiled that the SHIELD director still wanted to help her.

"Pretty much." Three admitted.

" _Problem is you should have contacted me first rather than go it alone. The doctors state your pregnancy is gradually accelerating faster than a normal one. I don't like you in the field on your own. What if something goes wrong? You have more than one person to look out for now."_ It was not a new conversation, just one Three could do without right now. It was frightening enough that this was not a normal pregnancy, she needed her head in the game not fearing the worst.

"Coulson right now is not the time for this conversation. I am in the middle of watching for this one lead that can help me find Bucky." Three pointed out, just then an alarm had been triggered and people were scrambling outside. "I gotta go, something is up."

" _Kat-"_ Coulson started to talk but she hung up and adjusted her scope to watch for Carson. Amongst the throng of people he eventually came out and was slipping through the crowd trying to escape the chaos. He was alone, so his guards or henchmen must have been killed or knocked out. Either way this was the golden opportunity she had been waiting for. "Aida Carson's leaving the building heading up the road. Keep eyes on him."

Heading to the edge of the roof she used the grappling hook of her rifle to lower herself to the ground. Compacting the rifle she followed careful to go unseen, only to hear a crash and look back. Seeing a tank on a chain crash out of Pym Technologies had to be one of those rare never expected to see things. Three shook her head in disbelief still unable to figure out how the tank just burst out of the building. "Kat, Carson is getting further away."

The words made Three turn to go down the street, the man himself had looked back shocked but wanted to escape before the authorities discovered his presence. She guessed that due to the situation Carson was forced to escape on his own, and no mode of transportation had been acquired. This meant he would call for help soon enough. "Aida I need you to cause a digital blackout for Carson, so that he has no signal to call for help."

"Already done." Aida confirmed as Three followed him at a distance. It was not long before he slipped into an alleyway to hide out, which was perfect. She was careful, quick, and quiet as the older man cursed at his phone. Thus she struck coming up behind him and knocking him clean out.

* * *

When next Mitchel Carson woke, it was in an old dingy room of some abandoned building. News papers littered the floor all around him, and the place gave off a funny disgusting smell. Someone had hit him from behind and he winced as he rubbed the back of his head and looked around the area. On the walls was graffiti, and the windows were either dust covered or broken. Finally his eyes fell on a figure leaning against one of the pillars close by.

"Awake at last took you long enough." The person was a woman.

Mitchel rose shakily to his feet. "You will regret this, do you have any idea who I am?"

"Mitchel Carson ex-head of defence at SHIELD, but is actually a HYDRA operative. Should I be shaking?" The woman stated as she stepped forward, Mitchel's eyes widened as he recognized the blackish-purple ninja suit. Mitchel sucked in a breath knowing Katseye never left agents of HYDRA alive. His one solace was he felt the weight of the vial of shrinking serum in his coat pocket.

"You want something, otherwise you would have killed me."

"Correct, but your death is happening anyway. How you chose to leave this world is entirely up to you."

"My allies are coming for me!" Mitchel said trying to bluff his way out of this.

"Oh your allies called on a phone with no signal? No, only in your dreams is anyone coming for you." Katseye replied calmly making Mitchel's heart freeze. "You have two choices you can answer my questions and die quickly, or refuse and I make you tell me and you die slowly."

"You forgot option three..." Mitchel tried to charge her and throw a punch only for her to easily dodge it catch his wrist and twist hard breaking his wrist. The man crumbled to the ground clutching his wrist as pain shot through his arm.

"There is no option three, and I never forget." Katseye replied,"Option two it is then. Don't worry you can scream as loud as you like, no one will hear you." Carson certainly did scream as Katseye proceeded to break bones and beat him senseless. Eventually Carson lay on the ground beaten battered, and bloody. "Ready to answer my questions?"

Weakly Carson nodded. "Good where is James Barnes? Where are you keeping the Winter Soldier?!"

"The—the winter soldier? He disappeared after the Helicarriers incident." Carson said, "No one knows where he is."

"Don't lie to me! In Russia the Ural mountains he helped me destroy a HYDRA base! Now he is gone, the only explanation is HYDRA has him and you are going to tell me where!" Three said, as added incentive she sent her piercing thoughts to Carson causing him even more pain. "Where is he?!"

"I—ahh! I don't know! Teams were sent to Russia—but no one found anything. The Avengers were on the scene!" Carson said clutching his head painfully, "AHHH! Please stop! Beta Squad was sent and confirmed that the Winter Soldier died in the blast! I swear! He is dead!"

Immediately the pain left and Carson could breath again as he realized this news shocked Katseye. "Dead? No!"

The news that James Barnes was dead caused Three to immediately stop her mental attack as she felt lost. This could not be, Bucky had survived worse than this! Tears wanted to spring to her eyes as she fought against the words. _'No! He is lying, he has to be! Bucky is alive and HYDRA has him, it is the only explanation!'_ So lost in the painful thoughts she did not see Mitchel trying to escape as he crawled away. It was only at a distance that she saw him struggle to his feet and stumble away that she pulled a blade and threw it. A moment later he fell to the ground unmoving and Three shakily walked away not bother to check if Carson was dead. It was too much as she gripped the pillar for support. This could not be, Carson had to have lied! This lead was a dead end, she would find others and find out the truth.

* * *

 **September 27th, 2015**

 **The Playground**

Six and a half months since discovering she was pregnant. Yet every lead turned out to be just as fruitless. After interrogating Carson, Three hung up her suit. It was now apparent that she was pregnant, and the SHIELD doctors estimated that it would not be carried to full term. Instead Three was lucky if the baby was not born by next month!

It was just a medical check-up today given by Bobbi since Simmons was still missing. The concerns were still there, but nothing was wrong at least. Bobbi came into the medical room with a notepad. "Hey there Kat, sorry for the delay new Inhuman was just brought in."

"I heard as much when I arrived, Daisy and co were sent to extract him." Three said casually, "How have you been?"

"Bored senseless in a lab." Bobbi replied hating that she was still going through rehab.

"Yeah you and me both. Can't wait to be back in the field." Three replied.

"You sure you will want back in the field after the baby is born?" Bobbi asked concerned.

"I have to, HYDRA is not gone Bobbi just hiding. I don't want to leave this unfinished and have this baby suffer for that mistake later on." Three said then added cheerfully, "Besides I still have to find Bucky."

Bobbi forced an encouraging smile, but Three was glad the SHIELD agent made no comment and instead changed the subject. "Well according to the test from last time you are one-hundred percent healthy as is the baby, but there is concerns that it is developing quicker than normal. Probably due to the serums the father and you carry."

"Yeah that is the general conscientious." Three admitted as Bobbi took some blood and ran some other tests.

"Have you decided on names?" Bobbi asked trying to start a conversation.

"Honestly I have not, I do not know what to name him or her. It is strange to give someone a name when I do not actually have one." Three admitted. Another painful subject touched on as Three was hoping for Bucky's input on names.

"So what have you been up to lately?"

"Mostly looking, and reading.." Three answered.

"Oh what have you been reading?" Bobbi asked.

"Baby books, books on pregnancy, you know those types."

"Well that is good, it shows you are fully prepared." Bobbi said which was strange because Three really did not feel prepared for any of this. A few minutes later Bobbi added, "Well your check up is good, nothing wrong but it looks like you have half a month at most."

Three could only nod hating that the baby might be brought into the world without it's father present. Regardless she bid Bobbi goodbye and got dressed, she figured she would stop by Coulson's office to check in with him. Nearing his office she heard voices inside the room.

"So if this woman is not HYDRA, what is she?" Coulson was asking as Three quietly stepped into the room.

"Everything else," Mack replied, "I mean look at this two years CIA."

"Is that MI6?" Hunter asked.

"Yeah," Mack answered as Three remained quiet looking at the multiple IDs for a middle aged woman. "Under which time she was consulting with the CDC apparently."

"All under different alias'." Coulson added.

"Sounds like me." Three replied getting all three men to almost jump as they turned around.

"Geez Galadriel make some noise next time. You know for a pregnant lady you are creepy quiet." Mack said making Three laugh a little.

"Nice to see you Kat, any advice?" Coulson asked not really bothered by her sudden appearance.

"This woman loves to be everywhere meaning she is high up in the food chain." Three said, "Have you used the algorithm on her?"

"Yeah, it was a no go." Hunter added.

"How are we suppose to track down someone like this?" Mack asked.

"I could make a suggestion..."

"Haha very funny Kat, but no. If we can track down the hardware it could give us a start." Coulson said pointing at the gun in evidence wrapper on the table.

"I was not suggesting I go into the field Coulson, but I could hack into the systems with Aida and give you some more Intel." Three pointed out.

"I know you were, but you should be taking it easy."

"Taking it easy is making me stir-crazy Coulson." Three pointed out, "There are only so many baby books I can stomach and baby stores I can go into before I want to commit Seppuku."

"Sapukey?" Hunter asked butchering the word.

"Japanese... it is ritual suicide by disembowelment." Three explained.

"Okay okay stop there. No need to explain it all." Mack said not wanting to hear this.

"Alright, if you want dig into it. Hunter take that down to Bobbi for analysis." Coulson said.

"Oh no no no no. I—no I'm not going anywhere near Bobbi."

"What are you twelve? Afraid of catching girl cooties?" Three asked as Hunter gave her a look, but Coulson replied as he took off his hand.

"Fine I will take it to her myself, would not want you to do anything that makes you feel uncomfortable."

"Yeah I know that is sarcasm and Kat is teasing, but I am going to take your thoughtfulness at face value." Three faked a sneeze as she called out 'Chicken'.

"Oh excuse me allergies." Three said receiving another look from Hunter.

"You have gotten mean in your pregnancy." Hunter replied, as Coulson ignored the banter.

"Mack you should head downstairs assist Skye with intake."

"Daisy." Kat and Mack corrected.

"Daisy damn it. Hard for us to get used to huh?"

"Mmmm no just you." Mack replied getting Three to hide a smile. Three decided it was time for her to get going.

"I will head back to my hideout and start digging. I will be in touch." Three said leaving Coulson's office and heading back out to the hanger and her car. Driving home Three set to work digging up everything she could on the mystery woman with multiple names. For hours she researched and found multiple sightings that she compiled into a file to give to Coulson when she would see him again. It was later that evening while searching for more leads that she overheard the Presidential address airing.

" _Good evening. I am here tonight to address growing concerns amongst our citizens of the threats we face that are not of this world. I don't need to remind people of the catastrophes in New York, London, and most recently Sokovia. Tragedies that seem to be growing in number and scale, and the organisation we had in place to protect us, SHIELD brought airships raining down in our Nation's capital. Everyday new dangers present themselves filling our peaceful streets with chaos By executive order I have created a special task force to neutralize these alien threats on our soil. The Advanced Threat Containment Unit or ATCU will be given full license to act with whatever authority is necessary. The laws of nature have changed, and until the laws of man change to reflect that we must do what we feel is right."_

" _Mr President how do you respond to reports that the recent incidents are in fact due to the spread of an alien contagion?"_ A reporter asked.

" _These are rumours. They are not true. They are fabrications meant to boost ratings and cause hysteria. Any and all possibilities are being taken very seriously by the ATCU. "_

" _But if this is an outbreak shouldn't the public be made aware?"_

" _I think we should be careful the words we throw around. The last thing we need is panic in the streets. Any threat will be eliminated I can assure you."_

" _People have a right to know, are the infected among us?"_

" _Thank you that will be all for today."_ With that the president finished his televised appearance, but Three frowned. This was disturbing news and it would herald even more disturbing problems. As if on cue she received an e-mail from Coulson. The subject heading: 'Just a heads up'. It was a projection for the spread of the Terrigen crystals around the world estimating seventeen months and twenty-one days. "Well this is not good."

* * *

 **September 28th, 2015**

 **The Playground**

The next day Three came down and was checking to see what her programs had dug up on the mystery woman. Hacking into various agencies was quit revealing, so Three compiling her file on said woman before getting ready and returning to the playground to inform Coulson of her latest discoveries. She had just pulled into the hanger and was getting out when she spotted Coulson, Bobbi, and Hunter. They were obviously preparing for something. "...want to fly?"

"Desperately." Bobbi answered.

"Great here is our destination." Coulson replied.

"Okay what did I miss?" Three spoke up.

"We need a bell for her I swear." Hunter exclaimed.

"Welcome back Kat," Coulson replied, "As for what you missed last night Fitz broke into the Monolith's containment room and nearly got sucked up. He discovered sand brought back from an alien world, and we are heading out to see about getting an expert." During all this Bobbi was looking at the notepad.

"Who is Professor Randolph?"

"This Monolith has been studied for centuries well Randolph has actually been on the planet for those centuries, and he has travelled through a portal, and he is also an alien. So he has a lot going for him." Coulson explained.

"Not a Kree is he?" Three asked.

"Asgardian."

"Oh thank god." Three started up the ramp to the plane.

"And where do you think you are going?"

"With you, besides I got some dirt on mystery lady you might want to hear." Three replied holding up the file she had brought.

"You mean Rosalind? Met her."

"Points for SHIELD, but I got more than a name." Three pointed out dangling the file at Coulson, "So shall we?" Briefly Bobbi and Hunter kissed then Hunter turned to leave obviously to go after another assignment.

"Don't die out there." Bobbi said.

"And Hunter make sure he does." Coulson added, Ward, Hunter was going after Ward. Boarding the plane Bobbi got in the pilot's seat, and Three sat by Fitz.

"Hey Fitz heard you had a crazy moment." Three replied getting the man to laugh a little. The brief chat continued until they were in the air, then Bobbi set it to auto-pilot and came to sit by Coulson. "Alright I manage to get more Intel on Rosalind by hacking the other known alias'. Which meant hacking into the CIA, NASA, and MI6. She has a grand total of eight alias'. Married but husband died of cancer a couple years back, no children. Received special spy training that almost rivals Natasha Romanoff's. Most of these agencies she is associated with uses facial recognition software to keep out potential agents from rival companies. An example NASA would not want their project secrets all leaked to the CIA, somehow though she bypassed it without being noticed." As Three spoke she handed Coulson the file and he looked through it. "Her address and contact information is in the file, but something tells me to be cautious it could be a prop address."

"Prop address?" Fitz asked.

"An address that is a stage per say. The agent does not actually live there, but it is in case he or she is compromised. Often such locations have a nasty surprise for any unwelcome guests. I.E. a bomb or something just as bad. Also while I kept my hack low-key there might have been triggers in place to alert Rosalind to the fact her files had been accessed. She would not have been able to trace the hack but..."

"She knows someone accessed the information." Coulson concluded closing the file. "Great work, Kat."

"We will be landing soon." Bobbi spoke up as she got up and returned to the pilots seat. Soon they landed in Norway, and were met by agents that provided a car.

"So where are we heading?" Three asked getting into the car before Coulson could tell her no.

"A prison, sure you want to come?"

"Please I am not an invalid yet." Three replied. Sure a Norwegian prison was not on her hot spots to visit list, but Three wanted to help find Simmons too. Eventually they arrived at the prison and were checked in to visit this Professor Elliot Randolph. Mostly Three let Coulson and the others explain the situation.

"I am sorry. I can't help you."

"Can't or won't?" Coulson asked. The guy looked bored as he compared two different ways of saying potato as though to ask what the difference was. Three rolled her eyes. "And your reason?"

"The nightly news, cities flying into the atmosphere, government task forces, and now the public is freaking out about alien outbreaks." Randolph said, "Pretty crappy time to be on Earth if you are not a local so I am laying low. And of course there is my current situation."

"Destruction of private property, public drunkenness." Bobbi stated.

"Yes well Asgardian's can generally hold their drink, well one night I tried to hold all the drinks." Three chuckled and shook her head at that.

"Asgardian's are also strong right? You could easily break out." Bobbi pointed out.

"What and miss dinner?"

"The lunch man in the cafeteria spits in the gravy or adds something unhygienic to it to spice it up. Today is meat loaf day, I don't think you want to know what he added." Kat pointed out gaining a few looks. "What? I heard him when we passed a check point." Three added, never mind she heard the cook's thoughts not him verbally admitting it. However Coulson tried to keep from smiling as he knew she mind read the cook.

However Randolph did not seem to believe her as he laughed. "Oh no Norwegian prisons are surprisingly evolved. Decent food, comfy bed, extensive library and no attention being drawn to me. Come back in a few months maybe than I will be in the mood."

"We don't have a few months." Fitz said growing impatient.

"And neither do you." Coulson said to Randolph, "I do not have to remind you that I saved your life, though I did just mention it in case you forgot. But I would have no problem contacting those task forces you just mentioned, I bet they would go bonkers to have an Asgardian to dissect in their labs. I don't know how comfy you would be there."

"Why agent Coulson," Randolph stood up and came to the bars, "Are you threatening me?"

"I wouldn't call it a—well yeah I guess I am. That is absolutely a threat."

"You are different now, you know that?"

"One must accommodate the times, or things get messy."

Now that Randolph was closer he could tell Coulson's left hand was a prosthetic. "What is with the hand?"

"Things got messy."

"Well, you will have to cover my release, and if there is a portal which I will have to see to believe you are diving into very dangerous waters here." Randolph blew out a breath, "Alright well it is not like you are giving me any choice." With that Randolph pulled on the bars and yanked the entire cell door off. Setting it aside, Three sighed as the alarm went off and Randolph grabbed his jacket. They turned in time to see the prison guards coming and Randolph stood in front of them gesturing back to Coulson. "He did it."

Coulson could only smile embarrassed while Three shook her head in disbelief.

* * *

 **Author's Notes:**

 **First off thank you all for the lovely reviews. Otherworlder81, Xuanny, and Rohirrim Girl 2187 asked if the baby Three is carrying will also receive Inhuman powers. I hope this chapter answers that question well enough. I figured it would be complicated enough for Three being pregnant, no need for the kid to have super powers too. As it is the baby will already be different.**

 **Also Kyro232 asked if I based this character off of Psylocke, while I do like the X-Men, and Rogue is my favourite. The answer is: No I did not. The biggest differences are Three was raised in a HYDRA facility and started out as an ordinary human given a serum to give her a perfect memory and advanced intelligence. While there may be some similarities now that Three is a Inhuman, there is still a huge gap. For one I can guarantee you Three will never create melee weapons via telekinetic energies. Appearance wise Psylocke dyes her hair purple, whereas Three merely highlights hers and is still mostly black. On top of that she often wears the colour clip masking her true hair colour. As for the 'Ninja suit' Three wears... Psylocke's looks more like a bathing suit, where Three's looks more tactical less revealing.**

 **Again thank you all for the lovely reviews.**

 **As for this chapter, I mentioned before that Three's unborn child will be relatively normal. Well as normal as the situation allows. The other thing to point out is the other aspect of Three's powers. Aside from mental Instant messenger, the other key feature Three has is a type of mental attack. By sending her thoughts in a type of mental yell she is causing pain to the recipient as Lincoln learned early on. It will give her an edge later on, but I thought I would mention it since in the last Author's Notes I said there was another key feature to her powers.**

 **Also I am willing to bet you caught the Ant Man reference, and what happened to Mitchel Carson. Just something to note I am unsure if Marvel is going to use this character in the next Ant man movie so right now it is questionable as to weather or not Three actually killed him. She did not physically check to make sure she killed him, so if he appears in the next Ant Man movie, then Three injured him but he survived.**

 **Lastly the episode that is featured towards the end of this chapter is Agents of SHIELD season 3 episode 2 'Purpose in the Machine.' In truth Three is never the type to just sit around doing nothing. Hence her off and running with SHIELD even pregnant. Don't worry Coulson is not going to let her go off fighting bad guys any time soon.**

 **Anyway hope you enjoyed this chapter and I look forward to hearing from you. Please let me know what you thought of this chapter.**

 **Lesliezin**


	38. Not Sitting This One Out

**Hello everyone,**

 **Here is Chapter 38, enjoy.**

* * *

 **September 27** **th** **, 2015**

 **The Playground**

Fortunately the Director of SHIELD was a smooth talker offering to pay for the cell door and secured Randolph's release from prison without a fight. Again Three let Coulson do all the talking as they left the the prison and returned to the plane. Soon they were in the air and heading back to the Playground so that Randolph could look at the Monolith. The plane ride was rather quiet with Three quietly checking in with Aida for any updates.

"Still looking?" Bobbi asked as she came back from the cockpit after putting the Quinjet to autopilot.

"Always," Three replied discouraged by the fact there was no information.

"Hey don't give up, you will find him and he will be over the moon when he finds out about the bundle of joy." Bobbi said as she sat across from Three.

"I try not to give up, but even HYDRA thinks he is dead and there has been no sign of him." Three said.

"Right now we are looking for someone not even on the planet, Kat. But are we giving up?"

"No." Three admitted, but why did it seem easier to reach Simmons and not Bucky?

"Then why should you?" Bobbi asked, "He is out there. Most likely he is looking for you too, or perhaps he feels he has to hide to protect you." Realizing she would have to land the plane soon Bobbi stood up. "Just don't give up."

Looking back at her notepad, Three received a message and opened her e-mail. _**'Apologies Kat no hits yet. I will keep looking though.'** _ Three sighed as she turned off her notepad and prepared for landing procedures. As soon as they landed, Three followed the group into the Monolith containment room. Three hung back as Randolph looked at the solid stone encased in a clear containment module. They were there a good fifteen minutes as he circled the case.

"Well I hate to disappoint but it look like an old-" Randolph had been saying until the Monolith suddenly went liquid for a few moments, then returned to solid form. "Oh! How often does it do that?"

"It's random." Fitz pointed out.

"No, no no no. It may seem random, but something is clearly triggering it."

"I have checked it to tides, sun rotation-"

"On this planet." Randolph said, "So you have no idea how to control it." Randolph dipped his hands into his pockets as he approached Coulson. "Why come to me? I am no inter-dimensional travel expert. I have never even studied gravitational lensing or zero point energy fields, or quantum harmonic oscillation theory."

"Yet you know all those words you just used." Bobbi pointed out.

"Which only experts know how to use the terms correctly." Three added, knowing exactly what he was talking about, "Everybody else usually canters out gibberish."

"And you hate portals. You are scared of being dragged back home into one. So I think in your drunken stumble through history you have probably investigated every possible story involving one." Coulson said.

"And I have seen you eyeing all of your exits. My knee brace is wondering if you can get away with it."

"Which you can't." Three added.

"The only reason you came with us is to confirm it's existence." Bobbi continued.

"And destroy it." Randolph replied.

"You will have to go through me." Fitz said.

"Relax Fitz he won't even get to the glass with me around." Three said calmly.

"She is funny." Randolph pointed at Three, "And what would you do hmm?"

Three looked at Coulson. "Can I Coulson, please?"

"Oh alright, but don't hurt him too much."

"Hurt me? What is she going—Ow!" Randolph cried out as Three directed her thoughts painfully at Randolph causing the Asgardian to double over for a moment. The pain only lasted for a moment, but it certainly got the Asgardian's attention. "What was that?"

"Me, don't worry I was gentle this time." Three said with a smile.

"Alright I see your point." Randolph said then looked to Fitz, "Besides I don't know what Amazon woman and robot hand are capable of these days. I will help you get her back. I am not entirely heartless, but if I do I want your word we will demolish this portal and no one passes through it again."

"I will sleep better at night." Coulson agreed as the pair shook hands on it.

"Good. Well, I investigated a lot of these worm hole rumours, but that was all they were—rumours. None of them panned out. So we know nothing of it's origin."

"Kree maybe." Coulson replied.

"I hate those blue bastards." Three grumbled.

"And this parchment was found with it." Bobbi added retrieving the parchment Fitz had acquired. Handing it to Randolph the Asgardian seemed to recognize it right away.

"Well hello." He said then looked to Coulson, "I have seen this."

"It is a common Hebrew word." Bobbi said.

"Yes, what else do we know Mr. Fitz?" Randolph asked.

"Well we know the Monolith changed hands through demonic tribes. Spent a hundred years more in France, but before the Napoleonic era it was moved again. I lost track of it somewhere in-"

"England." Randolph finished as he looked over the parchment.

"Yeah how did you know that?" Fitz asked.

"Because I have seen this word carved into the walls of the castle in Gloucester, England in 1853." Randolph said getting excited. "To the plane."

Immediately Randolph headed for the door then looked back at the others. "Am I allowed to say that?"

"Let's all go to the plane I guess." Coulson said, and Three chuckled as they left the room heading back for the plane. "Sure you don't want to stay home? Put your feet up?"

Three looked over at Coulson annoyed that he would even ask. "Ask me again and I will steal your hand."

"Alright. Not asking again." Coulson said as they boarded the plane and took off for England. Knowing it would be a long flight Three laid back in the chair and put her feet up to relax. She knew Randolph was bubbling with questions because his thoughts were bouncing around like a ping-pong ball. Not just questions about the Monolith and portals, but about her and the mental attack she used.

"I can hear your thoughts, Mr. Randolph."

"Amazing, how is that possible?"

"Accident, side effect, take your pick." Three replied. "I am used to it now."

"So why are you here? Shouldn't you be taking some time off agent?"

"Not an agent, more like an 'advisor'." Three replied, "I lend my help to Coulson and his team. Mostly I operate alone." The news seemed to floor Randolph.

"You're a strange one, I will grant you that." He admitted, then Three rested her eyes for the remainder of the flight to England. Hours later they landed in England and Coulson gently shook her awake. Getting up she grabbed a flash light and they entered the now ruined castle.

"Yes Yes yes. I came here for a costume ball." Randolph said as they looked around. "that was the pretext of course, I heard rumours of the travellers of the stars. Found it all to be nonsense, but it was a fun party."

"The carvings?" Coulson asked, as Randolph neared a nearby wall.

"Right! Right of course, so I was here admiring the stonework, and..." Randolph trailed off as he turned and pointed his flash light upwards. The group moved closer looking at the spot to find the same message on the scroll.

"Same as the scroll, death." Fitz said.

"Maveth, one of it's translations is actually death by punishment." Randolph said.

"Could mean no trespassing." Coulson added.

"Back then punishment for criminals was more severe most castles have a dungeon or place of torture for law breakers." Three pointed out.

"True, but a Hebrew warning carved into a English castle struck me as odd. Out of place. Seems ancient." Randolph said.

"That is because the warning should be in English or with a special symbol." Three pointed out as Randolph nodded in agreement.

"You stopped looking into it?" Bobbi asked Randolph as they looked around.

"A man dressed as an owl of all things, I got him drunk enough to admit that no travel to other worlds was even occurring. Just ritualistic killings. The whole thing stunk of half-baked Satanism. Just fabrications to entice new members, and well there were fire dancers... I got distracted."

"Here is another one." Coulson called pointing his flash light above a archway, "This is why I got rid of all the SHIELD logos on our vehicles it's like screaming for attention."

"You know there is a ginormous eagle symbol on the top of our jet." Bobbi pointed out.

"Yeah sometimes I cannot help myself with the cool." Coulson said as he pressed a panel on the wall by the arch. The rumblings came then the wall slide to the side revealing a hidden passage.

"You're certain about this? It does say death by punishment." Randolph asked as Fitz headed inside, and Three rolled her eyes following Fitz down the darkened hall.

"Think of your baby." Randolph added.

"Bite me." Three replied hearing Bobbi laugh a little as they continued down. She did not hear what they said behind her as she kept Fitz in view. The place led further and further down into a hidden chamber within the castle. It was circular with ancient equipment that was covered in dust and cobwebs.

"Well this room wasn't on the last tour," Randolph said as they heard dripping noises and Three looked around the chamber. "It's an odd shape for architecture of this period. Definitely built after I was here."

"Reminds me of the hidden bunker under the Louvre." Bobbi said.

"What? There is no bunker under the Louvre." Randolph replied, "That's a joke right?"

Bobbi just looked at him, and Three was shaking with a chuckle knowing Bobbi was telling the truth. "You're messing with me. Alright great now I will have to check."

"You may check but you will need scuba diving gear." Three said amused. Fitz knocking on something made her look his way.

"It's late 1800s." Fitz flipped a lever and old lights came alive providing light, and Three clicked off her flash light.

"Still got some life to it." Coulson replied.

"I hear water, could be a stream underground, maybe, hydroelectric powered." Three nodded agreeing with Bobbi as Randolph and Fitz hit buttons and pulled levers. A moment later the floor slide aside in the centre of the room revealing a circular pit in the floor. "It looks a lot like it was meant to hold-"

"The Monolith." Fitz finished as they looked down into the pit, "This machine was meant to control the portal. To open and close it at will." Fitz said kneeling down to look at the pit better.

"Do you know that? Or is that what your hoping it to be?" Coulson asked.

"Well there is only one way to find out." Fitz said, and Coulson took out his phone making a call.

"Mack I need you to load something onto the Zephyr One."

* * *

 **September 27th, 2015**

 **England**

"Mack I need you to load something onto the Zephyr One." Coulson said, there was an answer as Coulson turned away. "Yeah you're not going to like it." There was further conversation before Coulson hung up and announced they were on their way. _They_ being Mack, Daisy, and a small team. They arrived some hours later and the team lowered the Monolith down into the chamber by an opening Fitz and Randolph found by pulling another lever. Mostly Three stayed out of the way simply wanting to see this through.

"Zephyr One you are clear to retract." Bobbi said into her ear piece once the Monolith was safely stowed in the pit. Mack and Daisy soon entered the chamber carrying their packs.

"Wow room full of ancient gack, kind of reminds me of your office Director." Mack said.

"Realistically what are the odds of this thing working?" Daisy asked.

"If we were realistic we never would have gotten this far." Coulson replied.

"Well Doctor Garner thinks I need to be more so. He recommends three months observation and counselling before reassessment for Joey. Says I am reckless."

"Don't take it personally he probably-"

"He says you're desperate." Daisy added.

"What? He didn't say that, did he say that?" Coulson asked, as Daisy nodded as Bobbi came up.

"Let me guess I am struggling to come to terms with my physical limitations and losing my sense of self instead of redefining it." Bobbi stated.

"Oh wait till you hear his assessment of me. I am socially deprived, anti-social, and prone to acts violent aggression. I am also unable to find my own individuality due to long term trauma." Three added remembering having to go through a psychological assessment early on.

"No he didn't mention either of you." Daisy said.

"Oh." Both Bobbi and Three said a little disappointed.

"No he did. That is what he said about both of you."

"Oh good." Bobbi said.

"We were starting to feel left out." Three added getting a smile from Daisy.

"Mack, Mack push that lever." Fitz said, so Three moved off to the side to be out of the way as they started up the strange Frankenstein machinery. The gears began turning as the machine slowly came to life in a very creepy way.

"It's alive." Three called in a creepy way.

"Not funny Galadriel." Mack said worried as the room began to shake as if an earthquake was happening, that was when the stone Monolith turned to liquid in the pit. "Everyone stay clear."

"Fitz it's working." Bobbi said as Fitz shined his flash light down at it.

"Light, I need more light!" Fitz called. However Three was frowning. _'Vibrations that is the key to activating the Monolith's liquid form. Wait Daisy controls vibrations, the signal will-'_ Looking to Daisy she was clutching her head in pain as Kat rushed to her side. "Daisy!"

"We got a problem here!" Mack called.

"I need some bloody light!" Fitz yelled and Coulson tossed him a flare gun which he shot into the pit of liquid.

"Daisy the vibration frequency is hurting you, we need to-"

"The gears have locked!" Mack called, just then the machine broke as Daisy collapsed and Coulson caught her. Three immediately began checking to make sure she was okay. Eventually Bobbi joined them by Daisy's side.

"Skye? Skye are you okay?" Coulson asked. "Skye?"

"It's Daisy." Daisy mumbled out after a lengthy moment of no response and Three smile.

"What?"

"It's Daisy now sir." Bobbi pointed out, "you really are having a hard time with this aren't you?"

"Damn it yep, Daisy are you alright?" Daisy slowly sat up.

"Yeah better, that pulsing sound was killing me."

"What pulsing sound?" Coulson asked

"Are you kidding it was deafening."

"The pulsing sound was caused by the vibration of the machine. Daisy is attuned to vibrations on a whole other level than us. While we merely feel an earthquake when the machine came alive she was feeling a nasty feedback because she is attune to a higher frequency." Three explained.

"Really?" Daisy asked.

"Yeah it is why I rushed to your side when I realized this machine creates vibrations."

"You realized the frequency would hurt me." Daisy concluded. All the while Mack and Fitz were trying to put the machine back together.

"When they get the machine back together it would probably be safer for you not to be here." Three pointed out.

"How are we suppose to fix a machine when we don't even know how it works?" Mack grumbled, but Three did not really pay much attention to that fact as she stood and went to try and help them put it back together. She was still thinking about how they got this machine to cause a vibration to resonate with the stone.

"Quantum harmonic oscillation theory like the professor said." Fitz said snapping her back to the present.

"I know that look." Bobbi said.

"It's a strange shape for this time period because it's made to resonate to create a quanti-field within the stone." Fitz said making Three smile.

"Fitz you're talking but we're not totally following." Coulson said.

"I am." Three said grinning.

"Course you are, you're a genius." Coulson grumbled.

"The room is a speaker, the machine is an amplifier. A subsonic frequency to resonate with the Monolith."

"Are you saying you found a way to fix the machine?" Mack asked.

"No," Fitz said, "I am saying that-"

"We don't have to." Daisy said, as Three knew what this meant. Daisy wiped some blood of her nose and got to her feet. "I can do it. I can open the portal myself."

* * *

The group got to work and was setting up a rig over the pit to lower a probe down in for when the Monolith portal would be opened again. "If the point of this room is to resonate a certain frequency than I can do that." Daisy said as she moved around and closer to the pit.

"And you can replicate it?"

"Kind of got it drilled into my brain." Daisy said.

"It could kill you. How long do you think you can hold it?"

"Maybe a minute."

"If it is too much, you pull back. I can't lose you too." Coulson said.

Three moved closer on the opposite side and knelt down, and Mack spoke up. "Galadriel you might want to get back."

"No I am good." Three said, "When the portal opens I can try to listen see if I can pick up on anyone's thoughts on the other side. Maybe even catch Jemma's thoughts."

"Will you be able to direct her?" Coulson asked.

"Well if I can hear her thoughts the closer she gets the stronger her mental voice will get. Kind of like playing the getting warmer game." Three replied.

After a moment Coulson nodded, guessing Three was not in any serious danger where she was. "Okay then. If you hear her tell her to run like hell towards your—uhh I guess it would be your voice?"

That was when Bobbi brought in the probe and attached it to the rig stating that they may get a visual of the other side. "That is what we are looking for. Right, okay listen to me. You take care of yourself, we lose that probe nobody cares."

"I am confused, what exactly is she planning to do here?" Randolph spoke up, but soon he would see as Daisy began using her powers. She raised one hand toward the wall on her left, then the one on her right as the room began to vibrate. A bulb blew making Randolph jump.

"Sorry still fine tuning here." Daisy said before bringing her hands slowly together and focusing her ability on the Monolith. Immediately the hard stone went to liquid portal and Three closed her eyes focusing her mind on the portal hoping to hear something on the other side. Vaguely she heard Fitz.

"Hold it open as long as you can." Then Coulson yelled someone rushed past her. Something told her the probe was not what went through but instead Fitz leapt through the portal. She could hear Fitz's frantic thoughts as he wondered where Jemma was and hoped she was close by. That was when she heard it.

 _'Please be there Fitz!'_ It was Simmons!

"I hear her!" Three called out, then directed her thoughts towards Jemma. _'Jemma you have to hurry find Fitz and come back now!'_

 _'Kat!'_ Jemma thought relieved. Three heard Mack yell, then Coulson said.

"Damn it pull him back."

"Wait! I can hear her!" Three called.

"Then tell them to hurry Galadriel we can't hold this much longer!" Mack cried.

 _'Fitz Simmons you have to come back now! The rig is falling apart and Daisy cannot hold the portal open forever!'_ Three sent the thought to them hoping they would hurry. However that was when she heard it, not a distinct voice but a thousand voices all whispering at once. The word evil came to mind as Three listened to the sound, it was following Jemma. _'Jemma run! Something is following you!'_

"I can't hold it!" Daisy cried.

 _'Hurry!'_ Three thought, then there was a crash and Three was thrown back as the Monolith exploded. Getting up the group looked down into the pit at the rubble worried.

 _'We made it, we're okay.'_ Fitz thought, making Three smile just as the rubble moved revealing Fitz, who pulled Simmons up.

 _'You're home now Simmons.'_ Three thought gaining a smile from the long lost SHIELD agent. The group was relieved to have them both back safe as they helped them from the pit. Immediately they were taken aboard Zephyr one where Simmons was being treated and checked for any exposure.

"No sign of radiation or infection. Fitz would never have found her but she saw the flare, and heard Kat. We brought a woman back from the dead today."

"And happily you kept up your end of the bargain, the portal is destroyed." Randolph replied.

"Thank Daisy for that." Coulson said as Three stood next to Fitz by the window.

"Agent Coulson, what exactly is Daisy? For that matter what is Kat?" Randolph asked coming to stand in front of the Director as Three peeked through the window at the pair.

"They call themselves Inhumans." Coulson answered as Three discretely came out arms crossed to watch the pair. The last alien to know of an Inhuman was the Kree that tried to kill Daisy and Sif who wanted to take Daisy away.

"I have not heard that word in a very long time." Randolph admitted.

"What will you do?" Three asked concerned, Randolph turned to regard her.

"Nothing. For one, you're pregnant, and two I have no desire to fight over old myths and stories."

Three visibly relaxed releasing a shaky breath. "The last 'tourist' to come here and hear about an Inhuman tried to kill Daisy."

"Kree no doubt." Randolph nodded, "Those fools usually are quick to violence. You can relax. Both yours and Daisy's secret is safe with me, so long as you don't tell anyone about me."

"My lips are sealed on that one, thanks." Three replied, "I am gonna go check on Daisy. See if she needs some Tylenol." With that Three headed upstairs and went to one of the other rooms were Daisy was laying down and Mack was sitting with her.

"Hey Daisy you okay?"

"Yeah got a killer headache though."

"Pain relievers?" Three asked.

"Already took some thanks. How is Simmons?"

"Resting." Three leaned against the door as she wondered what was chasing Simmons.

"Kat? What is it?"

"Something else was on the other side of that portal, I could hear it but-" Three cut off shaking her heard.

"Someone else was trapped there?" Daisy asked worried.

"Not someone else but something else. It—you know those creepy horror movies where there is like a thousand children's whispers that just screams evil?" Daisy and Mack both nodded, "It sounded like that only ten times creepier."

"Well don't worry about it Galadriel, whatever it was, is stuck there." Mack said, and Three nodded agreeing with him before saying she was going to go lie down herself.

* * *

 **September 29th, 2015**

 **New York City**

After dropping Randolph off where he liked, Three was simply glad to be on the ground. She filed a report with Coulson on the strange thing she heard following Simmons on the alien world, then decided she needed some down time. Before leaving the playground the SHIELD doctors checked her to make sure everything was going well, then she bid everyone a good evening. Once home she took a shower and went to bed to recover from everything that had happened. The next morning she received a phone call from Coulson.

"You know Coulson as much fun as it is palling out with you, a pregnant woman needs her sleep." Three said as she answered.

" _Sorry about that. You are on speaker we have reviewed our assessment of Simmons. According to Fitz she said she was being hunted, and your report states Fitz and Simmons were not the only people you heard on the other side of the portal."_

"That is correct Coulson. It was one-hundred percent creepy with a side of what the hell is that?" Three said as she brushed back her hair out of her face.

" _Any idea on what it was?"_

"In a word—Evil. Whatever it was, it was following Simmons. Both Fitz and Simmons are lucky they got out of there." Three said. "I can also say this much, it was not human whatever it was. I have never heard anything like it. I am just glad that the portal is destroyed and whatever that thing is, it is trapped on the other side."

" _Yeah me too."_ Coulson said with a sigh.

"How is she doing?" Three asked.

" _She is doing okay just has a lot to deal with. I am sure she would love to see you too."_

"Alright, I will come on down, but no wild adventures for me thanks." Three said hanging up. She got up, showered, and dressed. She grabbed a quick breakfast than headed back to the Playground to visit Simmons. Three parked in the garage and came in as usual, she was passing the lab when she nearly ran into Fitz and Simmons.

"..you're self diagnosing which is a sign you are on the mend." Fitz was saying.

"Hey there Simmons, I didn't expect you to be up and about so soon. How are you?" The SHIELD agent smiled at her.

"I am okay, it is good to see you." Three walked with the pair.

"Yeah sorry I left without much said, I just figured you needed rest." Three replied hoping Simmons was not mad at her for not sticking around.

"No it's fine, besides you need rest too. Your health is important at this stage of your pregnancy." Simmons said as the trio walked. The trio continued to talk all the way back to Simmons' room, however Three heard her thoughts as someone's phone ran. _'Ow I do hope that everything being so loud doesn't last.'_ She was hypersensitive to noises, lights and electronics. So Three purposely turned her phone off as they walked gaining a funny look from Simmons.

"Sorry heard your thoughts, thought it would be better." Three said pocketing her phone once it was off.

"Oh thank you." Simmons said as they entered her room and Three sat down in a chair. The group talked for a good long time. Nothing about what happened to Simmons, in fact she was happy to listen to Three ramble on. At one point Fitz had to return to work so it was just them, and Three spilled the beans about how Fitz never gave up on her. Eventually though Three noticed Simmons getting tired.

"I had best go, you need rest and I have not stopped yammering. I never talk this much, May would be so disappointed in me." Three replied getting Simmons to laugh a little. Saying bye, Three left to let Simmons rest and came to see how everyone else was doing. Briefly she spoke to Daisy that mentioned she was looking for Lincoln because the ATCU posted his picture over everything.

"Do you need help?" Three asked.

"No, no, it's okay. Look, Coulson doesn't want you overworking yourself, so don't worry about it. We got this." Daisy said.

"Alright, well I am heading back home. Let me know if you need help, okay?" Three said then headed out. Heading home once more she had the usual searches run for Bucky, then grabbed a bite to eat. After that it was staring at screens hoping for something anything that would lead her to Bucky. Eventually her eyes grew heavy and she went to bed guessing she would resume the search tomorrow.

* * *

 **October 1st, 2015**

 **New York City**

Mostly Three focused on her searches for Bucky and left SHIELD to do their own thing. She did get the occasional update on things from Coulson, Fitz, and Daisy. But that was all they were—updates. It was in the early hours of the morning that Three was downstairs at her computers. She received a phone call from Coulson. "Morning Coulson, what's up?"

" _Kat I need you to come in."_ Coulson said concerned.

"Oh? I need specifics, why is that?"

" _Because I fear you might be in danger. Remember the big nasty Inhuman that likes to put holes in other Inhuman's chests? Well we found out he has been tracking them."_ Three frowned, sure Daisy had mentioned it before in the latest updates from SHIELD.

"How?" Three asked leaning back in her chair.

" _We are not one-hundred percent sure. We know a guy named Fry tracked them to their location, but not who provided names of the Inhumans."_

"So you think I might have been ID'd." Three sighed. "What else have you learned from this Fry guy?"

" _Yeah about that, he is dead. Lash killed him."_

"Lash? Is that what the big nasty Inhuman is called now?" Three asked.

" _Yeah, so will you come in?"_

"Depends: Coulson how buddy buddy are you getting with Dragon Lady?" Three asked referring to Rosalind Price and not liking it one bit, "Daisy told me about how Rosalind almost took her captive, and you had to cut a deal with her. I might be temporarily benched, but that does not mean I am out. How much does your new BFF know about me?"

" _Not a damn thing, she never asked so I never told. As far as she is concerned you might be just another SHIELD agent. I would like to keep it that way, but I also don't want you out there by yourself with a monster hunting Inhumans."_ Coulson said honestly, and Three sighed.

"Alright I get it, give me a couple of hours. Sounds like I will need to pack an overnight bag." Three said hanging up and grumbling that she just could not catch a break.

"Sounds like you get to have a sleep over at the Playground." Aida said.

"Yeah, yay me." Three said as she headed upstairs and went to her room packing a bag. She also grabbed her laptop bag and some other gadgets to help her work while with SHIELD. Heading back downstairs she headed for her car, then groaned as she felt dizzy and leaned on the car. The cramping feeling only lasted a moment when her water broke and a sharp tightening pain made her cry out.

"Kat!" Aida cried out concerned as Three gripped the car until the pain ebbed away.

"No, not now. This—this can't be happening now."

"You are having contractions and your water broke...it's time." Aida said softly.

"Call Coulson, I don't think I can drive." Three said as she remembered what she read about labour. A minute later Coulson's voice was on loudspeaker.

" _Kat? What's the matter? Forget your toothbrush?"_ Coulson asked.

"No, I need your help. I—Ah!" Three cried out as another contraction hit her and she grit her teeth.

"She is going into labour and needs medical aid." Aida explained.

" _You're kidding."_ Three unable to answer instead she cried out which was the answer Coulson got. _"_ _Okay you're not kidding. I am on my way. Mack we need to go now!"_ Three sat down to try and relax as Aida continued to talk to her while also giving Coulson coordinates to the hidden base.

"This isn't suppose to happen, I was suppose to find Bucky first." Three said between contractions.

"I know, but the baby is not going to wait."

"Hell the baby could not even wait a full nine months!" Three wanted to cry, but she knew it would do no good.

"Don't worry Coulson will be here soon, just try to relax." Aida assured her, "You won't be alone."

The words did help some, as Three felt the contractions slowly growing closer together as time passed. Then to her relief the screech of tires came outside, and Aida opened the garage door electronically. Coulson came in followed by Mack to find Three by her car and her bags next to her.

"So this is where you live? Not a nice neighbourhood Kat." Coulson joked.

"No telling anyone." Three replied shakily, "It's classified."

"We need to get her back to the Playground sir. The medical team can help, and with this Lash guy it isn't safe for her out here." Mack spoke up and Coulson nodded in agreement. Wordlessly they helped Three into the car outside and grabbed her bags too. Aida closed up shop as Mack drove off and Coulson sat with her.

"It will be okay, Kat." Coulson reassured her. Three could only nod as she closed her eyes and tried to ride out each painful contraction that came. The drive back to the Playground felt like the longest drive ever, but when they arrived everything sped up. A medical team was there waiting and took her into a medical room to give birth. For someone that remembers _everything_ the next several hours were the longest Three could remember. Eventually though it had to end, on the evening of October first Three gave birth to a healthy baby girl. Afterwards Three was encouraged to rest and to her that sounded like a fantastic idea.

* * *

 **Author's Notes:**

 **First off thank you all for the lovely reviews. I really appreciate hearing from you all.**

 **Fin-Fish Jun-Tenshi asked if the Shadow Network knew of Three's pregnancy. While she does keep her distance to avoid them being harmed, she would have told them yes. There is some continual contact, it is just they are not playing an active role in current events. Some of them would have also sent baby items to Three in support.**

 **Speaking of baby supplies Xuanny asked about Three getting baby items i.e diapers, changing table ect. Mostly Three would opt for buying online to avoid the crowds. While she can tolerate crowds it is still not something she wants to be around. There was an idea for a scene where the female agents of SHIELD take her baby items shopping, but I decided against it because Three would rather avoid crowds. Also at this point in Agents of SHIELD May is away with Hunter hunting Ward so she would be unavailable, and Simmons is still adjusting to being back on Earth. As for who will look after the baby while Three is on missions, that will be answered in upcoming chapters.**

 **Lastly a Guest Reviewer asked if the baby would grow up fast. All I can say right now is both the Super soldier and Mastermind Serums will play be big factor in the babies development. Beyond that I dare not say more because I don't want to spoil anything.**

 **As for this chapter it is still Season 3 episode 2 'Purpose in the Machine'. The next couple of episodes after this are referenced, but Three is not directly involved. The phone call from Coulson asking her to come into the Playground for her own safety is in direct reaction to episode 4 'Devils you know'. Another thing to note is I had to do heavy research about pregnancy and the birthing process because I have no experience in that area. Some of it is off of memory from when my sister was pregnant but beyond that purely research based. So if it feels vague, it is because I did not want to get anything wrong in this chapter.**

 **Anyway I do hope you enjoyed this chapter, and can't wait to read your reviews so please let me know what you think.**

 **Lesliezin**


	39. Time to get back to Work

**Hello everyone,**

 **Here is Chapter 39, enjoy!**

* * *

 **October 2** **nd** **, 2015**

 **The Playground**

Three awoke and felt like she overslept, but that could just be from what she had gone through. According to the books she read, regular birthing process usually took up to twenty hours, but due to the unique circumstance it only last seven hours forty-three minutes and seventeen seconds. The lead doctor also mentioned the contractions came a lot quicker than normal as if rapidly transitioning through the stages of labour. Well Three never thought it would be a 'normal' pregnancy or labour, the baby born after only seven months not nine. Still it hurt like hell, and throughout it she wanted Bucky. Sadly no matter how much she wanted him there—he wasn't. Instead Coulson stood in offering support since Three had no other family. The Director was really cool about it, and she was grateful he dropped so much just to be there for her. As with any expecting mother she immediately wanted to see the baby, and was not disappointed. One of the doctor's wrapped her in a pink blanket and gently passed her to Three. She remembered counting the baby's fingers and toes. Then she looked over the new born girl carefully checking for flaws and trying to see herself and Bucky in the baby.

The baby girl stared up at her in awe, not crying or upset. Instead she seemed curious, or maybe the baby simply recognized Three. Either way Three smiled down at her as she recognized Bucky's blue eyes. "Hello there." She said softly. Coulson smiled next to her at the little girl.

"She is beautiful. Congratulations Kat." Perhaps Coulson would have said more, but Mack stepped into the room.

"Sorry Sir, but we have a situation that needs your attention."

"Be right there." Coulson said, and sighed, "Sorry about that."

"It's okay, thanks for being here for me. It would sucked to go through that alone. Go on they still need ya." Kat said, and so Coulson left. She held her baby for a while longer, but was getting more and more tired.

"It is alright you need rest too." The female nurse said offering to take the baby off of Three. Reluctantly she did give up the baby and got comfortable. Before she knew it she was asleep, and now she groaned at having slept so long. Stirring, her body was sore from the birthing process, slowly sitting up more she found her baby in the small medical bassinet by her bed. Baby was fast asleep, and Three smiled just watching her. The same nurse from before came in quietly bringing a tray of food and whispering so to not wake the baby.

"Morning, I brought you some breakfast." The woman said as she quietly put the tray on the table and wheeled it over to Three.

"Thanks." Three replied. The woman excused herself and Three quietly ate her breakfast. They had since moved her and the baby to one of the medical rooms with large glass windows that gave her a view of the lab, but oddly everything was quiet. Not liking the solitude one bit she reached out trying to hear someone's thoughts. At first nothing came then many thoughts came as a medical team rushed someone into the room opposite. It looked like Doctor Garner, what the hell was going on?

Slowly getting up Three shuffled to the door, and opened it in time to see and hear May. "Yeah I'm back."

"Good cuz we missed you." Three called out gaining May, Coulson, and Hunter's attention.

"Kat, how are you doing?" Hunter asked.

"Been better, what the hell is going out here?" Three asked.

"May and Hunter were sent after Ward, but he had some men attack Garner." Coulson explained.

"Shit! Is Garner okay?" Three asked looking over at May concerned.

"Luckily the agent I had tailing him, saved Garner." Coulson said.

"And Ward? Please tell me that sack of shit is worm food?" Three asked bluntly.

"Unfortunately no." Coulson replied, "And no before you ask, you need rest."

"Oh please Coulson I already overslept. I know it will be a couple of weeks to heal according to baby books. Chapter three, fourth page, third paragraph." Three said leaning against the door frame, and Coulson relaxed, "But I can use my laptop to get Intel for May." Three smiled smugly and glanced at May she wore a look of approval.

"Alright, laptop duty it is." Coulson said with a sigh before continuing down the corridor, and Three returned to her room. She got out her laptop then carefully got back into bed with May watching her arms folded.

"Okay I am booted up," Three whispered as May looked down at the sleeping baby.

"She is beautiful, what is her name?" May asked in a soft whisper. The question made Three pause mid-typing.

"I don't know," Three swallowed thickly, "I—I don't have a name, and so giving someone a name... I just don't know, I had wanted to find Bucky first, but now I have no idea what to do. How do I give my own daughter a name when I never had one?"

"It's okay, you will figure it out, and when you do you will give her a beautiful name." May said, the pair went quiet then May changed the subject. "Andrew said it was one of his students recently transferred. Can you find him?"

"Of course I can, it should not take long at all. Keep in touch." Three said, and with that May left and Three hacked into the college Garner worked at. After pouring over student records she got a result. In all it only took ten minutes. "Hello HYDRA, gotcha."

It did not take much to find out the 'student' was actually Werner Von Strucker. Knowing the Strucker kid must have access to his father's funds and hidden HYDRA accounts Three began checking for any accounts that were active and found one in the Cayman islands. Shortly after she called May who by then was in the air. "Hey May, guess what. I am forwarding all the Intel I got to you now."

" _Wow you must have been bored, we only just got into the air and you are already giving us leads."_ May replied, and Three heard Bobbi in the background.

" _Neither of us like to be benched."_

"Well at least you are in the field Bobbi." Three grumbled, "Anyway looks like Cayman Islands is your best bet. I'd help out more but..."

" _You've done more then enough. You're still recovering too. Now get some rest."_ May said not wanting to overexert Three.

"Well good hunting. I hope you catch Ward, please empty the clip into him for me." Three said then hung up. After that Three decided to check for any updates from Aida and peeked over at her baby who stirred. Soon the baby woke, and Three carefully got up to pick up her baby to hold her. That was when she caught Fitz walking by. "Hey uh Fitz? Could you um help May and Bobbi. They are heading to First National Bank in the Cayman islands, following after Ward."

"Yeah sure no problem." Fitz said heading for his lab computer. Gently Three rocked her and considered what May had asked earlier. What could she name this adorable baby? The idea of naming her without Bucky hurt more as she thought about it, but the baby deserved a name.

"Shhh it's okay. We'll figure it out—we will give you a beautiful name. You won't end up like me, you won't be nameless." The words calmed the baby down who now giggled up at her, and Three smiled as she gently rocked the baby. The baby kept her full attention leaving Fitz to help May and Bobbi. Some hours later Three got her to go back to sleep after feeding her, and so came out to check on Fitz. "How goes it Fitz?"

"Bit of trouble at the bank nothing they couldn't handle. Checked the fake passports in the safety deposit box, and found one used recently. May and Bobbi are heading to Lisbon Portugal to a penthouse there." Fitz said.

"Great job Fitz. Thanks for covering for me." Three said, then headed back for her room to lay down. If they had everything in hand she still had some recovery time to do. On coming back into her room she found Doctor Garner there. The poor man looked battered and bruised but otherwise okay. "Hey Doc, how are you?"

"Getting better. My injuries were not as severe as first thought. I overheard one of the doctors, so I came to see the bundle of joy." Garner replied.

"Yeah she is already a handful. I still don't know what to name her though." Three sighed looking at the sleeping baby, "Still I am glad she isn't an Inhuman, she just has the super soldier and super intelligence serum in her. She is going to have a hard enough time with just that."

Garner smiled and nodded in agreement. "Well I should let you rest." Garner said passing Three and heading for the door, then stopped short. "Pick something with meaning."

"Excuse me?" Three asked.

"If stuck for names pick a name that is important to you and Bucky." Garner said before wishing her a goodnight. Going to bed, Three laid there a while but could not sleep. She kept peeking at her baby and considering Garner's words. Eventually an idea came and Three pulled out her phone accessing the internet she looked up James Barnes. Then smiled at something she read on Wikipedia.

* * *

 **October 9th, 2015**

 **The Playground**

The next five days Three spent recovering and took time out to be with her daughter. A lot of the personnel were asking what her name would be, but Three really wanted to know what others thought of a particular name before she started calling the baby that. So for the moment the baby was named Jane temporarily. Mostly the nurses and SHIELD agents came to visit and watch her while Three poured more time into finding Bucky. Aside from that the Playground was seeing a lot of activity due to Coulson getting involved with the ATCU and Rosalind Price. Mostly Three stuck around Fitz and Simmons in the lab using their computers to run searches and occasionally chat them up. Currently Fitz was working on a way to find a way back to the planet Simmons had been stuck on. After Simmons had returned she opened up about her not being alone, that a man named Will kept her alive.

She left them to it, having a deeper need to find Bucky rather than get distracted. Stretching Three sighed in her chair as she looked around. Mostly the lab was quiet with Fitz looking over simulations. Simmons was just outside the lab talking to Doctor Garner, so Three waved at them then went back to work. Eventually hours later May came into the lab to ask one of the other technicians on a report. Normally Three would have just gone back to work, but as she resumed typing a thought was practically shouted—from May. _'None of this can be right, not Andrew!'_

"May? You okay?" Three asked concerned, the normally quiet agent May nearly jumped then glared at Three.

"Stay out of my head, Kat." With that May quickly left the lab.

"Yeah probably best not to go mind reading." Fitz said gently. "May isn't known for sharing her thoughts."

"Is she used to screaming them? Because that is what she just did." Three asked looking back at Fitz.

"She screamed her thoughts?"

"They were pretty loud, I wasn't trying to read her mind it just...happened." Three said looking back at the door May left through.

"What was she thinking?" Fitz asked.

"Something about Andrew."

"Doctor Garner? Probably just worried about him, he was almost killed thanks to Ward." Fitz said. Three frowned but nodded guessing it was nothing and May was just angry that she lost her shot at Ward. Next time she saw May though she might ask her to keep her thoughts quieter. Resuming her work, Three peeked back at Fitz as he went over Simmons messages and recording from her phone. Fortunately she gave him privacy by putting her Ipod on and putting on Katy Perry.

It was hours later after spending time with her baby, and putting her to bed that Three returned to the lab computers to resume her work. Three would have continued her work, but her phone rang and so she picked it up. "You know Coulson it is kind of hard to be benched yet you still call."

" _Yeah well right now I need you un-benched. You are on speaker."_

"Wait I am on speaker, Coulson aren't you with the ATCU?" Three asked annoyed.

" _Yes and I know, but it is important. Please hear me out. I need you to track May."_

"May?"

" _Yes why is that a problem?"_

"She was short tempered today," Three sighed knowing if she said anything it would tip Rosalind off, "Does Rosalind know about me?"

" _I told you she doesn't, and the reason is because you are an outside party helping us."_

"Alright well May was... mumbling to herself rather loudly. It was about Andrew." There was a long pause as she knew Coulson would know that it was not May mumbling so much as Three hearing May's thoughts.

" _Can you pull up what she asked for?"_ Coulson asked, tilting her head to the side to hold her phone, Three began calling up the report.

"Yeah it is Doctor Garner's medical records... wait a minute his blood work is missing. It's..." Three double checked to make sure. "It's been deleted."

" _I need you to track May's phone. I already got Daisy tracking Garner's phone."_ Coulson said as Three began typing and accessing the phone May used.

"Alright it looks like the phone is at the-"

" _Culver University, in an old administration building."_ Daisy said.

"Okay remind me again why you needed me on this?" Three asked hating to be beaten to the punch.

" _Sorry Kat."_ Daisy replied.

"Just an FYI I can sense smugness." Three replied, "Anyway good luck out there. Hopefully I can rejoin you guys in the field soon." Three hung up and sighed hoping May and Garner were okay as she resumed her work.

Shortly after she went to see to the baby, then after making sure she was okay she returned to work. Bobbi and Hunter were in the lab chatting when Fitz discovered a breakthrough. A similarity in emblems used. Three mostly tuned it out as she went back to work for a bit more before going to bed when she grew too tired.

* * *

The next morning brought with it bad news. Doctor Andrew Garner was Lash, and the SHIELD team returned. They returned with a new addition in Lincoln Campbell but the loss of Garner was felt still. Over the next couple of days they would transfer Garner over to the ATCU. May naturally wanted to be alone, so she avoided everyone. Regardless Three could hear May's thoughts and mental anguish radiating off of her. It was not so different to what she was going through with trying to find Bucky. Three decided to leave everyone be and just be with her daughter.

* * *

 **October 15th, 2015**

 **The Play-SHIELD**

Today they were transferring Garner over to the ATCU, and by then Three was ready to get back in the field. She was fully recovered and wanting to be doing more than just sit in front of a computer. Lately her choices had been watch over her baby, or stare at a computer screen praying it gave her something. Dressed in her usual choice of cloths, Three headed for Coulson's office to speak to him and found Mack there. "Are you sleeping with her sir?"

"Woah! Damn I walked in at the wrong time." Three called out getting both men to look at her.

"That is not your business." Coulson said looking back at Mack.

"I am sorry to press sir, but I need to know. Do you have feelings for her? Or are you playing an angle?" Mack asked, and Three leaned against the door frame arms crossed and waiting for this conversation to reach an end.

"Again not your business, but you really think I am that guy?"

"I think he is concerned you might have become a tool." Three said earning another set of looks, then Mack looked to Coulson.

"If not than it is my business, because now you are bringing her the head of the ATCU into our hidden base."

"Easy Mack," Coulson said trying to calm the big guy down. "I like Ros, whether she can be trusted is yet to be determined."

"How is that not a deal breaker?" Mack asked, as Coulson picked up a notepad and came around the desk as he spoke.

"Because the only spies without trust issues are either young or dead. I hope I can trust Ros. I want to, that's why I am bringing her here. Face-to-face so I can look her in the eye and find out. Meanwhile the rest of you will have to go behind her back." It was then Coulson turned to the door and smiled. "Which I am guessing is why you are here."

"I can't sit back anymore. I am either staring at my daughter unable to and wishing to tell Bucky about her, or at a computer screen wishing I could find him. One of the SHIELD agents offered to watch her for me, I need to do something else..."

"You at one-hundred percent?" Coulson asked.

"Yeah back to normal... well as normal as I can get. Give me something to do."

"Okay, you're gonna help them go behind Rosalind's back." With that Coulson headed out the door, and both Mack and Three followed him out. The group met downstairs to be briefed by Coulson who announced he would be launching project 'Spotlight'. Three stood off to the side simply glad to be getting out there and doing something. The containment module Doctor Garner was in was to be a Trogen horse sent into the ATCU. "Going in on the ground will be Bobbi and Hunter, quarter backing will be Daisy and Mack, handling extraction will be May and-"

"Him." May said looking at Lincoln.

"Alright I guess the new guy will gain a first hand experience of our operations with Agent May." Coulson said after a surprised moment.

"What about me?" Three asked.

"Aida would you like to fill Kat in on what you have been doing?" Coulson asked tapping a key on a notepad to allow Aida's voice to fill the room.

"Of course, while you have been recovering Kat Coulson has asked for my help in infiltrating the ATCU. Because no one there has seen you no one will see you coming. I managed to infiltrate their systems discretely and alter one of their employee's records for you. Hope you don't mind going in as a red head. Our mission is to hopefully get in and out undetected and connect a computer fob to the mainframe. While Daisy will be downloading and accessing their records, we will be allowing SHIELD permanent access to the ATCU's mainframe. Remember how much fun it was when we got into the Triskelion?"

"Yeah I fed Fury a bunch of bowel shit." Three laughed.

"Yes well that is our objective...full data access and hidden continued access to their systems." The smile on Three's face got Coulson to speak up.

"I knew you would like your mission." Turning back to the group he again addressed everyone. "Let me be clear, I want to know everything. What's inside the facility, any and all data, how close they are to the cure they have been working on, which Inhumans they have and where they came from, and most of all what the ATCU wants with them. Questions?"

"Yeah, why now?" Daisy asked.

"Because I think the head of the ATCU finally trusts me. I would like that feeling to be mutual. Let's get to work." The group moved off to prepare for the operation and Three was given the fake IDs required to enter the ATCU. Getting dressed in a pair of black slacks, a blue blouse, and shoes Three groaned she was hoping to be suited up for this mission. Pinning her hair up she put the colour clip in and turned the dial to red. Lastly she put on the fake glasses she would need for her role. Finally she looked over her shoulder at the others and had to ask. "What do you guys think?"

"A cute red haired nerd." Hunter replied trying to be nice but also tease her.

"Ignore him, you look good." Bobbi added.

"Thanks Bobbi, see Hunter that is what a compliment looks like."

"What I said...half a compliment." Hunter replied putting on a t-shirt that said, 'Damn the Yanks.'

"Really? You're going like that?" Three asked.

"Yeah, I am suppose to be the geeky hacker."

"Hackers don't dress like that." Three replied.

"How would you know?" Hunter asked getting a little defensive.

"Uh two hackers right here." Three gestured to herself and Daisy.

"Yeah, but you're...girl..hackers." Both Daisy and Three started laughing a little. Then quiet reigned in the locker room for a few minutes until Daisy spoke up.

"I saw the baby earlier," Three looked up then nodded, "She is cute." The hint of worry meant that Daisy was about to step into dangerous waters. "But I didn't see her name. It's been almost two weeks, usually the parents name their baby by then."

Three sighed as she looked at Daisy, the others just went notably quiet all waiting to hear what Three had to say. "I—I wanted Bucky there. I keep thinking if I can just find him maybe we could decide on her name. It just seems kind of wrong for me to name her."

"You're her mom. You have every right to name her." Daisy said, "I know you want Bucky to be here, but she needs a name." Three nodded knowing Daisy was right, and after a moment spoke up.

"I had looked up a name, and have been considering it for a while now. It might sound silly." Three replied packing up her other items into her locker before shutting it. She turned to face Daisy as she called up the web page on her phone.

"What is it?" Bobbi asked curious.

"I um looked up James Barnes, I had read a little bit about him as a Howling Commando. This though tells me more about his life before that." Three said looking at the information on her phone. "Teresa Barnes. Bucky's mom, I am thinking of naming her Teresa."

"It's a pretty name." Daisy said.

"Yeah, she looks like a Teresa." Bobbi added trying to sound encouraging. After all they knew Three was uncertain about things like this.

"You sure?" Three asked uncertain.

"Think of it this way, you can shorten it to Tess if Teresa is too much to say." Hunter piped in in his own odd way, "So just the one name?"

"Actually Doctor Garner gave me the idea, said to pick a name with meaning. Teresa is Bucky's mom's name, but I am thinking her middle name could be Amaya. It was my sister's name before HYDRA. Teresa Amaya Barnes." Three said rolling the name around wondering if she would be allowed to use Barnes as the last name. She wasn't married to Bucky or anything. Hell she still didn't have a name herself.

"It sounds perfect." May said, well that statement alone sold Three on the idea of naming her baby that. She gave a sad smile at May.

"Well in that case, Teresa Amaya Barnes it is." By then everyone was dressed and ready for the mission. Heading out into the garage, Three walked right by the containment module. Perhaps she was being paranoid, but she discretely put a tracer tag on it that would allow her to track it as an added precaution. Then Three got into a car provided for her cover and drove for the ATCU building. She was patched in via an hidden ear piece to hear the others, she drove up to the first security check point at the gate and flashed her badge. Driving into the parking lot she parked and walked to the building passing Bobbi and Hunter as they arrived but not giving them a second glance. Entering the building she went through the second security check out which was a bit more thorough. After being thoroughly checked, Three picked up her purse.

"Welcome back Miss Valdez. Heard you got food poisoning while on vacation." The guard said.

" _He is testing you. Miss Valdez was in hospital due to an accident on vacation not food poisoning."_ Aida said.

"I am afraid you got the message wrong, I had an accident on vacation." Three replied calmly, "Who told you I got food poisoning?"

" _The accident was Valdez was hit by a car. She was flown back to the States, and has spent the_ _last five months recovering and going through rehab. She is due back to work tomorrow, but she is also known to be a workaholic so showing up early is no trouble."_ Aida added just in case she needed the relevant information. It was the perfect employee's records to alter, Miss Valdez did not really have friends at work as she was shy. Also since Aida altered the records Three's image was what came up on the computers. All she had to do was wear a colour clip to alter her hair to the right colour.

"Oh my apologies, I must have been mistaken." The guard said. "Anyway welcome back, don't work too hard."

"Thanks." Three replied as she continued onward towards the back offices. Meanwhile she spotted as she rounded the corner Bobbi dressed in a suit and Hunter dressed as a nerdy hacker were led off by another man. _"_ _Mainframe room is down the corridor and to the right. Take the elevator down to the third floor. I have already given you access, but try not to be spotted, Valdez works upstairs."_

"Understood." Three replied, as she moved casually down the hall passing rooms. Turning the corner she got to the elevator and used her ID to be allowed in. Taking the elevator down she looked around carefully as she moved trying to look natural as though she belonged there if spotted. Then stopped short there was a security guard in the mainframe room at the desk. "Aida you did not mention a security guard at the desk."

" _Ah him."_

"Yeah ah him, you're slipping." Three teased, "And it doesn't look like he will be moving any time soon." Sure enough it became obvious when she saw him eating a sub. Thinking Three sighed then headed into the mainframe room like she owned it. "What are you doing?!"

The guard nearly jumped out of his seat at her unexpected arrival. "Does this room look like a bed and breakfast?! Do you even know how much this equipment costs?! More than you make in a year, and you are eating in here!"

" _Oh good one okay the HR manager's name is Darren Marshal."_

The guard looked dumbfounded as he looked like he would sweat bullets. "I cannot believe this, you might want to start looking in the papers for a new job because you are so fired! I am calling our boss right now. Mr. Marshal is going to freak out!"

"No, No! Please don't do that. I am sorry I'm new I didn't know about the eating restrictions." The guard's words stumbled out as he quickly gathered his lunch. Three sighed putting her phone away.

"Okay, but you cannot eat in here. Go take a break then come back, because trust me that sandwich is not worth losing your job over."

"Yes ma'am." The guard said taking his lunch.

"And be sure to wash your hands afterwords, no mayo covered equipment." Three added as the guard nodded and left. Once out of view Three sat at the computer terminal and accessed the computer.

" _You totally BS'd him."_ Aida laughed.

" _Way to go Kat, I did not know you could yell at someone so well."_ Daisy added.

" _Yeah that was scary, Galadriel."_ Mack added though she could tell he was laughing a little.

"How are Hunter and Bobbi doing?" Three asked as she accessed the mainframe and plugged in the computer fob.

" _So far so good."_ The bar was sliding across the screen showing the download as being half way. Looking around Three made sure no one was around then looked back at the screen waiting for the bar to slide across. "Aida I remember this being quicker. What is taking so long?"

" _The problem is security has beefed up since we broke into the Triskelion. More advanced systems, more advanced programs equals taking longer."_ Aida replied.

"Hey! What are you doing?!" A man's voice sounded behind her, and Three peeked back at the security guard.

"Hi there, I am just-" Three stated as she rose out of the seat. The guard was gripping his gun in it's holster as he neared her. Three smiled coyly then as he pulled his gun she kicked it out of his hand. Grabbing his wrist in her right hand she grabbed the back of his head in her left she yanked down and brought her knee to his face knocking him out. "Stealing all your data."

Three sighed and turned to the download which was seventy-five percent done. _"_ _Oh Bollocks! Uhh people time to download everything we can and make our getaway."_

"I am working on it Hunter, but it is taking time." Three grumbled, "Had to knock out a security guard."

" _Yeah well our friend Mr. Banks just showed up and I do not have a handkerchief to cover my face with, and that would be weird anyway."_ Banks was obviously someone they had to deal with before, so running into him would be bad. Three groaned at how long the download was taking as it read eighty-five percent done. All the while Three was privy to the conversation going on in the ear piece.

" _Giving mandatory supplements to all their employees."_ Daisy said reading the logs she accessed on her end thanks to Hunter's efforts.

" _To prevent infection. Soldiers, office workers.. hold on any public witnesses."_ Mack said, suddenly Three felt a little sick as she realized what they did. _"_ _Oh no."_

" _They are playing the odds giving the Terrogen mist to as many people as they can. They're not trying to cure Inhumans they're-"_ Daisy said shocked.

" _Turning them."_ Bobbi said.

"Jesus, the sick bastards are playing Russian roulette with people's lives." Three said horrified, then looked down at her own download. "Guys I will need an extra minute."

" _What? Why?"_ Mack asked.

"Because I am going to erase their research, after this finishes." Three replied, "If I delete their data than whatever they're planning-"

" _Goes down the drain."_ Daisy concluded. _"_ _It also means you will have to make a hasty escape."_

"I know, should not take me long. Can I hitch a ride with ya Bobbi?"

" _Sure just hurry."_ Bobbi replied, a second later the download was complete and Three took the fob. Immediately she went to pulled out a second drive that she often used on HYDRA's computer to delete data and destroy the computers. Plugging it in it began auto-uploading. This time Three heard the person come in and peeked back to find the security guard returning from lunch. Confusion written on his face to find the other guard unconscious.

"What is going on here?"

"Sorry, for what it's worth I hope you had a nice lunch break." Three replied as the alarm sounded and she could hear Hunter shouting into the ear piece at Daisy. Immediately the guard thought the alarm was her doing, and reached for his gun. She jumped over the table kicking him in the chest knocking him to the ground. As he tried to stand she punched him knocking him out, but as she straightened she noted several more guards moving down the hall towards her. Quickly she turned back to see the upload was complete and grabbed the fob before rushing out of the computer room. "Aida! I need Bobbi and Hunter's location!"

" _They re on the same floor, keep going down the hall and go right."_ Three was running as she now heard shouts behind her. Getting through a set of double doors, Aida took control and locked them to prevent the guards from following further.

"I hope you guys are ready to go!" Three yelled as ran.

" _Turn left now!"_ Immediately Three turned left heading towards the room hearing a crash ahead. Rushing in Three was just in time to see Hunter clock the telekinetic guy in a suit from the castle upside the head with an cylinder.

"Looks like I missed the fun." Three replied, then the door opened and the trio prepared for another fight. However this man drew no weapon, and his thoughts held no thought of attacking as he stepped into the room.

"Come with me. I'll get you out of here."

"Kat?" Bobbi asked wanting to know if he was telling the truth.

"He is not thinking of attacking us or leading us into a trap." Three answered.

"If your worried you can't trust me, worry on the move." He said, wordlessly both lowered their weapons and the group rushed to follow him out. The man Three soon learned was Banks lead them to a hanger under the parking lot that opened allowing May to land and extract them. The man named Banks joined them and soon they took off. May flew them back to Zephyr one and so they rejoined Daisy and Mack. Coming into the command room Three set down the data that Daisy was not able to get.

"Congrats Galadriel, how was your first mission back?" Mack asked.

"A bit dull, only knocked out a couple of security guards. I am used to things being a bit more tense." Three shrugged.

" _She means we are used to dealing with HYDRA."_ Aida corrected.

"Still it is a good start to getting my feet wet again before diving in the deep end." Three added. The group chatted a bit more before they reached the Playground. Where they got changed and were asked to report to Coulson's office for debriefing. Surprisingly Rosalind Price was there and judging by her train of thoughts she did not know what was going on in the ATCU. So Three listened carefully as Rosalind called up an image of an older man on the screen. Three did not recognize him, but as soon as Rosalind said the name Three knew him. She had memorized all the names of the heads of HYDRA. Gideon Malick was one of those names, but there was a lot more to it.

"He recruited me in '01. I met him when his company was consulting for a program-" Rosalind was explaining then Simmons cut in.

"At NASA."

"Yes how did you-" Rosalind did not even get to finish her statement as Fitz began laying down images taken throughout the years. The last one looked too close to the HYDRA symbol. For a moment the group was silent as they realized that HYDRA was not dead yet.

"I know the name..." Three spoke up gaining the group's attention, "I memorized every head of HYDRA. Gideon Malick is one that Aida and I classed as 'untouchable'. There are ten individuals like Malick that holds that distinction, men and women."

"Why are they considered untouchable?" Coulson asked.

"Because they hold such power and distinction. They are entrenched in the highest forms of government, so much so that some governments would topple without them."

"What do you know of Malick?" Mack asked.

"Just general knowledge, he was on the World Security Council. However I always found it odd that he was dis-barred. After the battle of New York he was removed from the council. I figured they wanted a patsy, someone to blame for the nuke launched at New York, but I also thought it strange he never argued the point. Like he didn't care that he had been removed from the council seat. Apparently he had other agendas to attend to."

"How come you never have gone after him?" Daisy asked.

"Because it would be like assassinating the President of the United States or the Queen of England. That and I was saving them for last, they are the suicide mission Daisy." Three said.

"Can you dig? Find out more on Malick?" Coulson asked.

"Of course I can." Three replied. Shortly after the meeting the others were heading out and Three was going to follow but Coulson stopped her. "Look if this is about Malick I did not-"

"I heard you named her Teresa Amaya Barnes. It's a good name." Coulson said with a smile, and Three nodded though she was not sure how to feel about Rosalind overhearing. However rather than be rude about it Three merely nodded. "What is it?"

"I had just hoped to find Bucky first."

"You will," Three didn't look too sure as Coulson added, "Hey you helped us find Simmons on another world. You will find him."

"Okay, but now I think your girlfriend will expect you to explain all that, so I will leave you to it." Three said patting Coulson's arm and leaving. As she headed out she heard Coulson say.

"Oh, right." After that Three decided she would take some days outside of the Playground with Teresa. They both needed time away from the SHIELD base, and Three could dig up Intel on Malick there. Saying bye to everybody, Three took Teresa home.

* * *

 **October 16th, 2015**

 **New York City**

Mostly Three was made to focus on Teresa, but for a baby she was certainly calm and easy to handle. Some books had told Three she would be awakened at ungodly hours and would have a terrible first couple of months adjusting. Tess as she was coming to call the baby at times was very good at sleeping when she should, and seemed a very calm baby. Between that and Aida still searching for Bucky, Three tried to dig up information on Malick.

It was in the evening that Three received a phone call from Daisy. "Hey there Daisy. What's up?"

" _You need to come in."_ Daisy said softly, though she didn't sound like herself.

"Daisy? What's wrong?"

" _It's Coulson. We're not sure what happened, but he-"_ There was a long pause as Daisy considered her words. _"_ _Something has happened, and he wants you to come in."_

"Okay I will be right there." Three said worried. Hanging up she carefully put Teresa in the car seat, and grabbed her stuff. The drive to the playground at night meant the drive did not take nearly as long, and when she pulled into the garage Mack and Daisy were waiting with the agent that usually babysat Tess. Getting out she let the agent take Tess as she came up. "What is going on?"

"It's Rosalind, Ward killed her." Mack said, "Coulson wants to interview everyone about Ward."

"Shit." Three breathed then followed Mack and Daisy into the base.

"Right now Coulson is interviewing May. He wants to interview the original team to learn anything new about Ward. He asked that you be called as well." Daisy explained.

"Me? Daisy I was not originally with you-"

"No, but you knew he was HYDRA. You wanted to kill him from the beginning." Mack pointed out as they entered the lounge with the others. The original team was sitting on the couches waiting for their turn to be called into questioning.

"And now I have another reason to regret not shooting him before." Three stated bluntly. Suddenly she felt guilty had she killed Ward earlier on Rosalind would still be alive. One by one each of the original SHIELD members were called into interviews until at last it was her turn. Coulson came out of the interrogation room after Daisy had left.

"Kat." He called calmly and Three stood and went into the room with Coulson shutting the door behind him.

"I am so sorry Coulson. I should have killed him before any of this." Three said softly as Coulson came around her to retake his seat and Three took the seat across from him.

"In February of 2013, you first encountered the SHIELD team I led. Please state when you first spotted Ward."

"In the alleyway Skye—Daisy had her van in. The algorithm and Aida instantly identified Ward as HYDRA. I was ready to pull my gun... on both of you." Three said ashamed, "It was after New York and Sharon Carter my friend told me you had been killed. When I saw you with a HYDRA agent I thought they had done something to you. Aida urged me not to act though, and instead I fitted a tracker to the van."

Coulson nodded and took down notes of what she was saying. The questions continued detailing everything she did that day and how things happened. Finally at the end Coulson told her she was free to go. Hesitantly she rose from her chair, but stopped short at the door.

"You're a good person Kat. You were only trying to do the right thing. Blaming yourself for what Ward has done does nothing. You didn't take the shot then, but if you had we would have come after you thinking he was SHIELD. I think I would regret that more." Coulson said, as Three watched him for a moment.

"I am still sorry for what happened." Three said softly before leaving the room.

* * *

 **Author's Notes:**

 **First off thank you for the lovely reviews. I am glad you are enjoying this thus far. What is a lot of fun is when you review and point something out that is going to happen. Because I am sitting there thinking 'Ha! They called it! Now I can't wait to post the next chapter.' A lot of you did that in the previous chapters leading up to the reveal that Three was pregnant. In this case** **Scaredfox mentioned naming the baby after Three's sister, which Three did in part.**

 **Then again a lot of you asked about or wondered what the baby was going to be called. Naturally Three would find naming her baby hard considering she never had a name herself. I do hope you like the name choice though.**

 **Rohirrim Girl 2187 asked about Aida and if it is the same one from season 4. Fortunately no they are not the same AIs. Holden Radcliffe created the season 4 Aida. While Three created our favourite story version of Aida. The thing was when I first started writing this story was way back when the Winter Soldier movie came out, which happened back during season 1 of Agents of SHIELD. I had close to six hundred pages written out for this story by the time the last episode of season 3 aired. That was when Aida was first mentioned in the show, by then I had to decide what to do. Go back and change Aida's name over the five hundred pages written or say 'screw that' and keep Aida's name the same. I choose the latter, and nowadays I just call it a happy coincidence. Don't worry the story version of Aida never reads the Dark Hold.**

 **As for the other questions about when Three will find Bucky I really don't want to spoil it but don't worry. She will hang with the Agents of SHIELD for a bit longer, then part ways. I can't say much more than that without giving away too much.**

 **As for this chapter the things to note is the baby's name: Teresa Amaya Barnes. Just to clarify I did look at some information sites on the character to see what James Barnes' mother's name was, but it wasn't Teresa it was Winifred. The site I got it from also was not the Wikipedia or MCU Wiki site where I usually get my information from. Sadly those sites do not mention Bucky's mother's name. Instead I got this from Earth 616 Marvel Database site which details more of the characters from the comics instead of the movies. Hence the name change, and since** **I am a sucker for names that can be shortened. I thought Teresa could be a good choice to shorten it to either Tess or Terri. Also Three choose Amaya after her deceased sister because that is the only other female name of importance that Three felt she could give her baby.**

 **Lastly the only other thing to note is this chapter takes place in Agents of SHIELD season 3 episode 8 'Many Heads, One Tail', and episode 9 'Closure'.**

 **Anyway I hope you enjoyed this chapter, and I look forward to hearing from you soon. Please let me know what you think by leaving a review.**

 **Lesliezin**


	40. Welcome to the Crazy Club

**Hello everyone,**

 **Here is Chapter 40, enjoy.**

* * *

 **October 16** **th** **, 2015**

 **The Playground**

After the interview with Coulson, Three sighed softly as she headed for the lab to find Banks there with Mack, Fitz, and Simmons. Obviously the man was there because of Rosalind's untimely death thanks to Ward. The two must have been good friends, it seemed only natural that he would want to help hunt Ward down. For a moment she just watched them wondering what SHIELD's next move would be.

"You okay?" May asked coming to stand next to Three.

"Yeah I guess. Just having to deal with the consequences of giving someone the benefit of the doubt, and feeling like complete shit too."

"You gave Ward a chance to be a good person which was more than he deserved. It's on him for squandering it.". May replied sharply.

Without another word May walked off, and Three sighed. She could blame herself everyday for the rest of her life, but it would not undo what had happened. _'Just one more mistake I have to live with I guess.'_ Three thought then decided she would need a strong coffee because when Coulson moved she would be following. Heading for the lounge she got herself a coffee and was drinking it when she found Hunter and Bobbi in the conference room across from the labs.

"Hey how did it go?" Bobbi asked as she came to see what they were up to.

"Interrogation wasn't so bad, just told him everything I knew." Three shrugged. The trio were talking a few minutes when Hunter quickly rose from his seat.

"Sir I just wanted to say-" Three turned around to find Hunter shoved against the pillar in the room by Coulson. Stunned did not even begin to cover what Three was feeling.

"Sir!" Bobbi called rising from her seat.

"You were suppose to take Ward out. I sent you to do a job, now people are dead!" Coulson punched the bricks next to Hunter with his prosthetic.

"You need to calm down!" Bobbi urged.

"Coulson, he isn't the only one that failed! I did too multiple times I should have killed Ward so that none of this would have happened. Yeah you and the rest of your team would have hated my guts, but at least he would be gone!" Kat said, finally Coulson released Hunter who was doubled over catching his breath as Coulson paced the room.

"Ward should never have had the chance to do what he did." Hunter said.

"No she is right." Coulson said and Three wondered which she he meant her or Bobbi? "I am the one that picked Ward for this team. Everything that has happened since is on me."

"Sir I'd do anything to have another shot at the bastard." Hunter replied rubbing his sore neck.

"Well you better not miss this time." Coulson said.

"No worries we'll both be aiming to take his head." Three replied calmly.

"This time?" Hunter asked.

"I figured out a way to track down Ward, but we gotta go off book." Coulson replied.

"My speciality." Hunter said. _'Mine too.'_ Three thought.

"I am not sure taking Hunter is really such a great idea." Bobbi spoke up.

"You are going too Agent Morris. We need a pilot."

"You know I still remember how to fly from when I watched Mr. Peterson." Three pointed out.

"Don't worry you are going, but I would prefer a pilot that has actually flown before." Coulson said calmly looking at Three.

"I'll inform agent Cassidy she is on babysitting duty and grab my gear." Three replied. She headed off to speak to Cassidy when one of the doctors stopped her.

"Kat? Do you have a moment?"

"Yeah what is it?"

"Well as you know we were running tests to make sure Tess is healthy, but we would like permission to perform a second blood test. Just to make sure."

"Why is something wrong?"

"It is just the serums inside you and Tess' father. We are concerned about the effect it will have on Tess."

"Alright perform a second test. I will inform agent Cassidy of it since I will be in the field until further notice." Three said then moved off to tell Cassidy before heading to the locker room to suit up and head out with Coulson, Hunter, and Bobbi. Boarding the jet, Three casually rechecked her gear as Coulson gave them the run-down.

"Target is in a public place." Three wondered who the target was, who could Coulson have found that would be important to Ward?

"Are you serious about all options being on the table?" Hunter asked.

"You got something specific in mind?" Coulson asked gaining Three's attention.

"You ever robbed a bank before?" Hunter asked.

"Can't say that I have." Coulson admitted, though this worried Three how far would he go to get Ward? Still she understood what is was like when HYDRA ripped away what she loved most, so questioning the decisions from here on out was one thing she was not going to do. Instead Three listened calmly to Hunter's idea.

"My point is I have an idea that I think should work." Hunter concluded.

"Good because time is a luxury we don't have. Ward and Mallick are already ten steps ahead." Coulson said then looked to Three, "You get anything on Mallick on your days off?"

"Sadly no, asshole keeps to himself, no other contact with the other untouchables. Something tells me they don't play well together." Three replied, "Owns some company shares, shook hands with President Ellis also looks like he helped a lot of political higher ups into office. Aida is still compiling the intel into a dossier, a very big autobiography."

Coulson nodded as the group laid out weapons and loaded them. For specific reasons they changed to black tactical gear and ski masks. Apparently 'robbing a bank' was their cover for the real target. Three was loading in a clip when Coulson's phone rang and he answered. "Director?"

Apparently Mack was temporarily acting as director in Coulson's place. For a moment he listened to Mack and Three resumed preparing her shotgun. "What?! By who?" Coulson asked gaining both her and Hunter's attention, another pause as Mack answered. "That is why Ward mentioned the portal. He wanted us to go there."

Hanging up Coulson threw the phone. Three simply watched him waiting for what he would say as he loaded his own shotgun. It was Hunter that spoke next. "Does this mean we need to make a change of plans?"

"No it means this better work." Coulson said, and Three nodded agreeing with him. Reaching their destination Coulson, Hunter, and Three stole a van and drove to the bank where the target worked. Pressed for time the group pulled their ski masks into place and entered the bank with Hunter shooting a round into the roof.

"Anyone need explaining on what to do next?!" Hunter asked as Coulson took the guns off of the guards and Three headed to the tellers.

"Hands up! Don't make me ask twice!" Three said coldly. She heard Hunter on her left as he aimed his gun at another employee on the floor reaching for one of the security buttons.

"We got no heroes here today mate." Meanwhile Coulson headed to the back. She heard their target in the back briefly ask how he was found before Coulson knocked him out. To keep up the ruse The cash was taken so that no one really caught on that the robbers were after the clerk. Taking the bag of money, Three was the last one out with Coulson and Hunter taking their target.

"Your friend is coming with us for a little ride! You will remain on the floor unmoving, and no calling the cops, if you do his blood is on your hands!" Coulson and Hunter pulled him into the back of the van and Hunter climbed in front and started the engine. From there Three dashed out of the bank, then as planned pretended to trip dropping the money by one of the cars. Climbing into the van they took off.

"Good job, Kat." Coulson said, "Though you need to work on your acting."

"Hey it looked like I tripped which is good enough." Three replied as they got away long before the cops arrived. Soon they arrived back at the jet where Bobbi was waiting for them. As they dragged him aboard the man was waking up and so Three closed the hatch on the jet to give them all some privacy.

"You really think he can lead us to Ward?" Bobbi asked sceptically.

"What I realized about Ward is everything he does is just a misguided attempt to justify his past." The poor man laid there looking up at them and Coulson came forward to remove the duct tape. "But there is one thing in his past he can never make right."

"What is this? Did my brother send you?" He asked scared.

"Grant Ward, doesn't even know your here mate." Hunter replied.

"But he is about to." Coulson added.

That was when Three listened to the man's thoughts. _'No! No I spent too long trying to keep hidden from him. God I thought I escaped him, only to run into those he has pissed off. I can't seem to win.'_

"Kat?" Coulson asked. Automatically Three repeated what this guy thought, surprising them.

"Yo—you heard me?" The man asked, and Three knelt down closer.

"I hear other peoples thoughts, and I can't help but notice you are more afraid of Ward than us. Don't worry Ward will be a memory soon enough and you will be free of him." Three said replacing the duct tape before standing as Coulson called Ward using Rosalind's phone.

"I spent every second since Rosalind's death trying to analyse how your sick brain works." Coulson said, and the group waited. Three returned her gaze to their prisoner who looked more scared at who was on the other end of the phone. "Big difference is I never hurt anyone for selfish reasons that is until now."

While Bobbi was at the computer beginning a trace, Three and Hunter waited for Coulson's go ahead. "There is someone here that would like to say hello. Take a look."

That was when Coulson showed Ward an image of his brother tied up and gagged. This time Ward was now on speaker. _"_ _I take two of yours you take one of mine. Like I said two sides same coin, only I doubt you're willing to take it all away."_

"I thought you would say that so I brought a couple friends." Coulson said then nodded to Hunter and Three. Both moved to the hostage Hunter grabbed him and put a gun to his head while Three put a gun to his heart. The poor man was panicking as he screamed beneath his duct tape. _"_ _If you lay a finger on Thomas-"_

Click, Coulson hung up on him and immediately they both raised their guns away from Thomas. Hunter patted him then moved to Coulson with her. "Hanging up, you sure that was the right play boss?"

"I need Ward to know we have the upper hand. Besides it will really piss him off." Bobbi being the nicer one, got a bottle of water and removed the tape to give Thomas a drink.

"Here."

"Please don't kill me." Thomas pleaded.

"Nobody wants that." Bobbi said.

"That's not very reassuring when they have got guns to your head."

"I hate to break it to you, but your brother isn't a very nice guy." Hunter said.

"You're the one that just kidnapped me. What is wrong with you people?"

"Ward killed someone I care about, and as far as we can tell you are the only thing left in this world he cares about. Which means you're the only way I can draw him out." Coulson explained.

"Okay, but you better finish him off when you do." Thomas said surprising them further, Three was not very surprised considering his thoughts.

"Honestly wasn't expecting that." Hunter admitted.

"Even after I read his mind?" Three asked annoyed, but Hunter just shrugged as Thomas continued.

"It is what Ward has always done. Hurt people and lie to himself about it."

"So all that talk about a traumatic childhood that is just rubbish than?" Hunter asked.

"Sure, whatever he told you about our parents is true. See my dad had real anger issues, and my mom had dad issues, and they spent most of their time taking those issues out on us."

"What about your brothers? You close?" Bobbi asked

"Christian was a lot older so we never hung out much, but Grant... he was my best friend. Protected me from mom and dad and Christian then one day he didn't."

"The day he pushed you down the well." Coulson stated.

"Grant totally changed after that. It was like he felt guilty but couldn't admit what really happened. Instead he promised never to let anyone hurt me again."

"Slightly unnerving coming from the guy that just chucked you down a well." Hunter said.

"You two keep in touch? Family reunions? Holidays that sort of thing?" Bobbi asked.

"Grant was seventeen when he burned my parents home down with Christian inside. Ever since I have made sure to give him a pretty wide berth." Thomas said.

"Pretty sound logic." Hunter added, then Coulson looked to Three.

"Kat?"

"He is telling the truth, he is thinking of the last time he saw Ward. He was in a prison suit, going to be tried as an adult..."

"Yeah, that was almost fifteen years ago." Thomas said still shocked that she could read minds.

"Well you don't seem like your brother." Bobbi replied trying to be nice.

"Just cause you grow up in a family of abusive monsters doesn't mean you have to become one. I didn't. Please don't hand me over to Grant."

"Sorry mate giving you up is the only way to draw him out."

"Maybe not," Bobbi said not really wanting to hand the poor guy over to Ward. "During the call I put a trace on Ward's phone. Now we just have to keep him on long enough to get an exact location."

"Ward will never let that happen." Coulson said.

"He will if I am on the other end. Let me talk to him." Thomas said desperate not to have to see his brother again.

"No way-" Hunter started to say.

"Let him," Three blurted out, "Look what is the point of being able to read minds if no one is going to listen? Thomas is desperate not to see Grant Ward again. His thoughts are literally begging us not to hand him over, and if it means he doesn't have to see Ward again he'll talk to him and keep him on the phone."

"Not a good idea even if he does-" Hunter started saying then the phone began ringing, "call back. Still not a good idea."

 _'Then trust me, Hunter.'_ Three thought to Hunter who nearly jumped at the transmitted thought.

Coulson pulled it out of his pocket and looked at the screen, he then looked to Kate before going to Thomas. He took out a knife and cut off the tape and handed the phone to Thomas. "Grant?" Thomas asked and recognized the voice on the other end. "Is everything they are saying true?"

Bobbi sat at the computer locking onto the trace and gesturing for Thomas to keep him on the phone. "Then why is this happening?"

"It has been almost fifteen years." Thomas said getting up from his seat, Three put out a hand stopping Hunter. _'Let him, he has a lot to say to Grant. He isn't going to betray us.'_ "That wasn't mom and dad, that was me. I changed my name and moved, so you wouldn't find me."

"See?" Three whispered as the trace zeroed in on Ward.

"Because I didn't want to let you hurt me again." Three watched as Thomas grew aggravated, "Really? One time?! Then explain what the hell you did to mom and dad! You killed them and Christian too!"

Only a minute left and they would have a location. "Dad needed a walker to get around, who was he going to hurt?!"

Three sighed as Thomas continued. "Stop trying to justify what you did. Just stop—they were my parents too. And yeah they were horrible people, but you are so much worse. You set them on fire!"

Bobbi gestured that the trace was complete, and so Coulson came forward and took the phone off of Thomas who was relieved to be done talking to Ward. "Times up," Coulson said.

Three came over and patted Thomas' arm. "You did good. Thanks."

"Yeah that isn't going to happen." Coulson said into the phone. Grant must have realized that the call had been traced. "Now I am coming to put you down!"

As soon as Coulson hung up he and Hunter were looking over the location and sending the coordinates back to SHIELD. Both Bobbi and Three moved with Thomas to the back of the plane letting Thomas go.

"I have spent my life staying off of Grant's radar. How am I suppose to stay safe now?"

"Security detail has been assigned to keep an eye on you." Bobbi said reassuring him.

"But added insurance. Call this number, and a friend of mine named Cutter will give you a clean slate to start over if you feel you are in danger of being located." Three added handing him the card. Thomas looked at it for a moment then nodded. Walking back to Coulson and Hunter Three sighed as she noted the location as being the castle they took the Monolith to. Soon they were in the air once more and heading for the castle in question. Three switched to her usual suit preparing for whatever Coulson had planned. Heat signatures showed inside the castle, a large group of HYDRA.

"Looks like they are getting ready." Coulson said.

"They are going to take Fitz or Simmons." Hunter added.

"It's the smart play, whatever they want over there. They will take one to guide the team back keep the other one here for insurance." Coulson said and Three glared at the screen as Coulson pointed out Ward.

"You can't really tell that from a heat signature."

"Sure you can he is cold blooded bastard." Three replied humourlessly.

"It's Ward." Coulson said. They watched as men dropped into the portal.

"They're going through." Bobbi said shocked.

"If that really is Ward than we are too late." Hunter said, and immediately Coulson opened the loading doors and was grabbing a parachute. Three came up next to him pulling off a parachute for herself and was putting it on without saying a word.

"Will you go talk some sense into him?!" Bobbi said urging Hunter to do something, knowing if Coulson stood down so too would Three.

"You can't do this! Only a complete lunatic would go down there without a plan!" Hunter said.

"I am ending this!" Coulson said.

"You mean we are ending this." Three corrected.

"Oh bloody hell." Hunter muttered and Three looked back to see Hunter going for a 'chute.

"Wait, Wait! What the hell are you doing?!" Bobbi asked.

"We both know common sense was never my strong suit." Hunter replied.

"Welcome to the crazy club. Meetings are on Saturdays." Three replied trying to lighten the mood as she finished strapping on her 'chute. That was when a blast rocked the jet making Three stumble to the side. "and there is the anti-aircraft artillery."

"HYDRA has us locked in! We have to move!" Bobbi said, but Coulson moved to the edge of the jet to jump out.

"Coulson wait!" Hunter called as he leapt out, and Three got to her feet heading for the edge herself. However Bobbi was forced to move, and the plane rocked from another hit that shoved her aside.

"Damn it!" Three growled and Hunter closed the hatch. "Coulson went out alone!"

"We have to go Kat!" Bobbi called back making Three feel bad at having to let Coulson go alone. Silently she was cursing as the jet took off before the anti-aircraft weapons could do more damage. They managed to escape the castle area, but now Three was pacing. Coulson went in alone!

"Relax we are rendezvousing with Mack and the others, Kat." Bobbi said looking back at the irritable woman, before beginning docking procedures to attached themselves to Zephyr One. Three took off her chute before following Bobbi and Hunter down into Zephyr One.

"One of you wanna tell me what Coulson was thinking jumping out of the Quinjet like that?" Three heard Mack ask and looked up as she came to stand by Bobbi and Hunter.

"I would say he wasn't thinking so much as feeling. Feeling Ward needs to die." Hunter replied.

"And you didn't try to stop him?"

"Actually we were intending to go with him, but the anti-aircraft fire screwed that idea." Three replied casually.

"Again less thinking than feeling." Hunter added.

"Coulson went there to get our people." Bobbi said trying to cover for the "not so thinking" pair with her.

"Our people? What are you talking about?" Mack asked.

"We believe that Ward took Fitz or Simmons through the portal with him. Every cost to find them and bring them back safely."

"All we have to do is take control of the castle and open the portal so they can return." Bobbi said.

"So... just take the heavily fortified HYDRA castle and open the alien portal? That's it?" Mack asked.

"Sounds like a fun weekend." Three replied with a shrug as Bobbi nodded nonchalantly.

"You know you are wired differently than most people," Mack said to Bobbi than looked to Three, "And you are just crazy."

"I am not saying it will be easy." Bobbi started.

"I would not mind hearing it will be easy." Hunter added.

"It'll be easy." Bobbi amended.

"Doesn't work if I know you are lying."

"Okay, HYDRA are gonna run away like scared little girls when we get there." Three suggested.

"Now you are just being sarcastic." Three merely smiled as Daisy came over the PA.

" _Mack—er Director. You should get up here."_ Immediately the group moved up the stairs into the meeting room of the Zephyr one. Where Daisy explained the situation, and Three saw the extra help they brought along. "This is the castle, and these two trucks were just unloaded."

Three leaned in to look at the containers as Lincoln asked. "What are they bringing in now? More weapons?"

"Inhumans." Bobbi said, "They're stockpiling Inhumans."

"Doesn't make much sense why bring the Inhumans here?" Three asked.

"Good question you could ask HYDRA nicely to explain their evil plan." Hunter teased.

"Usually I torture the answers out." Three said bluntly.

"She is scary." One of the extra help called Joey spoke up.

"That is what it looks like anyway. I read ten to twelve of those gel containers." Daisy replied.

"Andrew he is probably down there as well." May said.

"One way to find out," Three said calling Aida, "Aida could you do me a favour activate that tracker I put on Andrew's container?"

" _Of course, tracker now...active."_

"Thanks Aida." Three hung up and plugged in her phone to show the tracker had been activated and the module was there. "Yep he is there." When no one responded she looked at everyone staring at her. "What? I—I didn't trust the ATCU, so yeah I kind of snuck a tracker onto Andrew's container."

"Normally I would be annoyed, but good work Galadriel." Mack replied.

"Okay so are we rescuing Inhumans or saving Coulson? Or attacking HYDRA? Or is there some kind of combo?" Getting more looks Joey continued. "Sorry new guy just don't understand how this whole SHIELD thing works."

"This is how SHIELD works, Make plan, plan turns to rubbish make new plan. Just to be crystal clear this is where the plan turns to rubbish." Hunter replied.

"Whatever the new plan we need to make sure those Inhumans are safe." Lincoln pointed out.

"And find Fitz and Simmons." Bobbi said.

"And get Coulson back through the portal." Daisy added.

"Would everyone just shut up a second." Mack said, and Three sighed.

 _'Mack! Yelling at everyone will not help. Relax please.'_ Three thought to Mack she knew this new job was hard but being snappy with everyone was not helping.

"Sorry, you're right Galadriel." Mack sighed, "Even cloaked, HYDRA's missiles will find us if we get too close, and I will not be the one to tell Coulson we got his fancy new plane blown up. Now the only way to take the castle and secure the portal is on the QT. That means no gunfire, and no backup. We leave all tactical support up here is that clear?" When everyone nodded in agreement Mack looked at Kat, "That means Kat can you call Aida back and patch her into Zephyr One?"

"Of course, Aerial monitoring?"

"Yes, but also interference in case HYDRA calls for backup." Mack replied then looked at the others, "Two infiltration teams. One to search the compound for Fitz or Simmons, and one to secure the portal. We will take care of everyone including the Inhumans, but first thing is first. Go." Three immediately called Aida back and patched her into the systems so she could monitor the situation from Zephyr one, then headed down to prepare for their attack on the castle.

* * *

 **October 16th, 2015**

 **Zephyr One**

Daisy looked for a back door into the castle, one that they could exploit. It was not long before Daisy found their way in. Before, as the old equipment was Hydroelectric that meant water was needed to power the portal: so an aqueduct for the water ran under the castle. From the woods Daisy found an overflow valve in the woods outside. Three leaned on the counter by Daisy admiring how quickly her fellow hacker worked. It wasn't long before Mack gave them their orders and the group took the quinjet. Boarding the small plane she noticed Joey looking a little pale. "Hey you okay?"

"Yeah, just nervous."

"Everyone is nervous the first time. Relax and breath. Focus on something familiar, something you used to do perhaps."

"I—is that what you do?" Joey asked.

"Before I used to get panic attacks from crowds. I was not used to people. That happens when you spend your entire life closed off from the world by HYDRA. It took time, and my adopted sister Amaya taught me a very calming technique for when I am surrounded by people. Count down from ten to one in Mandarin, when I do that I can almost hear her voice counting down with me."

"Does it still work?" Lincoln asked.

"It's working now." Three admitted.

"Yo—you're doing it now?" Hunter asked unable to believe it.

"Oh let's see... small jet with eight in a confined space. Yeah I am doing it." Three replied sarcastically as the jet landed in a clearing in the woods. Exiting the jet, Three pulled up her hood but didn't bother to cover her face like she normally did. The group headed for the overflow valve in the woods that would be their way in. When they got there a thick metal grate barred them.

"Joey you're up." Mack said, and Joey raised his hand melting the grate.

"Alright I am officially jealous." Three said, giving Joey a smile then entered the pipe.

"Nicely done rookie." Mack added as they shone their flash lights further in. "Bobbi and Hunter are with me. May you take the power rangers and go find Fitz or Simmons." Three was tempted to give a witty remark that she refused to be the pink power ranger, but didn't bother as she went with May and the others. They slipped out of the aqueduct and skirted the area. They had to knock out a couple of guards along the way, but came to hide behind an old crumbling wall as they scoped the area.

"Okay we definitely want to avoid the guy with the suit. He is telekinetic." Daisy said as Three peeked out at the man in question.

"Is that the one that can read your mind or move stuff with his mind?" Joey asked.

"Move stuff." Daisy answered.

"Good I don't want anyone knowing what I am thinking right now." Joey said.

"You mean that you are not a hero? That you're freaking out and want to be anywhere but here?" Lincoln asked.

"Well then it is a good thing I am not reading your mind right now, and Lincoln you're guessing." Three replied.

"Well we are all feeling like that right now." He argued gaining a snort from her because truth be told neither May nor her were thinking that way.

"I'm not." May said calmly.

"Okay all of us but May." Daisy said.

"I'm not either." Three added.

"Okay everybody but May and Kat, Happy now?" Three shrugged with a slight nod, then Daisy looked to Joey. "You're doing great. Just breathe, stick close, and follow our lead."

"It would be a hell of a lot easier if it wasn't lit up like the county fair." May added.

"On it." Lincoln said before moving along the wall away from the group. No doubt he was heading to take out the power generators. After a few minutes the power was cut and the camp was plunged into darkness. Lincoln crept back to them.

"Daisy take Lincoln and Joey with you. Head for the main control room that is probably where they have Fitz or Simmons. Kat and I will split up to make sure the perimeter is safe." May said. With that Daisy, Lincoln, and Joey headed for the main tent while May broke left and Three went right around the tent with the containment modules. Moving carefully down the row of tents, Three flicked her wrist and ducked between tents and waited for the guard patrolling to move past before grabbing him, covering his mouth and slitting his throat. Carefully she lowered him to the ground between the tents and looked around. Seeing another coming she stepped out in front of him and kicked him between the legs before stabbing him in the throat. Then moved on as he crumbled to the ground.

As she moved further along three shots rang out making her look to the main tent. _'Crap! So much for surprise attack!'_ Three thought as she moved to meet up with May. The area would soon be crawling and neither of them should be on their own no matter how experienced they were. Moving towards the last known location May was in Three heard a man around behind the truck she had rounded. "Investigating gunfire now."

Two men had passed her and Three crept forward toward the second one as the same man apparently saw someone. "Stop!"

Three got to the second man and kicked his knee out before snapping his neck, she looked up in time to see May throw a knife into the first guy's back. "May!" Simmon's voice made Three turn around to find Jemma rushing forward. "Kat!"

"Where is Fitz?" May asked.

"Ward took him through the portal." Simmons said.

"Come on we are going to get him back." May said and started to turn.

"Andrew is here." Simmons said.

"We know, did you see him?" May asked.

"He saved my life."

"Andrew or Lash?"

"Technically I think it was both. We could find him maybe-" Simmons started.

"No, that is not the mission." May said, then clicked her earpiece. "Daisy, Kat and I got Simmons. We are heading to you now."

"What about the Inhumans, if is Lash is out-"

"We will come back for them. With luck Lash will be busy with HYDRA." May said though Three could tell she was worried. The three of them moved for the castle heading for the chamber where they would meet Daisy and the others. On entering the chamber they were met by Daisy, Hunter and Bobbi.

"Party is this way." Hunter said as Simmons hugged Daisy. "Watch your step, left a few breadcrumbs to find our way home." Three stopped short when she realized May was not with them. Reaching out she found May's mind easily, the woman was not just verbally quiet but mentally too. However it was kind of like sensing her more than hearing her thoughts. She went back to find Andrew. The others had rounded a corner and so Three went back the way she came to locate the wayward SHIELD agent. Slipping back outside she headed for the containment modules following May's mental trail.

Three picked up a handgun from one of the guards they took out and a flash light before carefully making her way to the tent. On entering she heard beeping and carefully slipped in, she aimed her gun around worried she might encounter Lash. She did not see May ahead at first, not until May spun around and both had guns trained on the other. Immediately they recognized each other and lowered their weapons.

"What the hell are you doing here?!" May whispered.

"Providing backup for you, what does it look like?!" Three asked, "I wasn't going to let you face him alone. You shouldn't have to. He was—is important to you Melinda no matter what he has become." Three said.

"Even when he has done this?" May asked gesturing around them, and Three finally took in the beeping of the machines around them. The gel-matrixes that held the Inhumans were destroyed, and the people they once held dead.

"My God." Three said shocked, he had slaughtered them!

"He isn't Andrew, not anymore." May said moving past her and leaving the scene of death behind. Three stood there a moment before following May out and back into the castle. They arrived in the main chamber to hear arguing.

"Whatever we decide it isn't the end of the mission. There are at least a dozen Inhumans outside that we just can't leave them behind." Daisy said.

"Yes you can," May said, "Lash or Andrew honestly I can't tell that there's a difference anymore. He killed them all." Three stood silently off to the side arms folded across her chest. The debate continued until the room was rocked by an explosion outside.

"What was that?" Simmons asked looking in the direction.

"I am going to go out on a limb and say that is HYDRA." Bobbi replied. A moment later Hunter and Joey returned handing out guns to the team.

"We reinforced the barricades, but it won't take them long to break through." Joey said, as he handed her a machine-gun. Another blast sounded.

"Sounds like they really want in." Three grumbled.

"No way are they taking this again." Bobbi said cocking the gun.

"We can't destroy it before Fitz and Coulson return." Simmons said, "Not when we are this close."

"We won't Jemma." Kat promised. However Lincoln came up to Mack and Daisy.

"What if the creature comes through instead?"

"We'll be waiting for him with these." Hunter replied holding up his gun,

"Woah wait, what creature?" Three asked

"The one HYDRA wants to bring back, the one that hunted me." Simmons said.

"You mean the one I heard before?" Three asked, then looked around at the dumb looks she received. "Last time? Rescuing Simmons, a thousand creepy voices all whispering at once? Sounded like pure evil? Ring any bells?"

"You heard it?" Lincoln asked.

"Yeah, last time when the portal was open." Three replied.

"So you will be able to hear it coming." Mack said.

"So what if Kat can hear it? What if we can't kill it?" Lincoln asked.

"Can't speak for everyone, but I'll probably run." Hunter said bluntly.

"Okay you guys are missing the point. I can be the early warning system. If it comes through I can say: 'Heads up ancient evil HYDRA monster inbound.'" Three said as another blast hit rocked the room. Looking to Mack she asked. "Sounds good to you director?"

Mack nodded then looked to May. "Get everyone back up to Zephyr One. I am going to stay here until the last possible second for Coulson, Fitz, and Will. Galadriel still wanna be that early warning system?" Three nodded in agreement. "Now if HYDRA gets inside here, you light this castle and compound up with every missile you have on that plane." Immediately Daisy, and Hunter began arguing against the plane.

"HEY! What part of that's an order do you not understand?!"

"You are having her to stay mate." Hunter argued.

"That is because I am not actually apart of SHIELD. I am an 'Advisor' for SHIELD. Technically he cannot order me to do squat." Three said doing air quotes around the word consultant. "Also I offered to stay to ensure the right people come through."

"That fact aside, Coulson put me in charge to make the hard call and that is what I am doing. We cannot afford to lose our best agents in one fell swoop! Not here not tonight!" Mack said then his voice softened, "Now if I don't get out, May is the new director that is what Coulson would want."

"Okay, but one thing. I am staying because A, I can keep this portal open if something goes wrong, and B I am your partner." Three held up two fingers to show Daisy making her realize what she had said, "Technically that is two things." Three nodded glad that Daisy had noticed, then there was another blast that shook the room.

"Daisy and Kat stays, everyone else get the hell out of here!" Mack ordered pointing to the exit. The three of them watched the others go as the timer counted down. The blasts became more frequent the closer the timer got to zero. Three frowned at the machinery as she realized it would cause Daisy one hell of a headache once it powered the portal. However Three kept quiet not wanting to worry her companions as another blast shook the room. It was then the timer reached zero and the machine burst into life. The five stones turned to liquid as they formed a small door to the other world.

"Ugh!" Daisy pressed a hand to her head, "I forgot about this part."

"Get out of here I can handle everything." Mack said touching her shoulder.

"I am not leaving, I'll be fine." Daisy argued. They were now looking down at the portal. However Mack looked at the timer.

"One minute left. We don't have much time." Mack said as Daisy fetched them some guns from the containers, "You may have to hold this thing open."

"In case you know what shows up instead of our peeps." Daisy said handing him the gun. Three still held hers from before.

"That is what I am here for Daisy." Three said cocking the gun and holding it at the portal.

"Anything other than our people come through, we give it the hi sign and blow it to hell." Mack said as they aimed their barrels at the portal. "Same as if HYDRA gets in here." The trio stood waiting and watching the portal with looks to see if HYDRA had broken through the barricades yet.

"Kat anything?" Mack asked, and Three knew what he wanted her to do. She knelt down by the portal listening intently to what was happening on the other side. Instantly she recoiled from the creepy evil thoughts. The thousand voices was back and a lot closer. However she could also hear Fitz, and in the distance Coulson and Ward.

 _'I am sorry Jemma, it isn't Will anymore.'_ Fitz thought _._

 _'I have survived worse than you. I will not die on this planet!'_ This one was Ward and God she hoped he died on that planet and would be forgotten.

 _'I should have killed you long ago after all the lives you took!'_ Coulson's thoughts surprised her, but she knew how much he loved Rosalind so she understood.

"Kat?!" Mack asked again.

"The creature is close, it—took over Will. He isn't Will anymore. Shoot him if he comes through. Coulson, Fitz, and Ward are close too. No others." Three said as she focused and continued to listen to their thoughts. Faintly she heard Daisy say they were out of time, then the poor hacker slid into unconsciousness. The thousand voices stopped, but she could still sense it. It wasn't dead...just muffled? "The creature it...something happened to it. I cannot hear it as clearly."

"What about Coulson and Fitz?" Mack asked worried.

"They are there."

"Tell them to hurry!" Mack ordered, and Three directed her thoughts at Fitz. _'Fitz, you and Coulson need to move your asses! We are going to be overrun by HYDRA, and Daisy is unconscious.'_ Fitz no doubt heard her, but Coulson was thinking something else. She saw an image of a smiling Rosalind lying in bed. A memory? Or a dream? Either way she felt a tear roll down her cheek.

 _'Today I finish this! This is for Rosalind you son of a bitch!'_ "He is going to kill him." Three said aloud, and sure enough she heard Grant Ward's dying thoughts. Strange they weren't petty or cruel thoughts like she expected from a HYDRA lackey. Instead she was shocked by his dying thoughts.

 _'I wonder if I will see Kara again.'_ For all the evil things Ward did, apparently he did really love agent 33. Maybe that would be the only redeeming quality of him, but she doubted it would ever be enough to get him out of hell where he belonged. Instead she focused on Fitz and Coulson the ones rushing to the portal. "Coulson and Fitz are coming alone!"

"Thank God." Mack breathed as he held Daisy. Sure enough both men were thrown through the portal. "Time for us to get the hell out of here!"

"Agreed!" Three said as she now heard HYDRA agents' thoughts as they were breaking through the last barricade. The group ran down the corridor of the castle away from the portal room.

"We need an escape route." Mack stated.

"No worries. The SHIELD module that held Garner is in the tent still." Three said knowing it could be programmed to fly to Zephyr One. Leading the way the group slipped out of the castle and quickly got into the SHIELD module.

"Do it May now!" Mack called into his earpiece giving May the signal to light up the castle like a Christmas tree. Fitz entered the code into the panel and the module took off into the air. "Open the doors, I am bringing them in."

Mack was left to pilot the module to Zephyr One while Three leaned against the wall steadying a still dizzy Daisy. The poor hacker had only just woken up and Three offered her a tissue for her bleeding nose. Soon the module was safely aboard Zephyr One, and Three breathed a sigh of relief. Three was one of the last to step off the module onto the plane and the waiting SHIELD agents there to greet them. She hung back as the others were greeted, and merely watched the others.

Three saw Mack get greeted by Bobbi and Hunter. May hugged Coulson which was something they both needed considering the situation. As Rosalind was dead, and Andrew was gone. Three tore her eyes away to look at Daisy and Lincoln and her heart sank. Not because she was jealous or anything, she was happy for them, but it reminded her of Bucky. Again she tore her eyes away only to spot Simmons who had been looking for both Fitz and Will, sadly she would only get Fitz back. Poor Simmons was not sure which to feel more relief that Fitz was home and safe, or remorse that Will didn't make it. Regardless she hugged Fitz glad that at least he was safe.

Briefly Three caught the look between Coulson and Fitz a look that said more than anything between the two men. She allowed a small smile to come to her lips, but felt like an outsider looking in. It was just too painful to stick around, and right then that age old feeling returned. One day she would have to say goodbye to the SHIELD team.

* * *

 **Author's Notes:**

 **First off thank you all for the lovely reviews. It is always great to hear from you guys on what you thought of the chapter and what you are looking forward to seeing happen. It is also always great to read reviews from those just joining the story like KittyKatt25 and FYI. Also don't worry about long reviews I love those too KittyKatt25.**

 **As for this chapter it takes place in season 3 of Agents of SHIELD episode 9 'Closure' and episode 10 'Maveth'. At last Ward is dead! Party time!... at least for now. Those who watch the show know what I am talking about. It's a temporary party time... Anyway Three joins the SHIELD team in yet another of their missions. Don't worry as Fin-Fish Jun-Tenshi pointed out it won't be long before Civil war, and Three will only be hanging out with the agents for a bit longer before a change of pace. Can't say much more than that without entering spoilery areas.**

 **Anyway I hope you enjoyed this chapter and am looking forward to hearing from you. Please let me know what you think of this latest chapter.**

 **Lesliezin**


	41. Return Trip

**Hello everyone,**

 **Here is Chapter 41, enjoy.**

* * *

 **May 6** **th** **, 2016**

 **New York City**

The following eight months after stopping HYDRA from bringing some evil hell beast through the portal at the old English Castle had been disturbing to say the least. When they returned to the Playground, Three was pulled into Coulson's office with some of the other SHIELD members and the doctor that performed the blood test on Tess. What they told her still scared her to this day.

* * *

 _ ***Flashback***_

 ** _October 18_** _ **th**_ ** _, 2015_**

 ** _The Playground_**

 _Three sat in the chair feeling more and more uncomfortable by the second as Coulson sat at his desk. Both May and Mack stood to the right of his desk, and Daisy and Lincoln stood to her left. "Want to explain what this is about?" Three asked, "I feel like you are about to tell me I broke the coffee machine or something."_

" _In a moment, it will easier if Doctor Vana York explains." Coulson said though the concern on his face did nothing to help her feel at ease. Just then an older woman entered carrying a chart. It was the same Doctor that asked to perform a second blood test on Tess._

" _Hello Miss...Kat, I-"_

" _What is this about?" Three asked._

" _Before your last combat mission I requested we do another blood test on Teresa." The doctor said sitting down close by. "I have already submitted a full report to Coulson, as is protocol."_

" _Oh I see and because I am a 'outsider' I need the room full of people for the full treatment." Three said offended as she used air quotes around the word outsider, and then she got to her feet annoyed._

" _You know Coulson, I have stuck around and helped you guys more than once! I figured you would have just a little more faith in me than this!"_

" _Kat it's not about that." Daisy said stepping forward with a sympathetic look in her eyes, "The test on Tess is what concerns us."_

" _What about the test?" Three asked still annoyed, "Why does it take a room full of SHIELD agents to tell me?!"The room grew eerily quiet as no one really wanted to talk._

" _Doctor?" Coulson asked urging the doctor to talk._

" _Miss-"_

" _Kat." Three replied, "If you need a damn name that is good enough."_

" _Kat, we ran tests repeatedly on Tess' blood and found the super soldier serum and mastermind serum integrated into your daughter's genetic make-up. There are also specific markers that indicate she having the potential to become Inhuman should she be exposed to-"_

" _NO!" Three said sharply, "MY daughter is not going to be exposed to the mist. She will have enough trouble with scientists wanting to dissect her! She does not need that added to it!"_

" _I was not suggesting she be exposed, Kat. I am only stating she has the potential to become Inhuman is all." York explained, then sighed. "Unfortunately according to her genetic make-up and the serums her growth and intelligence is accelerated."_

 _Was this the bad news they had for her? Three had already guessed Tess would be far from normal. There was already a strong possibility that Tess would be smarter, and stronger than any child her age or older. If the doctor was looking to surprise Three she needed to try harder. Still Three shook her head not quit understanding why the full group was needed for this. "What do you mean accelerated?"_

 _York swallowed hard and adjusted her glasses. "Your daughter's mental and physical generation is accelerated. By our estimates your daughter will remember everything if she doesn't already. By the time she is a six months old she will appear and act around the age of a year old. At one year old she will look the age of a two year old if not a little older. She will make baby geniuses look like special needs children."_

 _The knowledge made Three drop back into her chair. Her daughter was not even a month old! Yet they estimated she would grow up faster than normal. "Ho—how long will it last?" Three asked her voice coming out shaken by this news. Would it continue to accelerate? Would she be in her teens before reaching eight years of age?_

" _We don't know exactly. We believe that the acceleration will slow after three to four years. It is merely for the early development of the child that this is happening." Belief was another term for hope which still said they were not certain. Her daughter was no normal child, hell the pregnancy was never normal! Three didn't really hear much more of the doctor's jabbering as her heart sank into her stomach. At some point she excused herself, left Coulson's office and walked down the hall. She got a little ways down before the tears and anger overwhelmed her. The next thing she knew she punched the glass of one of the other offices, and would need stitches. That hardly mattered though as she was crying on her knees in the hall, and a pair of arms wrapped around her pulling her into a hug. Vaguely she realized it was May, but that didn't matter._

* * *

 **Present**

 **New York**

After that day Coulson told her to take a long break and enjoy her time with her daughter. Which Three did, but also continued to search for Bucky. Sadly as the days turned to weeks, and the weeks became months Tess grew quickly, Three realised how much she had been missing spending time away from her daughter. Weeping silently for the time lost, she vowed to spend more time with her child. The beautiful girl now had dark brown hair and blue eyes. She was able to walk at six months, she also learned to talk about the same time. Not so much baby babbling as actually saying words. As if this was not frightening enough she was learning things faster than normal.

One morning in particular stuck in Three's mind. She had set up the searches and was keeping a careful eye on Tess. Her unique little girl was playing with a puzzle Agent Cassidy had got for her. Three had opened the box without paying much attention to the cover. However seeing the many small pieces made Three frown, so she got up and came to sit across from her daughter.

"Whatcha doing princess?" Three asked as her daughter turned one puzzle piece in her small hands as she looked at the partly assembled puzzle.

"Putting the puzzle together." Tess replied, and for a few minutes Three watched her. After a moment Three picked up the lid that showed the image of the puzzle. However that was not what concerned her, it was the age ranger that worried her. The puzzle was for ages three and over!

Normally a parent would be proud of things like that, but Three feared that Tess would be noticed for what she was able to do at so young an age. What also worried her was if she found Bucky would he even believe the child his? Not that he was the type to deny it, but Tess now looked a bit old to be conceived and born in October of 2015. Then there was the question would she even find Bucky?! It had been over a year now and still no sign of him.

It was for these reasons Three distanced herself from the SHIELD group, she didn't want to risk Tess being found by HYDRA or something close to them. For the most part they seemed to understand and only kept in contact via video calls. This left her to search in vain for Bucky, and raise Tess. Aida kept up the close monitoring of the SHIELD team and learned that recently General Talbot was appointed head of the ATCU and that he answered to Coulson. Rumour had it several months back Coulson met with President Ellis at Rosalind's home and the president urged Coulson to continue his operation in secret – acting as puppeteer to the ATCU. Still it took almost six months to find the right candidate to fill Rosalind's shoes. Three blamed the insufferable red tape for how long it took to get the ball rolling, however Talbot was not pleased to be singled out for the role.

In the meantime, Three continued to dig up information on Malick and the other untouchables of HYDRA. She discovered some interesting facts about Malick and three of the untouchables, they never had much dealings with Pierce, Strucker, or Whitehall. Almost as if one part of HYDRA worked separately from the other part. Those untouchables that worked with Malick were Kirk Vogul, Norma Sanders, and John Thorton. The others were off grid entrenching themselves deeper into various countries and building their power bases, so that if discovered to be HYDRA taking them out would be like painting a target on the assassin's back.

It took a lot of digging but Three soon discovered that the organisation the world knew as HYDRA held many names before becoming HYDRA, and had existed long before World War Two. Apparently Malick, Sanders, Vogul, and Thorton all held the belief of bringing the hell beast back from another world. The fools actually believed they would be rewarded if they did, and orchestrated sending people through the portal to this thing throughout the many years. This was supported by what Fitz had learned about the various symbols including the distant star program Will had been apart of. At least the morons failed and the portal was destroyed yet again.

Regardless just because Malick failed did not mean the group was going to hide in a cave and lick their wounds. No, there was only one thing to do with HYDRA in Three's book—kill them. As with every morning Three was drinking her coffee, and watching Tess on the ground floor of her base. Tess sat on the mats putting together a puzzle meant for a four year old now. Her little fingers turning the puzzle pieces and tilting her head as she worked out how each piece fit. She listened to the music Aida was playing and giggled when she caught Three watching her. Three peeked at the computer screens seeing the searches continue, and decided to step away for a moment. Rising to her feet she moved around the station and came to crawl onto the mats across from her daughter.

"Hey there princess? How is it going?" Three asked watching as her daughter giggled and put another piece of the puzzle in place. The puzzle was yet another of the Disney princesses. While it did worry Three, she was gradually accepting that her daughter would always be ahead of other children her age. She just hoped Tess didn't try to grow up too fast, in fact Three wanted her daughter to slow down. Be a child for as long as possible. Mainly Three wanted this for Tess because Three never got to have a normal childhood. So Three tried to ensure Tess would have a happy childhood. This morning though Tess finally asked something Three had not been prepared for. It was gradually happening more and more with her.

"Mommy?"

"Yes princess?"

"I asked Aida what you do every morning. She said you are looking for Daddy. Are you looking for him now?" Three sucked in a breath kind of wishing Aida had not been so honest with Tess. She didn't want to upset her daughter if she failed, but the AI swore she would never lie to Tess.

"Yes, Tess. I am." Three answered after a moment.

"Why isn't he here?" It was another moment that Three was struck dumb by how advanced Tess truly was.

"He would be here if he could. You see Daddy and I, we stop bad people, but we got separated. We lost each other. Believe me if he knew... he would do anything to be with us." Three said, and for a few minutes Tess sat there holding a puzzle piece and seeming to be in deep thought.

"Who is he?" Tess finally asked.

"Do you want to see a picture of him?" Three asked and smiled when Tess nodded. So she got up from the mat and Tess held up her hands wanting to be picked up. Three picked her up and balanced her on her hip while Tess wrapped her little legs and arms around her. Together Three walked around the computers to the corkboard. Half of it was still covered with pictures of HYDRA members yet to be killed. But the other half held many pictures. Amongst them was the framed photo of Peggy, Mace, Sharon, and Three. There were also drawings of the Mastermind test subjects, and a copy of the picture of Three with Takai, Amaya, and Saki. Then there was a small polaroid of the Shadow Network. However Three pointed to the older pictures of James Buchanan Barnes, and the locations he used to frequent in the 1940s. Moving to the centre of that half of the board Three pointed out an old military photograph of Bucky in his uniform. "That is your Daddy."

Tess seemed to look closely at the photograph before letting her eyes wander to the other photos nearby. Amongst them was an image of the Howling Commandos and Captain America. Tess pointed at Bucky in the group photo as she looked at her mother. "Yes princess that is your daddy."

"Who are the other ones?"

"Well that is Steve Rogers also known as Captain America. He is your daddy's best friend. These are the Howling Commandos, that he worked with. That is Dum Dum Dugan, Gabe Jones, Jim Morita, James Falsworth, and Jacques Derrier." Again Tess took in each face and name carefully, and Three knew she would not forget their faces or names.

"Why are they dressed funny?" Tess asked.

The question made Three laugh a little as she realized the gear they wore did look dated. "They were an army unit."

Tess frowned as she looked at them then shook her head. "Why is the picture old and black and white?"

Three stiffened at the question. The eight month year old could certainly pick out the difference between a modern picture and an old 1940's picture. How would she explain that Bucky was originally from that period? As if fate was being kind Three heard a beeping coming from her computers and sighed as she went to the computers. It was an incoming priority call from SHIELD. Three was prepared to put Tess down, but the little girl clung to her and shook her head. "Do you want to sit on my lap while Mommy works?"

Tess nodded as Three sat her on her lap and reached over to turn on the call. Immediately Coulson's face appeared. "Hello there Coulson. What can I do for you?"

"Afternoon, Kat. Sorry to have to do this but I need your help." Coulson said, then took in the fact a little dark haired girl sat on Three's lap. "Hello there Teresa. I am Phil Coulson I am a friend of your mom's."

"Hello. I remember you." Tess said softly, then looked at Three. "Mommy are you going to help him?"

"Yes Tess. Go ahead Coulson." Three said looking to the screen.

"We have a situation I trust you heard about the symposium?"

"The symposium to contain the Alien Contagion. Yeah Daisy was not impressed."

"Yeah, well Gideon Malick party-crashed it. He had kidnapped Talbot's son and used him to turn the leaders against us." Coulson said completely annoyed, "Bobbi and Hunter are tailing him, we are tracking their movement as we speak. They are heading for Russia, we need all hands on deck. Can you come in?"

"Of course I can." Three looked down at Tess, her voice switching to an excited tone as she spoke: "You want to go visit some of Mommy's friends?"

"Yes!" Tess said eagerly, and got down from her mom's lap to go get ready.

"We will be there ASAP." Three said ending the call and following Tess to the door that led upstairs. The pair quickly got ready and loaded up the car with a backpack for Tess, and Three's Katseye gear. Putting Tess in the car seat, Three left for the Playground not wanting to hold up the team. When she pulled into the garage SHIELD personal were already preparing to leave. She was met by Coulson and most of the SHIELD team. "Am I late?"

"Nope just in time." Daisy said coming up to give her a hug then knelt down to Tess. "Hello Tess, it is good to see you." Three could not help but smile, in five minutes she was betting Tess would have every SHIELD agent there wrapped around her tiny fingers. Three was again surprised by Tess as she saw May and grinned as if she immediately knew who the woman was.

"May!" Tess cried and Three's heart stopped. The last time Tess saw the SHIELD team she was only a month old! Yet Tess remembered them, Coulson noticed the worried look.

"It's alright Kat. She is bound to be unique." Coulson reassured. May offered up one of her rare smiles after getting over her surprise and leaned down to hug Tess.

"I'm sorry but we need to go." Coulson stated, and Three came over to May and Tess.

"Tessi?" Three said kneeling down, "I have to go with Coulson and the others to help them okay? Will you be a good girl for me?" Tess nodded, "Good, you remember Agent Cassidy right?" Again Tess nodded, "Well she is going to look after you while I am away okay?"

For a third time Tess nodded before spotting the agent with her backpack. Tess then hugged Three before moving over to the agent. Saying goodbye, Three followed the others up the ramp with her gear in hand. Three immediately got strapped in as the plane took off from the Playground. Afterwords she met with and greeted the others before heading to a spare room to get suited up. When she came out she headed for the meeting room where the others were gathered.

"We will see what Bobbi and Hunter find when we get there." Coulson said as she came to the table.

"Zephyr to Bird. We have Malick's convoy. We can guide you to them, but you will need transport. Will that be a problem?" Fitz asked.

" _No I think we are good."_ Bobbi's voice came in. Soon enough Coulson promised Bobbi and Hunter a backup team, then looked up.

"May, Mack, Daisy, and Kat. You're up. Take the Quinjet and provide backup to Bobbi and Hunter." With that Kat grabbed her pack of weapons and boarded the jet behind Daisy. Strapping herself in May piloted them down to rendezvous with Bobbi and Hunter. No sooner did the loading ramp lower, Bobbi and Hunter came up the ramp with extra guns.

"Where did you get the hardware?" Mack asked as Three strapped on her wrist daggers.

"We ran into some company, got them tied up in the forest." Bobbi replied.

"Are those mushrooms?" Daisy asked noticing Hunter carrying a bag of them.

"Mmmhmm." Hunter said setting the guns and mushrooms down.

"Are they special mushrooms that give you a good feeling?" Three teased.

"No, they're for soup." Hunter said

"It's not bad actually." Bobbi added, "It's good to see you Kat."

"Yeah good to see you both too." Three replied getting a brief hug from the pair.

"Picked up some chatter on the radio too. Malick and the man he arrived with Petrov are going to have some powwow with some Russian cabinet ministers." Bobbi said getting back to business.

"Cabinet ministers? Here?" May asked.

"We think they are here for the same reason as Malick. To get their eyes on a Inhuman." Hunter said.

"Do you think they already have someone?" Daisy asked.

"We saw a man being carted off inside the compound. Restrained by advanced bio-tech." Bobbi answered.

"I thought this sanctuary hasn't even been built yet." Mack said.

"Most likely someone is being naughty and already putting the thoughts into motion. Would not be the first time someone got uppity and jumped the gun." Three said arms crossed over her chest. Regardless, it was a scary thought that this 'sanctuary' was already up and running.

"We need to get in there." May stated: not liking what Three was suggesting. "Get surveillance up and running."

"How is everyone's Russian?" Bobbi asked.

"Was that a serious question?" Three asked.

"Yes yes we know you know everything." Hunter replied making a dramatic eye roll.

" _I know how to say suck it in Russian and twenty-nine other languages. Could also do it in sign language too."_ Three said in perfect Russian.

"Now that is just rude." Bobbi said though the smile was there.

"My pronunciation is not fluent." May added.

"Mine is non-existent." Mack added.

"I dated a Russian hacker once, but I only learned the dirty words." Daisy replied.

"Guys seriously we're spies, I thought we all learned languages." Bobbi said almost laughing as Three raised her hand to show she knew languages.

"Well Lincoln is in the cocoon right now studying all kinds of things, Russian not one of them."

"Sorry it looks like this is all on you and Galadriel. But we will be in the wings armed and ready." Mack said as Three shrugged at Bobbi.

"Hey at least you got the part, dear." Hunter said.

"He is not wrong. Bobbi you're with Daisy and Mack. Find the security hub and locate Malick. Kat since you are the only other that speaks Russian you are with Hunter and I." May said. "Remember our mission protocol. Low profile. In and out, and no one gets caught."

Exiting the jet, Three went with May and Hunter silently following them as they slipped into the compound. The trio moved along some large cargo crates that seemed to had been unloaded earlier that day. "The Inhuman gurney went through those doors." Hunter said as Three looked ahead at the door he was looking at.

No sooner did they move closer May spoke up. "Patrol coming."

Immediately the three ducked into one of the shipping containers to keep from being seen. "We could just take them out." Hunter suggested and Three rolled her eyes with an annoyed sigh.

"What part of low profile don't you understand?" May asked equally annoyed.

"The part where we are suppose to be quiet about it, apparently." Three added shaking her head.

"It's bad enough we have four missing soldiers out in the woods." May added. The trio waited a moment as Hunter peeked out only to hear someone say stop making them all nearly jump. "Go, go." May said urging Hunter back before he got spotted and took point peeking out. While Hunter moved further into the shipping container. Both May and Three followed him towards the back where Hunter turned on a flash light.

The body covered by a tarp did nothing to improve the situation. "Looks like someone got here first."

"The Inhuman you saw?" May asked as Three looked back towards the entrance and Hunter moved further in to remove the tarp. Revealing a man with a gunshot wound to the head. May sighed. "This could be a problem."

"What, you know him?" Hunter asked.

"In recruitment, he is the Russian prime minister's personal attaché."

"What are the chances he just tripped and fell and wrapped himself up in a nice comfy tarp?" Hunter asked.

"Oh I would say about as much chance as perhaps he accidentally shooting himself in the head?" Three asked and Hunter did a double-take at the bullet wound.

"Okay point taken." Hunter replied.

"We need to get this to Coulson and Simmons." May said. She pulled out a device to scan the body of the man further and send it to Simmons. Meanwhile the link activated and they could hear the conversation Malick was having with Petrov, thanks to Bobbi.

" _...and we would be very grateful for your assistance cuz I am afraid our shared vision of a sanctuary for these Inhumans is in jeopardy."_ The voice was obviously Petrov.

" _How so?"_ The voice was most likely Malick's.

" _The prime minister recently sent his personal attaché Crupin to this site. The reason to shut down this entire project immediately."_ Three looked down at the body feeling bad for the man that was murdered merely for doing his job. The term don't shoot the messenger came to mind.

" _The prime minister is against the sanctuary?"_

" _Yes because his opposition supports it. Namely the ministers you see before you."_

" _Where is Mr. Crupin now?"_

" _He...is dead at the hands of General Androach."_ Petrov replied.

" _The general always did have a temper, what set him off this time?"_ Malick asked.

" _He found the attaché's position on Inhumans offensive. Because the general himself is an Inhuman."_ Petrov replied shocking them.

" _That does complicate matters, doesn't it?"_

" _We know you have a history with the prime minister, so we were hoping-"_

" _You were hoping I could smooth things over with this little incident so that our dream of a sanctuary doesn't die here."_ Malick interrupted seeming pleased with how things were panning out for him.

" _Can you help us?"_

" _Where is the general now?"_ Malick asked instead of answering Petrov.

" _He is on-site in restraints."_

"Must be the Inhuman Bob and I saw." Hunter said.

" _I can help, but not because I am a fan of powered individuals working for Mother Russia. Truth is this is bigger than any single country's fate. We are at a tipping point where humanity is going to make some difficult choices about the preservation of our very existence and these Inhumans. These Inhumans are the key to our survival and we must ally with them, build a home for them: a sanctuary. Like you're doing now, but they will need a leader and unfortunately for all of us your prime minister is not a leader."_

"Pretty noble speech coming from an evil douche-bag." Three replied as they listened. She bet others had similar comments for Malick's words.

" _What do you suggest we do?"_

" _Well I think the solution is obvious. Why keep a man in restraints when he can single-handedly eliminate the problem for us. It is time we let the general loose."_ Malick said and Three realized along with the others this was a coup.

"Shit!" Three muttered looking at May and Hunter. Hunter went back to watching the guards outside while May stood near the body impatient.

"We need to get out of here." May stated after several minutes, "What are those guards doing?"

"Complaining, avoiding work, taking selfies."

"One looks like he is taking a piss." Three grumbled as she peeked out, then moved away equally impatient.

"It's guard duty." Hunter replied, then looked back. "It doesn't seem like an Inhuman power, a snapped neck and a bullet in the head."

"Execution style, to cover the actual damage." Three said leaning against the crates lining the wall.

"As opposed to melting metal or burning holes through people's chests like your ex."

"You're right. Anyone can snap a person's neck." The cold tone May had when she said it made the tension grow.

"Great Hunter wanna add salt to the wound while you're at it?" Three asked.

"I wasn't-" Hunter sighed, "You could have paired up with Mack."

"Mack I can trust." May said.

"Oh but not me. That is right, I forgot we are not friends, are we?" Hunter grumbled.

"Friends do not put other's lives at risk for selfish reasons."

"Selfish? I would take a bullet for any one of you, not for the SHIELD logo on the wall—you." Hunter said and Three sighed as she just let them go.

"You were willing to let Andrew die just to get to Ward. That is not what SHIELD is about."

"No SHIELD is all about the mission not the person next to you."

"The person next to you was me." May said as she stepped closer and Three felt like she would have to stop them from a potential fight. "SHIELD is about sacrifice, not for you or me but for the greater good."

"Even over the ones you love?" Hunter asked.

"Yes, even then." The answer made Hunter sigh as he fully faced May.

"I don't know whether I admire you, feel sad for you, or both. Either way I am sorry May for all of it." The two just watched each other and Three sighed gaining both of them looking at her. "What you thought we would fight?"

"It was a strong chance. You guys have been holding onto that animosity since the last mission... eight months ago. I feel like a babysitter now." Three replied earning a soft chuckle from Hunter and a ghost of a smile from May. Then a worrying thought occurred to Three that she just had to ask. "Umm May? Is the reason you usually have me team up with you... is it because-"

"I team up with you because I can trust that if we get separated, even on your own you know what to do." May said calmly.

"Oh. Cool." Three said feeling better as to the reason she had been paired with May.

" _Heads up Malick is on the move."_ Bobbi's voice came in.

"Where are you Bob?" Hunter asked.

" _South end, upper level. I think he is going get the Gen-"_ A second before the communication cut someone called out in Russian sharply. A few moments later Bobbi spoke again. _"_ _I lost track of Malick! Daisy! A little help..."_

" _One sec."_ Daisy's voice came on the comms.

" _Zephyr to ground team: we have a cause of death for the prime minister's attaché Mr. Crupin. The bullet wound was done after his death and must have been so no one would look too closely. All internal signs show he was strangled with fractures to his larynx and hyoid bone. Oddly there are no external lacerations, ligature marks, or hand impressions."_ Simmons said going over what she had discovered.

" _Like he was not even touched."_ Fitz stated.

" _Could be a psychic ability at work here."_

"Now that is just copyright infringement right there." Three replied.

" _Yes but you read, transmit, and attack minds Kat. That is still so cool."_ Fitz replied making her feel better.

" _Regardless if he can snap bones without laying a finger on you than the Prime Minister is in real danger."_ Simmons said. Before Three could reply Hunter spoke up.

"I got eyes on Malick." Both May and Three peeked out to see the older man accompanied by guards.

"The general is not with him." May pointed out, "Just his security detail."

"What is Malick's play here? He sows the seeds for a coup, then leaves without the assassin."

"Must be some other angle." May reached up to click the earpiece to talk to one of the other members, "Daisy? Where is the general now? You still have eyes on him?"

" _Hold on I am still trying to get Bobbi through a door."_ Daisy replied.

"Seriously?" Three asked clicking her earpiece, "You are having problems with a computer?"

" _The keys are in Russian. I have to convert it to Unicode. Which I am doing..."_ Daisy replied as they heard keys hitting. _"_ _now. Denota."_

" _I am pretty sure that is not Russian."_ Bobbi said in a rushed tone.

"That is because it is a word Daisy just made up." Three said.

" _Whatever, next time we do this you get the Russian ancient computer."_ Daisy replied making Three chuckle a little.

"We still need to get out of here." May pointed out.

"I got an idea..." Three said looking at them, "but I have never done this before. Trust me?" Both nodded as Three peeked out and directed her thoughts at the closest guard. _'Someone help me!'_ As expected the man jumped and screamed at the mental voice. He looked around frantic to find the source. One of his fellow guards asked him what was wrong.

"I heard a voice!"

 _'Please help me I am in the back of the truck!'_ Again the man looked to be jumping at shadows as he looked around.

"Relax my friend. Now what voice-" This time Three directed her thoughts at him. _'Help me!'_ Now both were freaking out as they wondered where the voices were coming from.

"She said she is in the back of the truck." The first guard said then both looked at the truck off to the right. The others followed worried for the first two guards and headed behind the truck.

"All clear let's go." Three said as they snuck out.

"What did you do?" Hunter asked, "They looked like they were about to wet themselves."

"Gave them the idea a damsel in distress was in the back of the truck." Three replied as they moved.

"Why didn't you do that earlier?" Hunter asked.

"Wasn't sure it'd work." Three replied, as they moved then had to duck down when they heard Coulson's voice.

" _Everyone listen up. This hit is going down here and now. The Russian Prime Minister is coming here and there is a Inhuman assassin on the loose. You need to stop him."_ Right then they got closer to see Malick leaving the party.

"Malick is getting away. We could grab one of those trucks there." Hunter suggested.

"Coulson, do we pursue?" May asked contacting the director as they stood close by.

" _Negative. Forget about Malick."_ Coulson's voice stated.

"But he is right bloody there!" Hunter replied earning looks from both May and Three. After all Three clearly remembered the other problem Coulson had just warned them about.

" _Protect the Prime Minister. He is walking into a trap, you need to get in there now."_ Coulson ordered, as they moved for the building once more. The group went up the stairs and entered via a window in the upstairs level of the building.

"We have eyes on the prime minister." May said into her earpiece as Three watched the group carefully. She had always hated politics, it was damn politics that allowed HYDRA to survive World War Two. Politicians were like vultures circling a dying animal, cruel vicious beasts.

"And he is not alone." Hunter added, "Is that our general inhuman right there?" They focused on the man in question as Bobbi answered via the comms.

" _It is."_

" _Gang's all here. What is the plan?"_ Daisy asked.

" _May, Kat, and Hunter you secure the Prime Minister."_ Coulson ordered, _"_ _Daisy, Bobbi, Mack contain the general. Try to get him outside. We will send the containment module down to the south exit."_

" _And be careful he is an assassin and we don't know what his powers are yet."_ Fitz added.

"Prime minister I believe this plan is in our federation's best interest..." Petrov was saying as he tried to get the prime minister to go along with it.

" _We need a distraction."_ Mack's voice came in.

"I have an idea but it involves me hitting people." Hunter suggested getting both May and Kat to smile a little.

"I could probably do that mental trick again." Three suggested, until May held up a canister that would cause smoke. "Or that works too."

Popping the top, May threw it down below as the prime minister called the others traitors. Immediately the area below filled with smoke and the trio left their hiding place. Off to grab the prime minister. Three and May immediately took on the guards while Hunter pulled the minister along. Three punched one in the stomach before kicking him in the face just enough to knock him out. Another tried to grab her from behind but she threw her head back hitting him in the face, when he dropped her she landed on her feet. She twisted around to kick him in the face and knocked him out. Somewhere in the smoke May fought behind her, and as Three turned she saw another rush at May.

Moving fast she tripped the man up and now had his attention as he tried to punch her catching his wrist she hit him in the stomach followed quickly by a punch to the face. Soon there was just her and May still standing. "We need to go."

Agreeing with May they both rushed off to locate Hunter and help him get the prime minister to safety. _"_ _May Kat one of you need to help Daisy and Mack. Daisy is down."_ Coulson replied.

"Go help Daisy and Mack. I will go after Hunter." May said, and so Three rushed down the right hand hallway heading for Daisy and Mack. She soon found Mack limping out of the building carrying Daisy.

"Mack, woah easy there." Three said catching up and helping Mack along away from the compound. Tapping her earpiece she spoke. "Found Mack and Daisy... getting them to the jet now."

" _And May?"_ Coulson asked.

"Went to go help Hunter." Three replied as she helped them along. The group eventually made it to the jet where they lowered Daisy to the ground and Mack sat close by. "Daisy and Mack are safe heading back."

She got no response, but had just made it off the plane when May came into view alone. "May? Where is Bobbi and Hunter?"

"They were captured."

"What do we do?" Three asked.

"We have to return to Zephyr One." May said.

"No one has contacted-"

"Communication was cut just after you got Mack and Daisy out. We have to make our report directly to Coulson, and make a plan from there." May said heading for the cockpit. Three watched her for a moment knowing just leaving was hard to do, but Three raised her hand and closed the loading ramp. She helped secure Daisy and Mack for the flight back where they returned to Zephyr one and May explained how Bobbi and Hunter were captured.

"You made the right call. We will get our people back. Follow their transports and find out where they have been taken." Coulson ordered. Simmons was checking over the injuries Daisy and Mack got. While Three looked at the satellite imagining showing transport planes taking Bobbi and Hunter away. All the while Coulson was talking to the president or arguing with him more like. "I understand your position Mr. President but these are two of my agents. I am asking for your help."

 _'Coulson? What is going on?'_ Three thought to him, and for a moment he just looked at her.

 _'The President is refusing to help us or even acknowledge any involvement. He doesn't want an international incident, but if he doesn't meet with the Russian Prime minister they will be shot.'_

 _'Let me speak to him, please. I won't threaten him, just trust me.'_ For a second Coulson stood there looking at Three as she held out her hand for the phone. Then he handed her the phone getting a number of people's attention. Three licked her lips as she held her phone to her ear and spoke interrupting the president. "Mr. President, hello. You never saw me but I saw you when I first met you."

" _Wha—who is this?"_

"I am the woman with the pretty sniper rifle that saved you from a Mandarin test subject riding on an Iron man suit. Roxxon Oil rig, Christmas Eve I recall. I also saved Colonel Rhodes' life that night. You did not look good in the Iron Patriot suit, then again I preferred War Machine." There was a long pause as the President seemed speechless, then again as Three looked around most of the SHIELD team looked speechless as they watched her. "I went after the Mandarin because he killed a friend of mine at the Chinese theatre. He was helping me to save other lives from HYDRA, and he died. So in short I was there to save you and help Rhodes and Stark because of him. I think that has earned me one favour don't you?"

" _Yes, it does. I never expected I would get the chance to thank you for saving my life. You're a SHIELD agent?"_

"No, I am a advisor for SHIELD. I help them in destroying the last remnants of HYDRA. Before that I was at the top of SHIELD's most wanted list because I was put there by HYDRA." There was another long pause as President Ellis seemed to be digesting the information.

" _What is it you want?"_

"I want you to help the SHIELD agents that are going to die in front of a firing squad for saving some ungrateful politician. They were there to stop a head of HYDRA – Gideon Malick." Again there was a long speechless pause, and Three got the feeling Ellis might refuse. "I lost a good friend to the Mandarin, I am asking for your help to save two other friends today."

There was a sigh on the other end of the phone. _"_ _Alright, I will help however I can. Put Coulson back on."_

Three immediately handed Coulson the phone, and he put it to his ear. "Mr. President?" There was a long pause, then Coulson smiled a little. "In all honesty sir. I didn't know she had saved your life."

After that the phone call ended more pleasantly with Coulson smiling at her. "You have been holding out on us."

Three merely shrugged. "Alright, Ellis has agreed to go to Russia and help us. With luck we can get our people back. If not we will need to extract them."

Immediately Coulson set the groundwork for both plans as they waited for the president to join them. Eventually Coulson left to meet the President and the pair travelled to the holding facility in Moscow. Three and the others waited patiently for the signal to be given on the extraction. But nothing ever came. Instead Three leaned on the counsel across from Daisy waiting. Then Coulson came back a couple of hours later, no Bobbi or Hunter with him.

"What happened to the extraction plan?" Mack asked as Three came around the counsel to stand next to Daisy. May got up from her seat along with Simmons and Fitz.

"You never gave us the signal." Fitz pointed out.

"Where are Hunter and Bobbi?" Daisy asked.

"They are not coming back. They have been disavowed." Coulson said.

"What are you talking about?" Mack asked.

"There were no good options. I had to make a deal. We were lucky President Ellis got Interpol to step in. They will walk free, but they cannot be agents,"

"So that is it? We will just leave them?" Simmons asked coming closer.

"It was all we could do to keep them from being executed." Coulson said then looked to Kat silently thanking her for stepping in with the phone call to Ellis. "Relations between the President and the prime minister are already strained because of the growing alien threat."

"And if they found out SHIELD was up and running, training Inhumans as agents.." May started to point out.

"It would be bad." Coulson said, "Like cold war bad. Bobbi and Hunter never cracked under questioning even to save each other. They did that for SHIELD. They did that for us, and they paid the price."

"No th—they just can't take the fall." Mack argued.

"Mack it was their choice. After everything they have done, they deserve that choice. Believe me guys I am going to miss them too." Three looked down as they took in what this meant and the group went quiet. The decision had been made, and now there was no going back. Instead there was only the long silent trip home, and Three decided to join May in the cockpit of the Zephyr One. She knew May preferred solitude, but considering that she wasn't going to talk the pair just sat quietly. Occasionally Three watched what May did, but otherwise she stared out of the window.

* * *

 **May 10th, 2016**

 **A bar in New York**

The group were informed Bobbi and Hunter were now Stateside once more after being deported back to the US. Sadly both would be under surveillance for a long time, but at least going to this bar they could see them at a safe distance. Three sat in a booth in skinny blue jeans, hiking boots, tank top and leather jacket. She wore the usual colour clip on the brown setting, but both agents would recognize her if they saw her face. Both Bobbi and Hunter sat at a table drinking beers. Three stopped the waitress and ordered a shot for them to be sent to them as they started receiving shots from the different team members. Eventually Hunter spotted her and subtly pointed her out to Bobbi. By then they had seven shots in front of them one from each member of SHIELD and their advisor and Director. Three peeked over to see Coulson who raised his glass to them and she followed suit with the others as she watched Bobbi and Hunter pick up a shot.

Taking a drink Three let the alcohol burn down her throat then set the empty shot glass down. She looked over again to see Fitz and Simmons leave. A moment later Daisy, then May. Three then decided it was time for her to go and moved around past them for the exit. As she moved she mentally sent her thoughts to them. _'We will miss you guys. Take care of each other.'_ She stole a peek back at them as both heard the message and looked her way. She knew that like with all things she would never forget them then she left the bar, stepping out into the night.

* * *

 **Author's Notes:**

 **First off Happy Easter and thank you all for the lovely reviews.**

 **Sorry Fin-Fish Jun-Tenshi I forgot to mention in the Author's Notes last time that this last week was very busy, so I didn't get to post the Sunday chapter. Don't worry the dreaded Hiatus won't happen for a bit yet. I got quite a bit written up, the only cause might be later when I have to wait for the Marvel movies to be released.**

 **Also thank you for the lovely review MrsWhitlockBlack. I loved reading your review and am sorry to hear that the last couple of chapters were not as satisfying. Hopefully this chapter makes up for that, though Three is kind of a workaholic too. It is not so much boredom in her case that makes her go out there, but wanting to ensure HYDRA can never come back to harm Tess. The things Three has experienced are what drive her to want to eradicate HYDRA, if she leaves it as is, then Tess and others may be the ones paying the price later on.**

 **As for this chapter it is part of Agents of SHIELD season 3 episode 13 'Parting Shot.' I have said before Three will not feature in every episode of SHIELD hence the two episode jump. Between episode 10 'Maveth' and this episode I extended the time period to eight months, where Three has taken a break from SHIELD to look after Tess and continue the search for Bucky. However since this episode meant saying goodbye to two awesome characters (Bobbi and Hunter) I figured Three should be there to some degree. Besides Malick is there and you know how she is about HYDRA, she'd want to help Coulson bury the prick.**

 **The only other thing to note is when she briefly talks to President Ellis, it is a call back to Iron Man 3 where she saved him and is calling in a favour.**

 **Anyway I do hope you enjoyed this latest chapter. Please let me know what you think by leaving a review.**

 **Lesliezin**


	42. A New Possible Lead

**Hello Everyone,**

 **Here is Chapter 42, enjoy.**

* * *

 **May 17** **th** **, 2016**

 **New York City**

After helping Coulson with his latest problem, Three took Tess and went home. She hated the fact that a HYDRA head had escaped them, but there would be other chances to get Gideon Malick. The group was still reeling from the fact Bobbi and Hunter were forced into unplanned retirement. When Tess overheard Simmons say she could not believe that Bobbi and Hunter were gone, Tess asked what was wrong. Three explained they had to go away and could no longer work with them. What was more upsetting was when they showed Tess a picture of Bobbi and Hunter she remembered them. Which again was scaring Three, her daughter would face the same problem of remembering everything and forgetting nothing. Before leaving Simmons offered to perform one final blood test on Tess to double check the results and see if Tess' advanced development would ever slow down. The following news was positive, the possibility was more than a maybe or a hopefully. Simmons came back with a big grin saying that Tess' growth spurt was already slowing down, and by the time Tess would reach two it would be a normal ageing process. It was the only good news these days, and for it Three hugged Simmons thanking her.

If only all news was that good, Three returned to looking for Bucky and digging into the 'Untouchables'. She forwarded the intelligence she gathered on Malick and the other three lunatics that held his similar beliefs. The other six untouchable HYDRA heads were not doing anything. There was no moving of funds, no contact with any remnants of HYDRA – nothing! It was as if they were waiting for something, but what? One of the six was one Moira Nakagawa who was offering support to several key countries helping their economy and building her influence up, but why Three could not tell. The countries in question had little to do with one another other then be closely allied with Sokovia, that was the only connection she found. For all intents and purposes, Three guessed she would have to wait until they made a move.

Instead on this particular morning, Three nearly jumped out of her seat when her search got a hit—on Bucky. An ATM caught a partial, grainy, picture. Three tried to clean it up to ensure she was not making a mistake. Accuracy was not at one-hundred percent, but it was at ninety-two. It was as close as Three felt she would get given the situation. Still it was enough for her to go on, and it was a heck of a lot more than she had gotten before. Checking the location she was almost skipping around when she called Coulson. _"_ _Hello Kat, normally I am the one calling you."_

"I found him!" Three practically squealed. Tess dropped the toy she was playing with and came around the computers to her mother.

"You found Daddy?" Tess asked hopeful.

"Yes." Three smiled nodding enthusiastically.

" _That is amazing! Where?"_ Coulson asked.

"Alaska, in the North slope region. I hate to ask but I need-"

" _A jet to get you there fast. May will accompany you and I will inform Agent Cassidy she has to watch Tess."_ Coulson replied.

"Thank you Coulson!" Three replied overjoyed. As usual they grabbed their bags, got in the car, and headed for the Playground. The entire trip Three was excited to have found Bucky and could not wait for Tess to meet her father. She pulled into the garage and jumped out to a waiting Coulson and May. Immediately she hugged Coulson then pulled away. "Again thank you for this Coulson."

"My pleasure, but May volunteered to take you. We are worried that..." Coulson trailed off, "We lost Bobbi and Hunter we don't want to lose you too."

"You think it could be a trap set up by Malick?"

"We are not taking any chances. We hope it is James Barnes but we don't want to risk you too." Coulson stated, it was sound logic. Three slowly nodded as she turned and saw Agent Cassidy get Tess out of the car seat.

"I hope you're excited, I got some new games." Cassidy said then winked at Three to reassure her Tess was in good hands. Her heart wrenched as she watched her daughter go with the agent into the facility. She took a deep breath, but it didn't really help. Only keeping busy kept the pain at bay.

"We had best get going." May said, "Wheels up in five." With that May headed for the Quinjet boarding the ramp. Three started to follow after May when Coulson spoke up.

"And Kat, good luck. Bring Barnes home." With that Three nodded and closed the loading ramp. She came to the cockpit and strapped herself in. She watched May's flying and even though she already had the entire sequence memorized. The pair sat in silence for a few minutes until Kat had to say it.

"Thank you for volunteering and coming with me."

"No problem."

"I know that with Bobbi and Hunter having to go, this isn't the best time." Three said feeling bad. All the SHIELD agents should have a bit of down time after losing them, not go rushing off on another mission.

"No it isn't, but when would it ever be a good time?" May asked. She had a point there nothing was ever going to sink up and work perfectly. "Besides we owe you."

Now Three was looking at May confused. "I owe you." May continued.

Okay she helped them because they had a common enemy in HYDRA and she wanted to, not because she was running a tally on how many times she helped them out. "You have always come when Coulson calls. Always looked out for each of us even when we didn't want you to. You were there for me with Andrew, you came back looking for me knowing what And—Lash could do to you."

So that was what it was? The portal incident at the castle, the time when she came back for May? Three had not thought the moment so important she just didn't want May out there having to face Lash alone. Apparently that moment was important to May. The quiet lady said simply: "What you said, stuck with me."

Three frowned as she recalled easily what was said to May in the Inhuman's tent. _"_ _Providing backup for you, what does it look like?! I wasn't going to let you face him alone. You shouldn't have to. He was—is important to you Melinda no matter what he has become."_ "You weren't willing to give up on him even though I was. I didn't even know I needed that support."

Three was still a bit struck dumb, that was more words than she had every heard May utter at one time. Not only did May trust her, but it felt like she had earned May's respect and loyalty.

"I wasn't expecting that." Three admitted after a moment. What was she to say now?

"You also saved Bobbi and Hunter from a firing squad. Without you Ellis would not have shown up."

"Well then we would have made a new plan to get them out." Three said trying to downplay her role in that particular event.

"True, but Coulson and I think if we had extracted them. It would have been bloody." May said. Three shifted uncomfortably in her seat imagining how things could have gone and the consequences of it. The idea turned her stomach a little, then she decided a change of subject was needed.

"Has there been any word from Andrew?"

"None, but Simmons and I are looking into it. She is also training with a firearm." May said again surprising Three. "She blames herself for setting Lash loose to escape HYDRA at the castle."

"Jesus, she has to know that isn't her fault." Three said.

"Regardless she does." May said, "We have the satellites looking for him as we speak. The resources are divided between both Andrew and James."

"Well I'll ask Aida to help with the search, and when he is located I'll help you."

"Had a feeling you would." May said softly. From there the plane ride went quiet, Three already knew what May was going to do when she caught Lash, and while she wished it wouldn't come to killing him she knew better than to say it. The idea that May would have to kill the man she loves left a terrible taste in Three's mouth. Eventually they arrived and May landed in a clearing in what felt like the middle of nowhere. In truth they were not far from a small town. Since it wasn't an mission against HYDRA both women opted for casual clothes and kept their weapons hidden. They soon left, heading for the small town where Bucky was supposedly spotted.

Trudging through the snow the pair got to town and headed for the bar which was as good a place as any to begin their search. Stepping inside, it looked like it fit the picture with some locals already at the bar drinking beer and watching a game. Some of them looked like they worked in a mine or oil refinery. However none of them really looked like Bucky. There were a few dark haired men, but one of them was too thin, the other had a beer gut. The woman behind the bar looked like she had been working there too long and sounded bored. "Hey honeys what can I get ya?"

Both Three and May looked at each other before coming to the bar. "I'll take a coffee." Three said.

"Water." May said.

"Coffee and water..." The woman shook her head as if they were weird but went off to get them their drinks. Both looked around the bar taking note of everyone there and trying to find Bucky, but no one was even close. None of them were as tall or well muscled as him, not to mention he was far more handsome. Eventually the woman came back with their drinks and a small jug of milk and sugar.

"Hey um, we were looking for someone. Have you perhaps seen a handsome dark haired man, likes to keep to himself. Well muscled with beautiful blue eyes. Is really strong..." Three said then trailed off as she noticed the fear that she found in the woman's eyes.

"No, nobody here like that." She said trying to keep her voice from shaking. Normally mental invasion was not something Three liked to do, but she listened in on her thoughts. _'Oh god, they're here! George said they wouldn't come that we would be safe!'_

Three immediately drew back as if struck and straightened. "Oh okay, well thank you for the coffee." Three said louder and smiled brightly at her. She took out a ten dollar bill and put it in the tips jar. Immediately the woman relaxed and walked away relieved. Once she and May were left alone May leaned in. "What the hell was that?"

"I read her mind she is terrified. I think we were expected." Three replied softly as she added sugar and milk to her coffee and took a drink. EW! The coffee was terrible! No amount of milk or sugar would make this coffee taste good.

"I will say, look around." May whispered behind her glass of water. Peeking up Three spotted a number of eyes nervously watching them. Three pretended to fiddle with her cup as she listened in on their thoughts.

 _'They need to get out of here before they come back.'_

 _'Knew I should have grabbed Becky and the kids and left.'_

 _'What are we going to do? No way their arrival went unnoticed.'_

 _'Maybe if I warn them they will leave and no one will get hurt this time.'_

 _'If we leave they will kill us.'_

"Kat?" May asked softly wanting to know what Three was hearing.

"Near as I can tell someone is threatening them to stay here and be part of a trap." Three said forcing herself to take another sip of the coffee, but the mug did hide her words.

"We need to update Coulson on recent events." May said, "He can send us backup." Three nodded and the two pretended to finish their drinks and put down money for the bill. They left as casually as possible heading down the street. However both were looking for signs of the threats, exit strategies, and any other clues. Half way down the street someone called out from a side street.

"Psst! Over here." Both May and Kat looked to a young man waving them over and looking around nervously. If this was the trap, they were both about to walk into it. Moving over to the man as they looked around they were ushered into a doorway of a building to avoid being seen. "You came here looking for him right?"

"Bucky, yes. Where is he? Do you know where we can find him?" The man shook his head scared.

"We never seen him. We were shown a picture and told if anyone came looking to call them." The man said, "Please you have to help us, they got my mom and little sister."

"What do you mean?" May asked.

"They came a couple weeks ago. Took some of us hostage. They showed us a picture of the man from the Helicarriers' incident in Washington. Said if anyone came looking we were to call them immediately. Told us if we refused they'd kill our loved ones. Five days ago a group came demanding answers. They wore black tactical gear, and all."

"HYDRA." May sighed.

The man continued to talk like May had not said a thing. "We thought they would kill the ones holding our families hostage, but they died."

Someone took out a HYDRA team looking for Bucky? It sounded like Bucky, but he would never take hostages like that. No someone else was looking for Bucky and had no care for innocent lives caught in the cross-fire. Perhaps they even knew where Bucky really was, it was a slim hope but a hope nonetheless.

"We need to get back to the Quinjet and report to Coulson." May said not liking their odds if there were a lot of them.

"Alright," Three said then looked to the young man, "Look get some place safe. We are going to go call some friends to help put an end to these guys. We need you to hang tight till we get back." The man nodded hopefully as Three and May slipped back out and more cautiously headed out of town towards the Quinjet. They made it towards the edge of town, but stopped by the last building when they saw it. A jeep with a group of guys each carrying AK-47s, they were not there before. They wore tactical gear and seemed to be looking for them. "So much for calling for backup."

"This complicates things." May replied as they ducked down by some bushes by the building.

"Doubtful we can go around. They probably have the town blocked in." Three replied.

"We just have to find some place to lay low till then." May suggested, "Standard protocol if Coulson does not hear from a team in twelve hours he sends in a recon team." Three checked her watch they had only been here three hours, leaving nine to go.

"Sadly May this is a small town with most of the populace under threat. We cannot afford to trust anyone here for a place to lay low because they will want to protect their loved ones meaning..."

"They will try to turn us in." May finished she looked even more annoyed, "We are out manned and out gunned. With no viable Intel on our enemy."

"Then we need to get intelligence, we need to find a group of these guys and get them alone without radioing for help." Three pointed out looking around for potential candidates. After seeing the street lacking in people Three reached out with her powers and searched for thoughts, then gasped as she sensed the panicked thoughts back in the bar where most of the people had since been herded into. "Shit!"

"What is it?" May asked.

"These guys are good while we were chatting up a local they rounded up everybody took them to the bar to keep them out of the way."

"That could work to our advantage." May said after a moment.

"How so?" Three asked watching May confused.

"It means we can move freely take out their patrols, cut off their backup without endangering lives." May said, and Three smiled at her logic. It did hold merit and between the two of them it should be just another day on the job. If Daisy and Bobbi were here it would be a girl's night out. "You go that way..." May pointed to the right, "I will go this way. We circle around meet at the bar."

"Sounds good I'll buy us a round when we get there." Three replied earning a smile from May. The two split off with Three moving across the street once the area was clear, she ducked into the shadows on another building to see a roaming patrol heading her way. Team of four armed men. Three was glad she had her wrist daggers attached under her sleeves as she flicked one out waiting for the patrol to get closer. Soon the closest was about to peek around her corner when she grabbed his assault rifle to keep it from being pointed at her and slammed the blade handle into the guy's head knocking him out. She held him up to block the others view of her as she pushed him backward. When the second guy was close enough she punched the other guy, then used her powers to attack the other two's minds so that they dropped their guns and she quickly incapacitated the remaining two. Lastly she zip tied them and took their weapons to keep them from escaping. Quickly she dragged the men into a side alley then continued on. Slowly but surely she fought the various patrols making her way around the small town until she spotted May just finishing off her last patrol. The two knelt by a car parked by a book store.

"Did you have any trouble?" May asked.

"Nope two teams: four to five per team. All of them clocked out. You?"

"Three teams, same number, all taken care of."

"Show off." Three teased.

"We need to hurry. The group at the bar is bound to notice something off when no one reports in." May said as the pair peeked down the road to the Bar, it's neon sign flashing in the window.

"Agreed, divide and conquer again?" Three asked.

"You take the back, I'll take the front." May said. Silently the pair parted ways again, with Three hopping a fence next to the book store. The area was not fenced off from the other stores and shops, so Three crept from building to building until she reached the bar. There were two more guys at the back leisurely having a cigarette. Moving fast while the first guy was distracted she ran jumped and wrapped her legs around his neck twisting so he was forced to the ground where she leaned forward and flipped him onto his back. The second guy was stunned as she rose to her hands and feet and kicked his legs out from under him, The next thing he knew her fist connected knocking him out cold. The first guy groaned and started to sit up before her booted foot knocked him out too.

Moving to the window Three peeked in and saw people on their knees ducked down. More of the armed men stood watch over them on guard duty, Three counted only three of them, but there could be more. She focused her thoughts to May since the bar was not that big. _'I count three guys, you?'_

 _'The same.'_

 _'Thoughts? They got a lot of hostages and according to the guy we spoke to they have more tucked away.'_ Three asked mentally, she was hoping May would have a plan.

 _'We need to move fast before they can hurt anyone.'_

 _'Here's an idea, I pretend to turn myself in. You surprise them.'_

 _'How do you know they won't shoot you on sight?'_ May asked.

 _'I don't but hopefully they won't get the chance. Sound like a plan?'_

 _'Not like we have a choice, alright.'_ With the mental conversation done. Three knocked on the back door.

"Hello? I would like to speak to the man in charge and negotiate the release of the prisoners." Three called out knowing better than to just charge in and risk getting shot.

"By all means come in." A man called, he had an accent but sounded amused more than anything. So Three stood and came into the bar with two guns pointed at her. The man had dark hair and an amused expression. "I expected more resistance than this. Where is your friend? The one you arrived with."

"She left to contact some friends. You have about...two minutes before our buddies arrive." Three said bluffing calmly, "This is mainly a courtesy visit asking you boys nicely to put down your guns before you get hurt."

The man watched her for a moment than laughed. "So your friend left you all by your lonesome? No, no I do not think so. I also think you are lying about your friends."

"Really?" Three asked amused with a knowing smirk on her face. Nothing infuriated captors more than a 'hostage' being a amused by them. So long as she acted like she had the upper hand this guy would be unnerved. "I have to ask though, why James Barnes? Why now? I mean we came here expecting to find him not a bunch of boys holding innocent people hostage."

The man didn't know it, but she was reading their minds, picking out details about them. One man questioned why they were here and was thinking that they used to be the good guys. "The only reason you are still breathing is because we want what you know. What have you found searching for Barnes?"

Three burst out laughing. "Oh my God." Three dropped her hands and was shaking her head. "You are luring those looking for Barnes here to try and obtain the missing pieces of the puzzle. That is literally the saddest thing I have heard. You are obviously not amateurs, I am guessing military? Special forces? Most likely trained to protect people and yet here you are terrorizing some small out in the middle of nowhere town..."

This pissed off the man as he rose from his seat, all amusement gone. "What do you know of Barnes' location?!"

Now that she got the three men's attention completely on her she thought to May 'Now'. Before they could react, May was through the door and disarming the guy near the front door. Three was equally fast as she caught the gun of the man questioning why they were there. Bringing her elbow up she hit him in the face bringing him to his knees then twisted the gun out of his grasp and away kicking him in the face and knocking him out. The leader soon rushed in pulling a knife and slashing at her, which Three brought out her own wrist dagger and the blades met. What followed was quick movements as they tried to slice each other and block one another. The man was well trained over the years, but Three had more training under her belt learned in a quarter of the time. At one point she stabbed him in the hand, kicking him between the legs, and when he dropped onto his knees she punched him out. Looking up at May both sighed a breath of relief as neither one was seriously injured.

"Is everyone alright?" May asked, receiving relieved nods. Together the pair untied the hostages, and tied up the men in the bar. After securing the remaining men unconscious or injured, one of the locals drove May out to the jet to contact Coulson and report while Three stayed and waited for the three men to wake up. May was not gone long, and when she returned the three men were still unconscious. "Coulson has sent a security team. They should be here soon."

"Good," Three replied then they heard groans as the men eventually woke. "Looks like Sleeping Beauty and the two other princesses are awake."

Recovering back to full consciousness the three struggled for a moment then realized they weren't going anywhere. "Now that you are awake you can start answering my questions. Where are the other townspeople you kidnapped?"

The leader spat on the ground – being completely defiant. Three sighed. "Alright sunshine you can either answer me or I can rip into your brain and discover for myself where they are."

The leader began laughing at the threat, so Three looked to May who nodded knowing Three would not kill him. Immediately Three focused on him and began attacking his mind. She had learned early on how to dig into a person's mind though it was quite painful. The leader began screaming and thrashing in the chair, then Three stopped allowing him to catch his breath. "Ho—how?!"

"The same way I know your pal there was thinking you used to be the good guys before we kicked your ass. Now do I need to do that again? I don't like doing it, but I will." The leader was glaring at her when the uncertain man spoke up.

"They are being held in an old mine two miles outside of town. Be careful though it is rigged with explosives."

"You traitor!" The leader cried struggling in his chair.

"She is right, we used to be the good guys, you cannot even see how far we have fallen! You don't need to hurt us, I will tell you everything." He said the last to May and Three. Immediately they gagged the other two to keep them quiet.

Three pulled up a chair and sat down. "What is your name?"

"Norric."

"Your accent...Scandinavian?" May asked.

"Sokovian." Norric answered, looking down ashamed.

"You're a long way from Sokovia. What brought you out here?" Three asked

"Revenge, we were part of an elite Sokovian commando unit called EKO Scorpion. But after Ultron we all lost something that day."

"Revenge? On who?" May asked

"The Avengers."

Three sighed, "You wanted James Barnes because you wanted to get to Steve Rogers."

Norric nodded ashamed, and Three sighed, realizing her trip here was a ruse. "Did you learn anything from the others that came before? Anything that can help me find him?"

"No," Norric said shaking his head, "I am sorry, but all those that came before said James Barnes is dead. They only came for the vain hope of possibly finding him alive." Three stiffened at those words. She had heard before many claiming him dead. Any and all leads led to a dead end, even this one.

"If you believe him dead? Why are you still looking?" May asked.

"We were ordered to. We all agreed the Avengers needed to pay for what they did. For what they allowed." Norric looked to the leader. "But after a month of being here... the only explanation that we have for coming up empty handed is Barnes is already dead." After that Three didn't hear much else, instead she withdrew into her own thoughts while May continued to question Norric. After the questioning Three went to the bar needing a strong drink. That was where she stayed when SHIELD arrived to clean up, they took the surviving members of this group into custody, freed the hostages from the mine, and were questioning the town's people.

All Three could think was she had spent over a year searching. She told herself repeatedly Bucky was alive, just in hiding. That she would find him, and yet here she was over a year later still searching. Everyone else was saying Bucky was dead, well everyone except Steve Rogers. Another hope dashed, she now stared down into the empty shot glass. Had she deluded herself the entire time? Holding onto the vain hope of finding him again? Every logic based thought in her head was saying it—James Barnes was dead. He died in Russia, she had been living a fantasy of seeing him again. There really was no other explanation. Sure she could keep looking and keep hitting dead ends, but for how much longer? How many times would she disappoint Tess when she came home empty handed? It was past time to accept the truth.

"...will be taken in for questioning." May was talking to her, "We'll find him."

"No, we won't." Three said, the words sounded foreign in her mouth. She turned on the stool to look at May, "Tell me honestly, May. After a year of searching and finding only dead ends. Everyone saying he is dead. Was I deluding myself?"

May looked like she did not really want to answer that question as her lips parted in a concerned expression. Perhaps May would have lied had Three not asked her to give her an honest answer, but then again May did not seem like one to lie. However the realistic May also did not want to be the one to tell her to just give up. "Only you can decide that."

In other words 'yes' she had deluded herself, but May was not going to be the one to say so, at least not verbally. Instead Three looked down at her shot glass feeling just as empty as it was. Sighing she set the glass down and got up from the stool. "I'll see you at the jet."

"I'll give you a lift." May offered. Somehow she had use of a car, but Three right then didn't want a ride.

"No, I'll walk. I need time to think." Three said then headed out of the bar. She past people as she headed out of town, and vaguely noticed the town was more lively. If only she was. Some people even said thank you, but half the time Three did not notice as she reached the edge of town. Once by herself she released a shaky breath.

* * *

 **May 17th, 2016**

 **Alaska**

Despite all the thoughts hitting Three as she walked, she somehow made it back to the Quinjet. May arrived thanks to the car and was already talking to Coulson As she drew closer she could hear Coulson's voice. _"_ _...it was all some elaborate trap? By who? HYDRA?"_

"The talker claimed they were from an elite Sokovian commando unit. They wanted revenge on the Avengers." May replied.

" _First the Watchdogs, now a commando unit."_ Coulson sighed, _"_ _Seems everybody that has an axe to grind is coming out of the woodwork. How is Kat?"_

"You will see soon enough."

" _That bad?"_

Instead of answering that May asked another question. "How is Mack?"

" _He and his brother are here at the playground, his injuries are not as bad as initially thought. Should be back on his feet in no time. As for the Watchdogs... well looks like they will be bunked with the commando unit you guys stopped."_

"The SHIELD team you sent is cleaning up here. We will be heading back soon." May said ending the call and turning to face Three. She knew May wanted to say some things, but it was just how to say them. Three however didn't want to hear it because it didn't change anything.

"We best get going." Three said closing the ramp as May wordlessly headed for the cockpit. The flight back to the Playground was even more quiet. The entire trip Three wondered how she would face Tess with the news, and what she should do now that her search only ended in pain. In short it felt like the flight was not nearly long enough. When they got back the ramp lowered and there was Coulson.

"Hey Kat." He said watching her carefully.

"Hey Coulson," Three replied picking up her back pack and coming down the ramp.

"I am sorry things didn't go the way you had hoped, but perhaps next time-"

"There won't be a next time." Three said coming to stand not far from Coulson, "I will not find him or see again. We both know that."

"You helped us find Simmons... even I was going to call it off." Coulson said not wanting to give up like he had on Simmons. "You'll find him."

"With Simmons it was different!" Three said sharply, then softened her voice. "She was on another planet, alive. Bucky is dead! There is no finding him." Three moved past Coulson and headed into the base. She past Daisy and Lincoln in the hall but never stopped to talk to them. She saw Simmons and Fitz in the lab as they stopped what they were doing to look at her. She also past Mack's recovery room with another man sitting next to Mack. Both had watched her pass by, and Three continued moving. Obviously word had spread of the Alaska mission and that there was no Bucky there.

However right then she did not want everyone's sympathy, she just wanted to see Tess. Coming into the lounge she found Tess colouring with Agent Cassidy watching her. The agent smiled and complimented Tess on her colouring skills while Three leaned heavily against the door frame. For a few minutes Three merely watched her daughter, until Tess looked up and rushed over to her. "Mommy!"

Three knelt down forcing a weak smile to her face as her daughter came and wrapped her small arms around her. For a moment Three merely hugged her until Tess pulled away and was looking around expectantly. "Mommy? Where is Daddy?"

Three sucked in a pained breath as a few tears escaped. "I am so sorry Tess. He wasn't there."

Seeing her mother upset, Tess reached up hugging her as Three tried to keep from breaking down in front of her daughter. "Don't worry Mommy, I know you'll find him."

Three couldn't bring herself to tell Tess that there was no finding him, not yet. She couldn't tell her daughter that her father was not coming back, that he was gone. Instead she hugged her daughter until she regained composure. When she did, her daughter wanted to show her what she had done. She had coloured some pretty pictures and then did more arts and craft with Cassidy. Afterwards they had played some games, and also visited Mack and his brother in the recovery room. All this with naps and lunches thrown in.

"She has been a very good girl." Agent Cassidy had reported, and Three thanked her for watching over Tess. Afterwords Three went to visit Mack with Tess since her daughter had coloured him a picture as a get well gift.

"Hey there, Mack heard you ran into a pack of Watchdogs." Three replied trying to sound cheery.

"Hey there Galadriel heard you ran into a unit of commandos." Mack replied.

"Looks like those dogs had some bite to them." Three pointed out.

"Yeah, but you should see the other guys." Mack chuckled then gestured to the man beside him. "This is my brother Ruben. Ruben this is Kat and her daughter Teresa but everybody just calls her Tess."

"Hello there Ruben."

"Hello." Tess added.

"Good to meet you both, do you work with my brother?" Ruben asked directing his question at Three.

"When I am needed, I am a Advisor for SHIELD. I help out when they need backup." Three replied. They talked for a bit more with Tess giving Mack the coloured picture. Three finally said she needed to go speak to Fitz and the others but her daughter wanted to stay for a bit longer asking her if she could stay.

"Honey I really need to talk to the others-"

"It's okay we can watch her for you." Mack replied.

"Umm okay I will be right back." Three said then told Tess to be good before heading off for the labs. There she found Fitz, Simmons, Daisy, and Lincoln.

"Hey there Kat, we heard about Alaska." Fitz said turning in his chair to speak to her. Simmons stopped the work she was doing to face her as well.

"Are you doing okay?" Simmons asked.

"Yeah." Three replied while Daisy and Lincoln stood nearby.

"What is it?" Daisy asked, "You look like you're about to tell us our puppy died."

"I have come to inform you that you can call off the satellite searches for James Barnes. No point wasting time, energy, or resources on him. Especially not when there are bigger problems out there." Three looked to Simmons, "May told me you are looking for Lash, so better to have it looking for him."

"Kat are you sure about this? I mean we could-" Daisy started to say.

"No we couldn't. If we keep searching it will never end and we have to face reality at some point." Three said then looked down to avoid the looks on their faces.

"I am sorry, I know you have been looking for him since before Afterlife." Lincoln said knowing this must have been hard for her to do. Three merely nodded, then quickly left the labs not wanting to deal with the looks or thoughts coming from them. Instead she headed for Coulson's office to make her report wanting to take Tess home. What came next was rather unexpected. She entered Coulson's office and did not expect to see May there too. After some awkward greetings, Three shut the office door and came forward.

"Agent May has already given a full report of what happened in Alaska. Was there something you wished to add?" Coulson asked.

"I have merely come to report that I have asked Fitz and Daisy to call off the search for James Barnes. Instead the resources can be put to better use by finding Lash or Malick." Three replied keeping herself calm. Coulson sighed closing the file on his desk, he was going to argue she could tell. "It has been over a year, and nothing. HYDRA claims he is dead, we have no leads, or anything to show for our efforts. How much longer are we suppose to look?"

"I promised you I would help you find him." Coulson said firmly.

"And you tried really hard, and I will always respect you for it. But there is no keeping this promise, Coulson." Three replied softly, "Please let this go."

For a moment Coulson just sat there before looking at her. "I am sorry."

"I know, it's okay." Three said knowing that now the search for James Barnes would be called off. "Call if you need me." With that Three left, she picked up Tess from the recovery room and they went home. By then it was dark out, and Tess fell asleep on the car ride home. Getting home, Three took Tess out of the car seat and carried her upstairs to her room. From there she headed back downstairs to the computers. "Aida you in?"

"Of course, I heard about what happened in Alaska. I had hoped you would find Barnes."

"Yeah me too."

"I already know what you are going to ask. I do have eyes and ears in the Playground." Aida stated sounding disappointed, "And the answer is no."

"No?" Three asked shocked.

"I will not stop searching for James Barnes."

"Aida it has to stop. We have to stop, I know it is hard but think logically about this." Three said.

"I am, you made me promise never to stop looking for him. You're upset and discouraged in time-"

"Time is exactly the point! It has been over a year Aida! How much more? How much longer are we suppose to search for him before we accept that James Barnes is dead!" Three yelled, then the room went silent, and Three shook her head. "How many times will I have to come home and disappoint Tess when I come home empty handed? How many more times am I going to have to apologise and say he wasn't there?"

Again there was a long painful silence, and Three wanted to cry. "It's time to accept the facts, Aida. Please stop all searches for him because as long as you do them you are giving me false hope."

There was still a long silent pause before Aida's voice returned. "Very well cancelling all searches for James Barnes."

"Thank you." Three said and turned away wanting her bed.

"What should we do now?" Aida asked.

"Begin a new search for Andrew Garner or Lash. Secondary searches keep monitoring the untouchable HYDRA heads, the ones not making a move." Three said then headed upstairs to the second floor. She decided to make a hot chocolate with some Baileys—her comfort drink. Though her movements were mechanical as her thoughts settled on the painful acceptance. Here alone at last she stirred her drink. The pain finally crashing down on her as she took the spoon out of her mug and lifted it to her lips. Now she could have a proper breakdown as she had to set the mug down. She at first only realized she was shaking, then the sobs came next until lastly she was on her hands and knees on the kitchen floor crying.

* * *

 **July 26th, 2016**

 **New York City**

Somehow that night after crying on the kitchen floor, Three crawled off to bed. She cried even more that night into her pillow and even dreamt of Bucky. The only thing that got her out of bed the next day was Tess. Her daughter kept her going despite the numbness she felt inside now that she accepted Bucky was truly gone. In it's place a cold resolve settled in, she may have failed to keep her promise to Tess about finding Bucky but she had another older promise to keep. She had promised long ago the complete eradication of HYDRA. So rather then curl into a ball Three spent the next two and a half months focusing on her original mission. Coulson was not calling her for help either, most likely he felt she needed time. Or that he felt bad that he was unable to find Bucky for her, either way the distance between her and the agents of SHIELD grew chasm-sized.

Some within SHIELD still kept in touch with her as she searched for Lash and kept digging up what she could on these untouchable HYDRA heads. In truth though she saw more activity from the dead then this bunch, it made her wonder what exactly they were waiting for. It was not until an afternoon in July that Coulson finally made a video call. Clicking the screen she was met by the entire SHIELD team. "Knew you would miss me sooner or later. Let me guess you figure I have had enough vacation time?"

" _That isn't it. I am calling with a heads up. Ward is back."_ Coulson replied.

"Ward? No that is not possible and it is a little late for an April Fool's joke Coulson."

" _It is no joke."_

"Coulson I heard Ward's dying thoughts. He is dead."

" _It is not Ward...not really."_ Fitz said.

" _We believe the creature came through."_ Simmons added, a moment later they sent her a camera recording of a very alive Ward or whatever he was now.

"How is this possible?" Three asked shocked, "I heard the creature it went silent like it died when Will died. This-"

" _It is a lot to take in, I know."_ Coulson said.

"What the hell is going to ensure Ward stays six feet under?! A nuke?!" Three asked running a hand through her hair. Three sighed then looked back at the screen of them. "Where was this taken?"

" _At the Transia Corporation building. Malick took a Inhuman there for something. I went to save him."_ Daisy said, and Three noticed her injuries with a concerned frown.

"Okay I am going to ask what the hell happened to your face Daisy, but before I do is there anything else I missed?" Three asked thoroughly annoyed that these events happened without anyone calling her for backup support.

" _Andrew came back."_ May said then looked down, _"_ _He felt Lash was taking over so he turned himself in. He is Lash now, completely. I would've called but he—there wasn't much time left."_

Three swallowed hard knowing this must have been hard losing Andrew to Lash. The group continued to explain what all had happened the last month she had been gone. The most recent event being the Transia Corp incident, and Three listened until finally Coulson asked, _"_ _How about you? Anything happening with you? We told you all about our weird time."_

"Not much to report, Tess is smarter and still growing at an unnatural speed. I was searching for Andrew, and digging up what I could on the other untouchable HYDRA heads not with Malick. Sadly they have yet to make any kind of move. It is like they are waiting for something."

" _Any idea as to what they are waiting for?"_ Coulson asked.

"No, but something tells me it is going to be bad." Three said not liking this at all. HYDRA was always working behind the scenes causing havoc, but these heads they acted like they were playing in the World Championship Chess tournament. "Do you need me to come in?"

" _Not unless you want to. We are good here, we just wanted to spare you the shock of seeing Ward alive."_ Coulson stated, though some of the team did look hopeful. Part of her wanted to say she would be right there, but another part told her not to get attached. She still had a job to do.

"Sadly I have work to do trying to figure out what the possum leaders are doing. I don't want to wait until they make their move, I want to know what their move will be before they make it. Keep in touch though, we'll keep each other updated. Good luck and keep safe out there."

" _We will, you keep safe too."_ Coulson said and soon the channel was cut leaving Three alone with only Tess and Aida once more. Resuming her work for a moment she smiled when she heard Tess' little shoes tapping as she came up to her.

"Mommy?"

"Yes Tess?" Three asked picking Tess up and setting her in her lap. "What is a In-hew-man?" Three smiled and laughed a little at the way she said Inhuman but sighed. Obviously Tess had overheard Daisy.

"Well you know Daisy and Lincoln right?" Three asked, "You know how Lincoln got you to hover as if flying? And how Daisy manipulated the water in the sink when we visited?" Tess nodded, "Well that is because they have powers making them Inhumans. And you know how I always seem to know exactly what your are thinking?"

"Yes Mommy."

"That is because I am an Inhuman." She watched Tess' eyes light up and go wide eyed at her.

"Are there a lot of In-hew-man's?"

"A good number, some are good like Lincoln and Daisy. Others are bad." Three explained with Tess watching her eagerly soaking up the information like a sponge. At times days were spent like this with Tess asking a lot of questions and seeming to have a better understanding than initially thought. She knew enough to know SHIELD was good, and HYDRA was bad. Coulson, May, Daisy, Mack, Fitz, and Simmons were good. Ward, Malick, anyone else with HYDRA were bad. She also knew that they had to remain hidden to be kept safe from HYDRA, and that HYDRA wanted her mother for a very long time. She knew to trust Aida and those at SHIELD. However of all the things Three told Tess, telling the barely year old child that was matured to a two year old that her father was dead was the one thing Three could not do. Instead as far as Tess knew her mother still searched for her father.

"Mommy?" Tess asked still sitting there, and Three was prepared to answer more of Tess' questions. "I drew this for Daddy."

Tess held up a small folded up square, and Three took the offered paper. Unfolding it carefully was a beautiful drawing Tess had done of Three in her Katseye suit, then to the right was the drawing of Tess herself, and lastly Bucky complete with a larger arm since Tess also saw a more recent photo. They were holding hands and smiling. "It's beautiful princess."

"I want you to keep on you and give it to Daddy when you find him." Tess said, and Three had to keep from grimacing as she forced herself to smile.

"Of course. Come with me." Three set Tess on her own feet and walked with her to the display mannequin that held her suit. She opened a hidden pouch on her belt, "We'll put the picture right here, so I don't lose it. That way when I find him, I will give him your picture."

Tess smiled approving of the location for her drawing, then went back to playing while Three returned to the computers. Thus that was how their days were spent broken up and in between searches Three would play with Tess, read to her, have her take a mid-afternoon nap. Lastly meals were mixed in as well. When Tess was asleep Three was practising and keeping prepared for when the alert would ping her phone saying the untouchable heads of HYDRA had become active. After all there was no telling when the time would come to act.

* * *

 **Author's Notes:**

 **First off thank you all for the lovely reviews. I really appreciate hearing form each of you, and also enjoy replying when there are questions or concerns.**

 **Speaking of concerns Miserable thank you for your review. I hope I can help shed more light on the issues you mentioned. Firstly I believe I have said before that Three is not in every episode of Agents of SHIELD, but that show is part of the MCU just like the Netflix shows so it is acknowledged. I also feel I need to point out that this was the direction of the story since I began writing it. It has not been adjusted or altered in the least since I started posting it on fanfiction. Proofread repeatedly, yes but that is it. She was always meant to ally with the Agents of SHIELD and work with them. That aside I found it odd that you said she was being forced into a role with them then said she has three concerns HYDRA, Bucky, and Tess. I am not sure if you follow the show like I do but Gideon Malick is HYDRA so that is a concern for Three. Also the agents of SHIELD are generally dealing with HYDRA, so that is where she is usually put in with them. Otherwise yes she does go off and do her own thing. She does not stick with them 24/7.**

 **As for Bucky and her ability to locate him, even with her tech and ability it would be like looking for a needle in a haystack. While on the other side of the spectrum Bucky would be in hiding, not from her of course, but from HYDRA. Beyond that I cannot say more on Bucky without spoiling the story. Though I think you made a mistake it has not been three years. It has been a year and two months since she was separated from Bucky in Russia. Seven months later she gave birth to Tess, and a further eight have passed in chapter 41.**

 **As for the issue with Fury and the others not knowing Three is working with SHIELD. Coulson is the new director not Fury; and the Avengers still think Coulson died in Avengers Assemble. As near as I can tell Fury has not made contact with Coulson since Ultron and that would be down to him. I generally just went with the idea that Fury didn't ask and Coulson didn't tell him. It easily explains how Three has been working with SHIELD yet the others do not know of her presence there. I hope this helps, and you continue to read the story.**

 **FYI, LOL good idea about the whole ego race Tony starts with Three. I am glad to spark those ideas.**

 **Fin-Fish Jun-Tenshi, Now I am imagining an intellectual argument between Three and** **Tess when she does learn to backtalk.**

 **As for this chapter, Agent May is by far my favourite agent so I always liked the idea of them going out on mission together. This is not part of the Agents of SHIELD episodes though while this chapter is taking place the events of Season 3 episode 14 'Watchdogs' is also going on. When they get back to the Playground that is why Mack is injured and his brother is there. Again though that is just what is happening while May and Three went to Alaska to look for Bucky. There is also in this chapter a little Easter Egg reference to Civil War... if you can find it. *Gives evil laugh***

 **Also I know a lot of you might be concerned with Three giving up. Please keep in mind that she has been told repeatedly that Bucky is dead, and has been looking and finding nothing. Add to that Three's history with losing loved ones and her lousy luck she has no reason to believe otherwise. That and she always tries to be realistic, if she keeps looking logically she will just keep chasing leads and each time keep disappointing Tess. Please just keep an open mind, and when that fails... it is for story progression purposes.**

 **Anyway I hope you liked this chapter, and I hope to hear what you think by leaving a review.**

 **Lesliezin**


	43. The Nightmare Situation

**Hello everyone,**

 **Here is Chapter 43, enjoy.**

* * *

 **August 2** **nd** **, 2016**

 **New York City**

Three stood in the kitchen on the second floor of the New York hideout. She was preparing some cereal for Tess who sat in the living room in front of her watching an educational cartoon. Such a cartoon was normally meant for someone a little older than her, but Tess understood it well enough. The cartoon dinosaurs were doing letters and numbers, as Tess frowned. "Mommy they're doing it wrong. They stop at 'c'. They aren't saying the full alphabet."

"That is because they are not as smart as you." Three laughed as her daughter smiled at her. "Care to tell me the full alphabet?"

"You know it already." Tess said.

"Yes, but I would love to hear _you_ say the full alphabet." Tess turned around to face her mother fully and immediately began the alphabet, but did not stop at C like the cartoon did. Instead she went from A to Z without missing a single letter. "Wow that is amazing sweetie, perfect!" She applauded, "Now c'mon, time for breakfast."

The little girl leapt up and came over and Three set her in the booster seat with her cereal in front of her. Today was turning out to be a good day, Tess was listening to her. At times the little girl questioned and even argued with Three about doing simply things like eating her vegetables. However Three also read about the dreaded 'terrible twos' and for the most part Tess was a good girl. It was only at times that Three ended up having what she had started calling: 'an intellectual argument about childish things'. In short it meant Tess knew better than to argue, but still did at times. It felt like Tess was testing her mother to see what she could get away with. As terrible as it was, Three often wondered what Bucky would have thought about it. Maybe he would have found it amusing? Thinking of him hurt though, but she supposed she should be used to loss, pain, and grief. Instead she just wanted to be a mother to Tess, and not think about what could have been. That and finish off HYDRA so that Tess would not have to spend the rest of her life in the shadows hiding away from the world. While all these thoughts passed through Three's head, she went about preparing her own breakfast and drinking her coffee. Mid-way through preparing her breakfast Tess spoke again. "Mommy?"

"Hmm?"

"I miss them at the Playground...I also miss Bobbi and Hunter." Three frowned, knowing that her daughter would come to miss many people. However Three shook her head to get off that painful thought.

"What do you remember of Bobbi and Hunter?"

"I remember Bobbi smiling at me and waving this toy bunny," Tess said which sort of worried Three that happened when Tess was only a month old! She hid her worries by taking a drink of coffee as Tess continued, "I also remember Hunter saying: 'I hope you don't want one of those.' to Bobbi."

Three nearly spit out her coffee as she covered her mouth to contain her laughter. Yeah that sounded like something Hunter would say. Imagining Bobbi and Hunter having their own child together only made Three want to laugh more. Straightening Three wiped her mouth then sighed. "I miss them too. Tell you what I'll give Coulson a call see if the team is up for visitors. I doubt the Director of SHIELD will ever refuse Teresa Barnes."

Tess smiled and waved her arms excitedly, overjoyed by the idea and nodded before returning to her breakfast. Three was just about to join her when she noticed the news report on the television in the kitchen. Usually she muted this T.V. so Tess could hear her cartoons, but seeing a building in flames, Three picked up the remote and turned off the mute.

" _...was killed during a confrontation between the Avengers and a group of mercenaries in Lagos, Nigeria last month. The traditionally reclusive Wakandans were on a outreach mission in Lagos when the attack occurred."_ The images of the burnt building switched to the blonde anchorwoman as she spoke. However it did not stay on her long before an older man came on the screen. The name below saying King T'Chaka of Wakanda. Below that the words 'Demands accountability from the Avengers.'

" _Our people's blood has been spilt on foreign soil. Not only because of the actions of criminals, but by the indifference of those pledged to stop them. Victory at any cost is no victory at all."_

Again it switched back to the blonde anchorwoman in the studio. _"_ _This statement made by King T'Chaka in regards to the Sokovian Accords which would serve to ensure a system of accountability for the Avengers actions, and restricting them from acting without authorization."_

"Aida? Why were we not informed of this incident in Lagos?" Three called out as she muted the television.

"Unfortunately we have been pouring a lot of time and effort into trying to figure out the Untouchable HYDRA head's moves. I have also been monitoring for any sign of Ward or whatever he is now." Aida replied.

"And these Sokovian Accords?" Three asked.

"They were just announced this morning."

"Find out what they are fully about please." Three said as she considered how this slipped by her unnoticed. What Aida said was true they had been rather focused and precise on things. However the same could be said about Coulson and his team going silent in their pursuit of Malick perhaps it was time to check in with them and find out what they have been up to. Sighing, Three picked up her phone just as it beeped with an alert the HYDRA heads were pulling money and resources.

* * *

After breakfast Three brought Tess downstairs and headed for the computers to learn why all of a sudden six nearly untouchable HYDRA heads were finally making their move after months of surveillance. One of them who owns the news station, sent out an encrypted message minutes after the Accords announcement to one of the other heads. Since Aida was busy, Three hacked the phone and was decoding the encryption. _**'Phase one complete. Begin phase two.'**_ Immediately Three checked their messages, money transfers, and any activities. Between the six of them they had the backing of seventy-two countries.

"Kat I have discovered what the Accords are for. For most it is a safeguard to prevent further catastrophes from occurring. If the Avengers sign this, a panel will decide where and when to use them to deal with threats. However I have discovered a far more disturbing aspect of the Accords. Registration, any enhanced individual will be required to be registered within the Accords. I do not think I need mention the dangers of such a thing."

"No Aida you do not, such a registration would put too many lives at risk just to give others piece of mind." Three said not liking the Accords, as she peeked at her daughter playing with her toy cat slash backpack: Sake. The chilling thought that her daughter would be directly put in danger by the Accords made Three feel the threat was a direct attack.

"Unfortunately one-hundred and seventeen countries are signing the Accords." Aida added, and suddenly the ball dropped.

"Aida can you cross reference the list of countries wanting the Accords with the list receiving HYDRA backing?" Three asked, but something already told her she knew the answer.

"Checking..." Aida said, on the the screen it showed the list of countries signing and the list backed by HYDRA. "All the countries backed by HYDRA are signing the accords."

"Son of a bitch," Three whispered trying to curb her language when her daughter was around, "This is what they wanted. They were waiting for the Avengers to mess up. If they get their way..."

"HYDRA will be able to move freely and rebuild." Aida finished.

"And the nightmare will begin again." Three said immediately trying to video call Coulson on the computers. "C'mon Coulson pick up." It kept ringing until a young man answered. "Who are you? Where is Director Coulson?"

"Sorry, Director Coulson and the team are off site on a mission." The man said.

"Can you patch me through to him, it is urgent."

"I am sorry but-"

"Look right now I have discovered HYDRA is on the move. Now patch me through!" Three said, and the man sighed.

"Patching you through to Zephyr One." He said, and a moment later Coulson answered appearing on the screen.

" _Kat? What is it?"_ Coulson asked concerned.

"Director Coulson the lack of communication is felt!" Three said annoyed.

" _I apologise, we had short notice on a lead and are en route."_

"Well I just got a very bad lead. The Untouchable HYDRA heads I have been monitoring, they just became active."

" _What woke them up?"_ Daisy asked.

"They became active this morning when the Sokovia Accords were announced."

" _What does the Accords have to do with HYDRA becoming active?"_ May asked.

"One-hundred and seventeen countries want the Accords signed, seventy-two of those countries are backed by the untouchables. Many of them just received a nice fat pay check." The look of horror on Coulson's face was mirrored by those around him. "My thoughts exactly. They were waiting for this, for the Avengers to screw up. I think you know what happens if the Accords are signed and they are still in play."

" _The Avengers will be powerless, and HYDRA will be able to move freely and rebuild."_ Mack said.

" _Unfortunately we are heading to one of the other facilities owned by Transia corp. GT Agrochemical in Michigan is our next stop. We are trying to figure out what this hell beast version of Ward is after. After what he did at Transia and our belief that he caused the destruction on the other world we have to prioritize."_ Coulson replied, though he was torn by this news it posed a horrible dilemma: should he stop Ward, or prevent HYDRA from ratifying the Accords, instead?

Three sighed but nodded, "Then it looks like I am heading for Vienna alone to take out the HYDRA heads looking to benefit from the Accords."

"You can't. You yourself told me going against them is making yourself public enemy number one." Coulson said.

"Yes I did, but Coulson we can't let them win this."

"Think of Tess-" May started to say.

"I am! I am thinking that if HYDRA rebuilds then Tess will have to live in fear of HYDRA being around every corner waiting to drag her off and brand her with a number. I am thinking of those enhanced individuals that will be made to register and might even become lab rats to HYDRA." Three said hating what all this would mean as she leaned down on her desk. "Now you have your mission, this one is mine. I hope you catch this Ward reboot, and empty an extra clip into him from me."

They knew that this could well turn into a suicide mission, but talking Three out of it was not within their power. So instead Coulson sighed. _"_ _Will do, but be careful. At the end of the day Tess will need you to come home safe."_

With that the call ended and Three straightened, it was time to call in a favour. One Three never thought she would call for.

* * *

 **August 2** **nd** **, 2016**

 **New York City**

"Are you sure about this?" Aida asked as Three packed a bag for Tess into the car. Great, even her AI friend was trying to talk her out of this decision. Tess was already in her car seat waiting as Three closed the trunk lid.

"I trust her." Three replied calmly. She had to after all Three did the research and had the Shadow Network keep close tabs on her in case.

"It is not a question of trust, but a question of how insane it is to go after the Untouchables and assassinate them."

"Aida! We can discuss this when I get back. Right now I need to make sure Tess is kept safe." Three replied sharply, she did not want her daughter to overhear their conversation as Three got into the car and pulled out onto the road. At last there was relative peace as Three drove. She drove out of New York heading further and further away. The closer they got to the intended destination the more the gravity of the situation hit.

It was the nightmare situation Three had been dreading. If the Accords were signed with those Untouchables in play HYDRA would finally win. She had not fought all these years just to let a bunch of politicians destroy it with a damn piece of paper! As it was she kept imagining the worst possible outcome: Tess registered and then being snatched away by HYDRA all to give the rest of the world peace of mind! Or Tess having to live her life in the shadows and cut ties with friends. Three kept peeking in the rear-view mirror at her daughter. She didn't want that life for Tess, her daughter didn't deserve to have to hide away or be hunted like an animal! It was why Three could not let this happen. The Accords were a direct threat to Tess, and Three would not tolerate any threat to her daughter's future.

However that did not take away the weight of what she was going to do. This mission was bigger than any she had taken before. She was going to Vienna to assassinate not one, but six highly influential figureheads. This was not just a mission, but a suicide mission, even if she survived the world would want her head on a platter. It was for this reason Aida argued, and had Coulson not already been on a highly important mission he would have argued even more vehemently. There was no delusions here, Three may not come back from this. If caught it would be best if Coulson's team had no ties to her. Which was why no one but she would know where Tess was going.

Again Three questioned her sanity, but also knew that what she was doing was to protect her daughter no matter the cost. At one point Tess fell asleep during the car ride, only stirring when Three pulled off the main road onto a dirt path. For a bit longer she drove until she pulled up at a small cottage in the middle of nowhere. The small white cottage was backed by picturesque green woods and was well hidden and secluded. _'Huh, she picked a good place to settle.'_ Three thought as she considered the area. "Mommy? Where are we?"

"At a friend's." Three said, as she saw the familiar redhead waiting outside. The years had been kind to the former HYDRA agent Myra Bicks. Getting out of the car Myra now went by a fake ID, but to Three she would always be Myra. Helping Tess out of the car, Three set her down as the former agent came closer. While Three was meticulous about checking Myra's activities, she was still cautiously mind-reading the former agent. _'I wonder why I was even called. According to the papers HYDRA will soon be a memory. One I will wish to forget.'_ The thought was reassuring, and the activities check turned up nothing, Myra was clean.

"For a second I thought I had dreamt your phone call." Myra said in greeting as Three got Tess' pack out of the trunk then took Tess' hand leading her closer. "It is good to see you Kat."

"You too." The pair shared a brief hug.

"When I said I would be there for you and help however I could, I never imagined this. Are you sure?" Myra asked concerned.

"I have to finish this, so yes." Three said.

"HYDRA is nearly dead, Kat. You don't need to do this. You can walk away, and let someone else finish this."

" _No I buried my head in the sand once, and paid the price. I cannot do it again because it might be my daughter that pays the price."_ Three thought to Myra stunning the former agent.

"Mommy? What is going on?" Tess asked worried. Three turned and knelt down in front of her daughter.

"Remember how I said I stop bad people?" Tess nodded, "Well I have to go stop them again, but this time it will be more dangerous than ever."

"Coulson will help you right? Tess asked.

"He can't, none of them at SHIELD can, they are trying to stop other bad people. I have to do this alone."

"But you said it'll be more dangerous than ever."

"It will be." Three said honestly, "Which is why we are here. I have to leave you with Myra." Tess looked over at the redhead then back at Three.

"For how long?"

"I don't know Tessi." Three said suddenly feeling like she might never see her daughter again. Already Tess was shaking her head.

"No I want to go with you!"

"Tess, listen me please! The bad people I am going after are HYDRA, remember when you asked who we were hiding from?" Tess was crying but nodded, "We were hiding from them sweetie. If I don't stop them, you will always have to hide. I don't want that for you, your father would not want that for you. Neither of us will ever want you to live in fear, we'd want you to live in a world without HYDRA. Do you understand?"

Tess nodded, but was crying even more as Three pulled her into a hug. "I don't want you to go Mommy. I don't want to lose you like Daddy!"

"You will never lose us. We will always be there watching out for you even if you can't see us or hear us. Know that we both love you." Three said holding onto Tess for a bit longer before hesitantly releasing her.

Myra took the bag, and offered her hand to Tess which the little girl took. "I will take care of her, I promise."

"Thank you." Three said softly.

"What should I do if anyone comes for her?" Myra asked, she knew Three had ties with SHIELD agents. However Three knew none of them would know where Tess was and if anyone came it would be to take Tess for other reasons. Which was why Three thought her answer to Myra.

 _'Kill anyone that comes for her.'_ The mental message surprised Myra, but after a moment she nodded in agreement. This was going to be the extremely painful part that Three had never wanted to do. She turned and walked away from her daughter, but could not look back. If she did she would not leave. Instead tears escaped as she got back into her car. It was in the car that Three took one last look at Tess hating to upset her daughter and hating more to leave her possibly for good. Driving away she kept peeking back until she could no longer see them. The drive back to New York was a long painful journey, and more than once Three had to stop and cry at what she was doing. However by the time she reached her hideout that cold numbed resolve was back.

Getting out of her car Three was gathering her gear for her mission in Vienna. "Aida could you get me a plane ticket to Vienna?"

"Kat this is ridiculous you will not be able to take out all six of them."

"It has to be done regardless." Three replied taking her gear upstairs with Aida talking to her throughout the house.

"Even if you do manage it, you won't be able to escape. The chances are ninety-nine percent chance you will either be arrested or killed."

"Thanks for the vote of confidence." Three replied as she clicked shut the hidden compartment in her suitcase holding her gear.

"I am serious!"

"Yeah well so am I." Three replied as she started putting normal clothes and a toilet kit on top.

"What about Tess?! What will this do to her when her mother doesn't come home?! When she is-"

"I am doing this for Tess!" Three said getting angry.

"You sure about that?! Or are you throwing yourself into work because Bucky is gone?"

"I am doing this because he is dead and Tess is all that is left! How long after the Accords are signed Aida?! How long before someone notices an a nine month year old is walking, talking, and seems intelligent beyond her years?! Right now I take Tess to the grocery store and people think she is a two year old child! How long before they notice and she is registered because everybody wants that little piece of mind?! How long before HYDRA comes for her, brands a number on her skin, and tells her she does not exist?!"

The room went quiet as Three waited for the answer, then continued. "The truth is you think I am not thinking of her, when all there is left to do is think of her. Bucky and I suffered because of greedy selfish people the same type of people that want these Accords signed and don't care who suffers because of it. We ended up paying the price because of Operation Paperclip. We are still paying the price for it. My daughter is not going to pay the price because the Avengers fuck up! Tess is not paying the price because aliens invade New York years before she is even fucking born! She isn't going to foot the bill in Washington because HYDRA was revealed! She is not paying the price because Stark in his infinite wisdom created Ultron! And this latest blunder... No! She is not paying for anything now or later!"

Three turned back to her suitcase and resumed packing while Aida remained quiet. "Years ago we started this war to eradicate HYDRA for good. The mission hasn't changed, are you going to help me finish it? Or am I alone again?"

There was a long painful silence, and for a moment Three was certain Aida would refuse her. The idea of doing this alone made it all that much worse.

"I will arrange the tickets to Vienna, and help you. I just—I don't want to lose you in the process, and I know Tess doesn't want to lose you either. So if we do this... you have to come home." Aida said softly, then the AI was gone. Three sighed not sure if she would make it back from this mission. However rather than think about it she packed her bags while Aida arranged the tickets. When she closed her case she headed downstairs and was taking her luggage to the car.

"Kat, there is something you should see." Three sighed heavily already emotionally exhausted and not wanting another fight.

"Aida I thought we were done arguing about this."

"It isn't that, I just received an alert message sent out from..." Aida trailed off, as Three left her suitcase and came to the computers.

"From who?"

"Spring Grove Care home." Three opened the message. _**'She's gone in her sleep.'**_ The message could not have been more clear as Three fell into her chair like she had been punched in the stomach. She called up the information on Peggy Carter to find that arrangements were already being made to send Peggy home to England for burial.

"Cancel my flight to Vienna and book me a ticket to England, Aida." Three said softly as she sat there thinking. She looked over at the framed photo she had gotten as a Christmas present. The smiling images of Peggy, Mace, Sharon and herself was a harsh reminder of what was now gone for good. _'And here I thought it could not get any worse...'_

* * *

 **August 4** **th** **, 2016**

 **London England**

Why was it the only reason she ended up in England was for something bad? Three wondered as she stood in front of the wall size mirror in her motel room. She was in a simple form hugging black dress that came down to just above the knees. She slipped on a short black matching jacket. Taking in her appearance she looked at her black hair highlighted with purple streaks and wished she could simply be herself. She wished she did not have to hide today, she had taken out the colour clip the last time she spoke to Peggy. It felt so unfair to hide at her funeral, yet she knew it was the only way. Hell she had spent her life hiding, one would think she would be used to it by now. Instead she was just fed up with all of it! She was sick of hiding, sick of her daughter having to hide, and sic of losing those she cared about. Sighing she tilted her head to the side and clipped the colour clip into place, adjusting the setting and letting it change her hair to brown. Grabbing her purse she left the motel room. She took a cab to the church. Right then she would have gone in, but a very familiar blonde stood at the entrance greeting guests.

Instead, Three headed around the side of the church and had to wait until Sharon moved away before slipping into the church. She took a seat at the back in the pews as the service was just getting underway. No sooner had she sat down the choir behind her began singing and everyone rose to their feet including her. Three looked to her left to see the pall bearers carrying the coffin in. It was draped with the Union Jack and covered in a floral arrangement, but what surprised Three more was seeing Steve Rogers was one of the pall bearers. It really should not have surprised her, Peggy had been an important part of Rogers' life.

Slowly they made their way to the front of the church where they carefully set her coffin down on the table by more flowers and an old picture of Peggy when she was young. As the pall bearers took their seats so too did the congregation. Retaking her seat, Three listened to the priest begin.

"Good afternoon. We are gathered here today to mourn the passing of a singularly extraordinary woman Margaret Carter. Speaking today of Margaret's life is her niece Sharon Carter." Three watched as Sharon took the steps up to the podium.

"Margaret Carter was known to most as the founder of SHIELD, but I just knew her as Aunt Peggy. She had a picture in her office of her shaking hands with JFK. For a kid that was pretty cool, but it was also a lot to live up to. Which is why I never told anyone we were related. I asked her once how she managed to master diplomacy and espionage in a time when no one wanted to see a woman succeed at either, and she said compromise where you can. But where you can't don't, even if everyone is telling you something wrong is something right. Even if the whole world is telling you to move, it is your duty to plant yourself like a tree and say 'No you move'."

Sharon seemed to look around and Three looked down as if saddened by the loss to avoid being seen. "That is how I like to remember her, willing to compromise where she had to. But unwilling to back down. It is what I loved most about her, and what I will miss most."

It was then Sharon seemed to look down at a speech as if considering something. "In the last year of Aunt Peggy's life, I feared that she would slowly slip away. I feared the strong unshakable woman I knew would slowly disappear as her condition set in, but as always Aunt Peggy surprised me. Despite what everyone was saying, she remembered everything. One of the doctors was amazed and asked how this was possible. Aunt Peggy said 'I have a special angel watching over me'."

Three nearly stopped breathing at this, and had to look down again as Sharon searched the congregation for her. "Either way Aunt Peggy was blessed with a long life, loving friends and family, and she will be missed."

With that Sharon stepped down as the priest took over asking people to sing from a hymn book. The service continued to the very end, and Three was careful to avoid Sharon. Eventually she slipped in with the crowd. As she moved she ran into someone. "Oh! Sorry, it's the heels, I am not used to wearing these death traps."

"No, it's okay." Three looked up and came face-to-face with Sam Wilson. While internally panicking, Three smiled shyly as she peeked back. Sharon was still talking to an older man and had not noticed her. "I'm Sam Wilson."

Looking back he extended his hand and she shook it. "Lil-Lillian Daniels." Three said almost giving the name Lilith Donners but changed it at the last second. She internally groaned at her mistake, unsure if the man almost caught it. However Sam luckily didn't notice her made up name or near slip up.

"Lillian huh? I have seen you before... " Sam said thinking, her heart began to race worried he would put two and two together. After all Sharon had gone to Russia with the Avengers there was a strong possibly that he saw a picture of her or something. "Coffee shop in D.C?"

"Yeah, I mean I'm a coffee fiend. Customer of the month right here." Three replied laughing, and letting him think he had seen her there.

"Well I am good with faces." Sam replied, "Not so good with names. Which I feel terrible for, it should be a crime to forget a lovely lady like yourself." Three blushed at Sam flirting with her.

"It's alright usually I am in a t-shirt and jeans. I also love my hiking boots too much to relinquish them." Three said trying to downplay her appearance and discreetly discourage him.

"So... uhh you knew Margaret Carter? Close friend?"

"Yes, Peggy was very important to me. Like family." Three said feeling ashamed for leaving Peggy in the last year of her life. "She understood me in a way others failed to."

"I get that. Feeling a connection with another that could understand. It's hard to lose that, but you both were lucky to have that." Sam said, then looked around as the congregation made for their cars and were heading to the reception. "Look uhh everyone is heading for the reception at the hotel. I'll give you a lift."

Every instinct said say no, but she peeked back at Sharon and was suddenly missing her friend. She could stick around a little if only to see her friend at a distance. "You look like you could use a friend, and a coffee. Besides I heard denying coffee fiends their fix is illegal."

Three smiled and laughed a little. "Alright sounds good."

She took the arm offered and let him lead her to his rental car and open the car door for her. It was crazy she knew, but she needed to see Sharon if only one last time. One last moment before she hunted down the untouchables. Besides Sam was a nice charming guy that she would feel bad turning down. The trip was not that far between the church and the hotel. Sam pulled into the parking lot and they entered the motel where they were directed left down the hall to the large room booked to hold the reception. On entering the room there was a bar and numerous tables. A buffet to the right against the wall. Towards the far corner was a hall that led to the bathrooms and some elevators for those that booked a room at this motel. Sam and Three took a seat in the corner by the window, then he went to the bar and got them two coffees.

"Here we are, two coffees." Sam said setting down their drinks.

"Thanks," Three said adding milk and sugar to hers, "How do you know Peggy?"

"I unfortunately did not know her very well. My friend did, I am just here to support him." Three pretended to be surprised.

"Umm where is your friend?"

"He said to go on ahead he wanted some time alone at the church. Peggy was very important to him." Sam said taking a drink of his coffee.

"Steve Rogers." Three said pretending to just make the connection, "Your friend is Steve Rogers."

"You caught me." Sam said.

"And you're the Falcon." Three said pretending to catch on, "Sorry should've realized it sooner. I doubt Captain America goes far without his wingman."

The pun made Sam laugh. "Yeah the benefits of being Steve's friend."

"Yeah." Three said as she was reminded of Bucky and felt bad joking around with Sam. The pain of him being gone was still a knife to her heart.

"Hey, you okay?" Sam asked.

"Yes sorry, Peggy she talked about Rogers a lot."

"How close were they?" Sam asked curious.

"She loved him, but said she was only meant to have one dance with him. She said that is what sometimes happens." Three said as she thought about Four, and Bucky, "Later though she found the man she was meant to spend the rest of her life dancing with."

"Sounds like she was giving you advice." Sam said.

"She was, like I said she understood me." For a bit longer they talked and slowly drank their coffee. Then she caught him staring at her. "What?"

"Sorry it is just your lovely face is sticking in my head. I don't think it was at a coffee shop that I have seen you." Sam said frowning as he tried to remember, that was when Three noticed who had just arrived. Steve and Sharon arrived together and were talking. Suddenly meeting Sharon was a bad idea with Rogers beside her. It would not be long before they moved closer and saw her.

"Perhaps another coffee will help you remember." Three suggested.

"Heh, good idea." Sam said and went to the bar to get them another two coffees, and knowing he was on a collision course with Steve and Sharon Three quietly left her chair and the reception room. Once out of the room she left the motel as quickly as her heels would carry her. While Sam nearly bumped into Steve and Sharon. "Oh hey there."

"Hey sorry to ditch you at the church Sam. I just..." Steve started to say as the bartender set down two coffees.

"Hey don't sweat it. I have been talking to a lovely... where did she go?" Sam said as he had looked back at the now empty table.

"Scare her off?" Steve teased.

"Nah she was telling me about Peggy and how close she was to her." Sam said still holding the coffees.

"Close?" Sharon asked confused, few people were truly close to her aunt, "What's her name?"

"Lillian Daniels." Sam replied.

"Lillian Daniels?" That was not a name Sharon knew as she frowned, "What did she look like?"

"About five foot six inches tall, thin, dark brown hair and lovely green eyes. Why?" Sam asked, as Sharon left the room quickly and ran down the hall to the lobby. Steve quickly followed as the description matched Lilith Donners from Russia. Sam followed third after setting down the coffees. The three came to stand outside the motel and Sharon looked around wanting to find her.

Finding no trace Sharon sighed disheartened to have lost a chance to see her. "Lil..." She whispered.

"She came to say goodbye..." Steve sighed.

"I am sorry. I completely forgot where I had seen her before, Steve." Sam said as Steve guided Sharon back inside and he gently patted Sam on the shoulder to reassure his friend that it was okay. Sam looked to the sky and sighed at his own forgetfulness before going back inside.

* * *

Returning to her motel, Three took the elevator up and felt drained. She had wanted to see Sharon but ended up chickening out. This week was just getting worse and worse. First she found out HYDRA was backing the Accords, then she had to give her daughter up, now Peggy was gone, and she could not even see Sharon. Going to the large bed she sat down then laid back across it with her legs dangling over the side. One would think she was used to being alone, but after experiencing what it was like to have friends, family, and someone you loved she hated being alone. After the bonds formed with Peggy, Sharon, and the agents of SHIELD. After the joy and unconditional love of Bucky and her daughter. After all those she had lost in this unending battle against HYDRA, Three felt more alone than ever. The crushing loneliness used to be something she was used to, before she always had to hide. She was so tired of hiding, yet it felt like this war with HYDRA would never truly end. She would never be free, especially not with the Sokovian Accords.

Fresh tears came to her eyes, even at Peggy's funeral she had to hide! Sadly the loss of Peggy kicked the fight right out of her to where she was not going to take out the Untouchables at the signing, but had decided to intercept them afterwords. The delegates attending would be in Vienna for a few days yet. She would pack up and leave for Vienna tonight. For now though she wiped her eyes, and just laid there for a moment longer when her phone rang. Not bothering to sit up she dug into her purse and pulled the phone out. She didn't look at the caller ID as she answered. "Yes?"

" _Kat you need to turn on the T.V. right now!"_ Aida's voice came on the line and sounded urgent.

"I am not in the mood Aida, just tell me what this is about." Three replied.

" _It is best if you see for yourself."_ Aida said firmly, so Three sighed and got up. She went over and took the remote in her free hand. Turning on the television, Three asked.

"What station?"

" _Any news station. They are all reporting on it."_ Looking for a news station, Three soon found one and sat on the bed bored.

" _...bomb hidden in a news van, ripped through the UN building in Vienna. More than 70 people have been injured. At least twelve are dead including Wakanda's King T'Chaka."_ The images showed the UN building in flames as fire rescue attempted to put out the flames. _"_ _Officials have released a video of the suspect, who they have identified as James Buchanan Barnes..."_

Three straightened as she watched the blurry video of a man next to the news van. The image did look like Bucky, but he was dead. Three shook her head at the impossibility. ' _No, this is an imposter! It has to be!' "The Winter Soldier. The Infamous HYDRA agent linked to numerous terrorism attacks and political assassinations."_

The more she watched, the angrier she got until finally she threw the remote at the T.V. cracking the screen and breaking the remote. _'How dare they! How dare they blame him for this! All because of a blurry picture!'_ Three thought pacing angrily about the room. _'I'll kill the bastard pretending to be him!'_

"Aida I need you to hack into any government agency you can and find out what they know. Any leads—anything at all." Three said.

" _Understood. I will call back when I have something."_ With that Aida hung up and immediately Three was calling the only other group able to help right then. Soon Cutter answered the phone.

" _Had a feeling you would call considering what is on the news."_

"Then you know why I am calling?"

" _Mostly, but just so we are on the same page... what do you need?"_

"The blurry pictures that were released of Bucky. I need them cleaned up, I need to know-"

" _If it is really him."_ Cutter finished.

"Yeah, but I am not holding my breath. I just need to know who it really is. I know he would not do this, not unless HYDRA made him do it." Three said as a new wave of grief hit her, "I can't begin to start hoping... He is dead Cutter, I won't let some asshole pin this one on him." There was a long pause from Cutter before he answered.

" _Okay, we will clean up the photograph and figure this out. We should know in a couple of hours."_

"Thank you Cutter." With that Three hung up, and made one final call to Myra asking not to let Tess see the news reports of what had happened. She did not talk long with her as she had to change and be ready to move at a seconds notice. No sooner did Three change out of her black dress into jeans and a shirt, Aida called back.

" _Got a hit, from a newspaper stand man who called the police in Bucharest Romania after spotting a man that looks like Barnes. Hacked the CIA like it was child's play, got you an address, but you gotta hurry. I already booked you a flight there."_

"Thanks Aida." Three replied packing her suitcase and leaving, she left some extra money to pay for the damages then left.

* * *

 **August 5th, 2016**

 **Bucharest Romania**

Three boarded a plane to Bucharest and was in flight while Aida was already three steps ahead as she book a motel and a rental car for Three to be waiting when she arrived. The short three hour flight felt like it dragged on forever, but when she landed she breezed through customs and got her luggage. She picked up her rental and drove to the motel. She stopped only to drop off her suitcase and suit up. As she finished putting on her gear, Cutter called back.

" _You were right, it is not James Barnes. Good attempt though, whoever he was looked close. However any village idiot in the government could have picked out that it isn't him if they took the time to clear up the blurry picture. Government people always in such a hurry."_

"Thank you."

" _I am sending you copies so you can see for yourself."_ Cutter added as she received an alert that she had an e-mail.

"Excellent work Cutter. I will take care of it from here."

" _Let me know if you need anything else."_ Hanging up Three breathed a sigh of relief, then grabbed her gear. _'This bastard is going to wish he hadn't impersonated Bucky.'_ Taking the car, she drove to the building across the street from the address Aida provided. Knowing how many people were after Bucky or his look-a-like, Three choose the building across the way. The building was a ratty old apartment building, but luckily the tenth floor room facing the address was vacant. It was the perfect spot to set up. Pulling out her sniper rifle she set up shop and waited.

" _Heads up, Captain Rogers has arrived obviously looking for Bucky. Sam Wilson is on the roof, and an entire German special forces unit is inbound."_ Aida said making Three gripped her rifle. The sad fools actually thought this was James Barnes? Movement inside the room suggested two people, but little else with the curtains. She could tell they were talking as she frowned. Why was Rogers talking to him? It couldn't be Bucky, could it? _"_ _The unit is closing in on their position, they are preparing to assault the room."_

Three waited anxiously as the second figure moved away from the window. Then it happened. Two stun bombs were thrown through the windows. The bombs had no discernible effect. Next some of the unit dropped down to the window and swung in which pulled the curtains down. There was too much movement to get a clear view of the man in question. It was only when one of them was kicked to the ground of the balcony that Three got a clear view of the man and Rogers. The scene stunned her as the man knocked Steve to the floor and knelt down himself. When the man rose he tossed a backpack onto the roof of the lower building besides hers. Now she got a very good view and gasped. "Bucky." It felt like her heart was going to explode out of her chest.

It was Bucky! The shock of seeing him alive was short lived, as more of the unit entered and began shooting at Bucky. They were trying to kill him! The fighting continued but she lost track of him as he entered the hall. The only thing she knew was she could not lose him not now! The backpack landed on the roof of the building next to hers. Grabbing her rifle and gear she ran out of the room to the end of the hall and climbed out onto the fire escape giving her a clear view of the backpack still on the roof. A moment later she saw Bucky jump from the building he was in onto the roof, she watched him snatch up his backpack only to be attacked by a man in a black cat suit? Really?! The two began fighting and Three had to admit cat suit man was fast. She just wish she could get a clear shot. Her chance came when he was knelt over Bucky trying to use his claws. Three immediately took the shot as it rang out and hit cat suit man, but did not penetrate. "What the hell?!"

" _It seems his suit is made to resist damage."_ Aida commented, as a helicopter opened fire on them until Sam knocked the helicopter off course. In the confusion Bucky threw off cat suit man and ran for the edge of the roof. Obviously Bucky had an escape route plotted. "Time to go. Aida do not lose visual!"

Three used the grappling hook on her rifle to lower herself down then released it to drop to the ground. Running around the corner she found a guy on his motorcycle. "Sorry hun!" Three said shoving him off and stealing the bike. The man got up, cursing her in German as she drove off. _"_ _He dropped down into the underground traffic tunnels, but you should be able to follow..."_

Three continued driving down the walkways roads whatever it took to not lose him again. _"_ _I have taken control of the tunnel cameras. Bucky is still heading east down the tunnels."_

Three sped up through an intersection and narrowly avoided a truck as she drove on and even cut onto the walkways to get around heavy traffic. _"_ _Bucky is now on a motorcycle still heading east, but authorities are closing in."_

Then a loud explosion was heard just up ahead, and Three nearly crashed the bike. She arrived just in time to drop the bike and run to the edge to look at the underpass. Bucky was on the ground cat suit man was about to attack when Captain America pulled him off. At one end of the tunnel the car was still rolling, as the other police cars were driving up. Briefly Three ducked down when War Machine dropped down to avoid being seen.

"Stand down now!" Rogers held out a hand to stop his friend, and Three slowly rose to her feet.

"I can't let this happen."

" _Kat stop! If they see you they'll arrest you too."_

"But it's Bucky." Three said watching him, seeing him so close was painful. Her heart was pounding so fast, at seeing him so very much alive, that it felt like it would burst!

" _Stop and think Kat."_ Aida urged, and Three knew the AI was right. Even Captain America knew the odds were not in his favour as he put his shield on his back.

"Congratulations Cap. You're a criminal." Rhodey said disappointed. She watched as the police forced Bucky to the ground handcuffing him. Cat suit man took his mask off to reveal a man that looked like he was from Wakanda. "Your Highness."

Highness? This guy? Three shook her head as Captain Rogers and Falcon were also arrested. _"_ _There is nothing more we can do here."_ Aida said, but Three didn't budge. _"_ _Kat! We can't help them if we're arrested too. We need a plan of action."_

Tearing her eyes away from the scene she went back to the motorcycle. "Track them Aida. Do not lose them."

The AI already knew Three was formulating a plan. Getting on the motorcycle Three rode off heading for her motel room. Later she ditched the bike a block from her motel knowing police would be alerted to the stolen bike. Getting to her motel room, Three opened her computer and began calling up information that she would need.

" _They are taking them to Berlin to a special government facility. I will get you a flight, but it would be good to know your plan."_

"You will not like it." Three pointed out.

" _Probably not."_ Aida replied worried as Three called Cutter.

" _Hello Three, what do you need?"_

"I need everyone's help in the Shadow Network. And I mean everyone!"

" _Alright, tell us what you need done."_ Cutter replied.

* * *

 **Author's Notes:**

 **First off thank you all for the lovely reviews.**

 **Fin-Fish Jun-Tenshi, For a moment there I was worried I had mis-spelled the group. I did re-watch Civil War to be certain. According to the subtitles it is Echo Scorpion, but then I checked the Marvel Wiki site, and you're right it is EKO Scorpion. Stupid movie subtitles... bad Marvel Stick with one type of spelling. Anyway I will correct it. As for Hive don't worry I think Three will be a little busy.**

 **Rohirrum Girl 2187, I am glad you and others got the EKO Scorpion reference linked to Zemo.**

 **Unajet, Yeah I miss those characters too, though there are rumors that both will be returning to Agents of SHIELD. The guy playing Hunter returned for one episode in season 5, so hopefully we will see both in a episode later this season.**

 **Miserable,** **Ha! Paradise Lost yeah I got the reference. Actually you and Fin-Fish mentioned it. Though those are episodes Three will miss out on since she has become otherwise occupied. As for the Shadow Network they do still have the Shanghai hideout that Three moved out of that they use for their base of operations. Three has just not had the chance to visit there. As for your question I had not thought about it before, but that could be fun. Three teaching Tess Chinese so that only a select few understand what they are saying. The more I think about it the more I like the idea, yes it would be awesome. Anyway I am glad you are still reading the story, and hope you like the latest chapter.**

 **As for this chapter a couple of you including xuanny asked how far off Civil War is... this far.**

 **Yep we have now entered Civil War territory.**

 **I know some of you may be concerned with Three just running off, and leaving Tess with a return character and former HYDRA agent Myra Bicks. Myra has been watched carefully for years by the Shadow Network both to protect the former agent and ensure she does not keep her old HYDRA ties. So I hope that helps explain why Three has done this. The bigger concern Three faces is HYDRA rebuilding and possibly coming back stronger than ever to cause trouble. The last thing Three wants is for Tess to be faced with what she herself has had to face. So to her she will do whatever she has to, to ensure HYDRA doesn't bounce back including a possible suicide mission.**

 **Now even though Three is not participating in Agents of SHIELD the episode referenced is season 3 episode 16 heeheehee... 'Paradise Lost'.**

 **Anyway I do hope you enjoyed this latest chapter. Please let me know what you think by leaving a review.**

 **Lesliezin**


	44. Out of the Shadows

**Hello everyone,**

 **Here is Chapter 44, enjoy.**

* * *

 **August 6** **th** **, 2016**

 **Berlin Germany**

The underground garage of the facility was where they took them and Bucky. Right then Steve was not sure what to feel. He had gone after Bucky knowing those men would try to kill him, and everyone just expected him to stand aside and let that happen. Aside from Sam the only other comfort came from Sharon who without a second thought gave Steve Bucky's location. He remembered seeing the hopeful look in her eyes, and knew she was hoping he not only found Bucky, but Lilith too. Sadly it was not meant to be. Whatever happened at the Russian base over a year ago, Bucky and Lilith had been separated. The book he had picked up that was on top of the fridge proved it. Not only did that journal hold Steve's picture, and things Bucky remembered, but also locations in Russia where he had stayed with her. No doubt Bucky had been retracing his steps to find her. If he had had more time he might have been able to ask Bucky if he knew where she was, but with the authorities closing in he had limited time.

Now the only one standing with him was Sam, but now Steve lacked his shield, and Sam was lacking his wings. As Steve got out of the van he looked back at the containment chair Bucky was in. He watched for a moment hoping to see some indication that it was still the Bucky he knew, but the man in question would not look at him. Sighing he turned to face the man standing next to Sharon Carter. Seeing Sharon was helpful at least, she knew what it was like to be looking for a lost friend. While she could not openly stand with him the look in her eyes told him everything. Still the fact that there had been no sign of Lilith Donners was weighing on Sharon heavily. Perhaps later he could speak to her alone and tell her about the book Bucky kept. Moving forward Steve asked. "What is going to happen to him?"

"Same thing that aught to happen to you. Psychological evaluation and extradition." Coming closer it was obvious that this was the man in charge since he was the one that spoke.

Sharon introduced him. "This is Everett Ross. Deputy task force Commander."

"What about a lawyer?" Steve asked.

"Lawyer, huh that's funny." Ross chuckled, "See that their weapons are placed in lock-up. We'll write you a receipt."

"I better not look out the window and see anyone flying around in that." Sam warned as they started to move forward. However Steve looked back to see the doors shut as Bucky disappeared and they took him further away. He was just turning away when an alarm sounded, and for a moment everyone was looking at each other.

"Eyes on Barnes?!" Ross said speaking into a walkie-talkie.

" _Barnes is secure sir. It isn't him."_

"Then who the hell is it?!" Ross asked as men scrambled around arming and preparing for an attack.

" _Breach at the door. Security controls have been overridden."_ Someone said over the PA. It was then Natasha came into view with Tony having also heard the alarm, and they came to stand by them. The group headed for the breached door, where an entire squad was aiming their weapons. A moment later the door opened and the sound of a motorcycle invaded Steve's ears. Driving in, the rider stopped just inside the doors and cut the engine before getting off slowly. The slight figure in a black almost purple suit was obviously female, and Steve instantly realised who it was. He looked over to Sharon who was wide-eyed as she stared at the figure.

"Don't shoot!" Sharon called out, gaining a shocked look from her boss. The order made the armed men hesitate at least, and Steve seriously hoped no one tried it.

"Honey you broke into the wrong facility." Ross said after a moment, as he ignored Sharon's outburst and the rider took off the helmet.

"Actually I broke into the correct one." The woman replied.

"Oh really?" Ross laughed, "And what did you hope to accomplish hmm?"

"I have come with news." Three replied taking off her pack and reaching in. Some guns were cocked and she shook her head. "Relax if I was attacking, your systems would be compromised, communications would be down, and half your 'men' would be in need of medical attention."

Pulling a file out of her pack she stood. "You know I thought government agencies were suppose to be more... intelligent. Seems you all love repeating mistakes."

"The only mistake I see is you breaking in here."

"Well then...you really should have cleaned up the photo before accusing an innocent man!" The woman tossed the file down sending the pictures scattering on the floor. It was then the woman removed her hood and pulled down the cover from her face revealing a beautiful young woman. For Steve, and the other Avengers they immediately recognised her from the snippets and images in Russia. "Because now you have twenty-four hours to fix your mistake, or I do it for you."

Steve was shocked by the one standing before him, he on some level knew where Bucky was she would not be far behind, but to now see her?! Lilith Donners at long last stood in the flesh in front of them complete with long black hair and purple highlights. Shaking off the shock Steve looked down at the photos scattered on the floor and picked one up. The image was the same on T.V. but much clearer, the man did look like Bucky, but looking at it carefully it was not him.

"And how are you going to do that when you are under arrest?" Ross asked amused.

"Oh you misunderstand. See? I will not have to do a damn thing. My friends in low places will do it for me. Unless they see your Bilbo Baggins face on T.V. apologising for accusing an innocent man, they will flood the internet with the proof that you messed up. Believe me you really don't want my friends to do it for you because they won't stop there. We will completely and utterly embarrass you and seventy-two countries in the process."

The smug expression on Ross' face fell fast, "Don't believe me?" She asked, then pulled out a computer drive from her pocket. "This is a copy of what we have that will hit the internet in... twenty-three hours, fifty-seven minutes. Clock started when I entered your bat-cave."

Holding it up Natasha came forward and took the drive from her looking it over. "Cute story, but we will have to confirm it."

"Which is why you are being given twenty-four hours. Should only take nine hours sixteen minutes to clear up the photos with your 'technology' and spot the mistakes. Less time to scan the drive I gave you, and while calling that press conference you'll have time for some light reading."

"Fine meantime you are still under arrest." Ross said nodding to the team to move in.

"No shit Sherlock, I already knew that was happening." Three replied as she held up her hands in surrender. Immediately the armed men closed in, taking her weapons. She was soon in handcuffs being taken away. Steve, Sharon, and the other Avengers watched her be escorted away. However she peeked back at Sharon before turning a corner.

* * *

 **August 6th, 2016**

 **Government Building in Berlin**

Three sat silently in a interrogation room waiting, she had expected to be locked up but not to get this far. The attention in the facility shifted from Bucky to her since a psychologist was being called in for him. It meant for the moment all the attention was on her. After checking her bag they gave her her clothes to change into and confiscated her suit, weapons, and gear. Now she sat in skinny jeans, hiking boots, and a long sleeved tight grey shirt. It felt like eternity that she sat handcuffed to the table waiting. In all honesty she felt a little exposed, she knew she was being watched on the other side of the one-way glass. She could hear Sharon, and the Avengers thoughts, but did not mind read much. In truth she was scared to know what Sharon was thinking. So instead she waited until finally Everett Ross entered and came to sit across from her. He opened a file and started looking at it. Most likely the file was a dossier on her as Katseye.

"Wow! Over two-hundred confirmed kills in the past ten years. Quite the record you have. Other charges include hacking into government agencies, theft, destruction of private property, assault, kidnapping, attempted murder, arson...all in all a very long list."

"Wow you have been sitting here all of four minutes twenty seconds and you stated the obvious. Bravo." Three said mockingly as she clapped her cuffed hands together, "I would offer a cookie or a gold star, but if you are attempting to scare me... please skip to it."

Ross sat back annoyed as he looked at her, "Alright smart ass how about this then? These crimes and the long list of others are enough to put you away for the rest of your life. How do you feel about a cell?!"

"Grew up in one!" Three replied coldly, "Try harder!"

"Figures criminal like yourself must be used to prisons."

Three burst out laughing and didn't stop for a moment. "Prison? Yeah I suppose being born to a couple of HYDRA agents that don't want you is a crime."

The unnerving way she said it meant that Ross and those watching the interrogation were stunned, and Three warily stood clear of Sharon's thoughts. Still she got the sense that Steve was concerned? _'He is such a sweetheart, hopefully he and Sharon finally hooked up._ ' Three thought, after a moment Ross cleared his throat and pulled out a pen to write down information. "Alright sweetheart, for the next couple of hours you have our attention until the psychologist arrives to evaluate Barnes. So for the record state your full name."

Three swallowed hard and looked away. "Just call me Kat..."

"One of my agents said you went by the name Lilith Donners, is that your real name?" Ross tried again.

"No..." Three said ashamed. "It's a fake ID."

"Look just cooperate and give me your name." Ross said trying to get her real name.

"I do not have one alright?!" Three snapped, then sighed. "Just pick one and move on."

"Everyone has a name. Look the sooner you just give me the information I seek the sooner-"

Three sighed and worked her sleeve up to show her forearm where the number three was branded. "That is what I was called by HYDRA. We didn't get names, or birthdays, or lives. NOTHING! Do ya get it now?! We did not exist, we were told we would be forgotten! So we did not matter enough to have names!" Knowing the standard line of questioning Three continued. "As for the next question of my birth date... I. Don't. Know! I celebrate February the first because it is the day I escaped from the HYDRA facility after slaughtering everyone in it! And my nationality again... I. Don't. Fucking. Know! So just put down China because that is where the HYDRA facility was!"

She stunned the people on the other side of the glass and Ross, but avoided Sharon's thoughts. Eventually Ross wrote down the information. He did not seem pleased, but hell, neither was she. In the course of three days she had given up her daughter to be protected by Myra, had to attend Peggy Carter's funeral in London, and now she found out the man she loved was alive! By now she probably would have broke her distress watch had she been allowed to keep wearing it. Ross eventually sighed and decided to try a new tactic. "You know the agent that told me your name was Lilith Donners. She pleaded with me to let her interview you, says you two are friends and has been looking for you for two years now."

Three looked down, not able to form a response. "You know Steve Rogers has been looking for James Barnes about the same amount of time, and when we catch him... you show up. Why is that? Why show up now?"

Three swallowed hard before licking her lips to respond. "Because he saved my life a couple of times in Russia a year ago. That and he is not the evil monster you make him out to be."

This got Ross laughing a little as he shook his head, so Three continued. "Laugh all you like, but ask yourself this... Why is a notorious murderer of HYDRA trying to protect the Winter Soldier?"

Ross' smile fell. "You said it yourself I have killed over two-hundred people in the pass ten years. All of them were HYDRA, yet here I am trying to help James Barnes."

The question made Ross stop and think as he considered her for a moment, then sighed. "The computer fob you gave us. The analysts are going over it now, if it is true what you say is on it. Then what do you want?"

"I want... I want Steve Rogers and I to be allowed to see Bucky, and for him to be cleared of the UN bombing." Ross shook his head after a moment and got up closing the file.

"Anything else you would like to add?" Ross asked, as Three looked down tired. When he got no response he headed for the door, but stopped when Three spoke.

"Tell Sharon I am sorry." For a moment Ross stood there watching her then left the room. He went into the other room where the others were and sighed, as he got himself a mug of coffee.

"Well that went well." Sam said sarcastically receiving a look from Steve. Ross however bit back a retort, he was used to unnerving those he interrogated, but instead he was the one unnerved.

"Sir please let me-" Sharon started to ask.

"No, you are too close to her." Ross replied.

"Then let Nat interview her." Steve suggested, then looked to the red head. The pair shared a look before she nodded then looked to Sharon.

"Write down a list of questions you want me to ask. I will ask both sets of questions." Nat said, and Sharon quickly jotted down what she would have asked if allowed into the interrogation. From there Natasha took the file and headed into the next room. She gave a pleasant smile as she sat down across from Three.

"Hello..." Nat looked at the file and frowned at the name Three written there. "I think I will just call you Kat instead. Three sounds rather insulting, and you don't seem to like being called that."

"Thanks Miss Romanoff." Three replied softly.

"Just Nat is fine." From there it went rather quiet as Three waited for the interview to begin. She knew Nat was evaluating her to get a better sense of her, so Three let her. "You know, for years Agent Barton and I, were sent after you? Yet we always seemed to miss you."

"That is because I always fled the scene when I learned you were coming. I didn't want to fight you or Barton." Three replied, and Nat merely nodded.

"I have some questions for you from Sharon. There are things she wants to know, and of course questions Ross did not ask." As Nat spoke, she unfolded the paper Sharon had written her questions on. "Why did you come to Peggy Carter's care home all those years ago?"

"To meet Peggy, she had fought HYDRA. I just wanted to meet her..." Three said.

"Why did you continue to meet with her?"

Three looked down ashamed. "I was lonely. I shouldn't have, I was putting her and Sharon at risk each time I visited. If HYDRA found out... they would have been killed."

"Like your family?" Nat asked, this question was not on the list. It also surprised Three who looked up. "When we were in Russia Sharon mentioned a father and daughter that adopted you. We eventually pieced together that they died, and it was made to look like an amateur home invasion."

Three nodded after a moment then looked back down at the table. "I learned the hard way that HYDRA doesn't like loose ends. The night I realised they were closing in, I thought if I just left they wouldn't harm them... I was wrong."

The entire time Three was being questioned by Nat, she was mind reading the Avenger knowing that Nat was dissecting every action and gesture. She thought she was being careful not to give anything away or volunteer too much. However Nat then seemed to catch onto something. "You asked that you and Steve be allowed to see Bucky. Why?"

"Because I am sure Steve wants to see him."

"Yet, Sharon wants to see you. You have made no mention of seeing her..." Nat said. _'Shit! I thought I was careful not to give anything away.'_ The notorious Black Widow was very good at interrogating people. "In fact you have avoided looking at the glass."

As she spoke Nat gestured to the one-way glass behind her. Which was true Three had not once looked at the glass and now she squirmed uncomfortably. "I am guessing you are avoiding looking at the glass because you know who is on the other side of it. Why are you avoiding Sharon? Why have you not asked to speak to her?"

Three again squirmed and looked down at the table. "I think you already know why."

"True I can already guess why." Nat said with a shrug and judging by Nat's thoughts Three knew she was right.

"Then why ask?" Three asked, as she thought. _'Here it comes.'_

Nat leaned back in the chair and crossed her arms over her chest. "To see how you answer, and to better understand you. Because despite killing over two-hundred HYDRA agents you are not what people think or expect. Right now you're tired, and agitated. I am guessing you have had a lot to deal with these last few days. Also judging by how you squirm uncomfortably whenever I say Sharon's name you are afraid to face her. You're expecting the worst possible outcome."

Three was not about to argue with that assessment as she gave a weak half smile. "Maybe Ross should take pointers from you."

Nat sighed after a moment then looked at the file considering the many questions that could be asked. She was not about to ask all those questions instead she settled on ones she knew Sharon wanted to ask and she herself was curious about. "Why now? Why come out of the shadows now? You could have come out when SHIELD fell and HYDRA was exposed."

"Because you and I both know HYDRA is not dead."

"You want them buried six feet under." Nat stated surprised.

"Every last one of them, yes. Including the whore that brought me into the world." Three said bluntly.

"What about your father?"

"You mean the sperm donor? He is already dead."

"Did you kill him?"

"I wish." Three laughed, "No I did not."

"Than who did?"

"I think you know who did it. I thanked him with a very expensive bottle of whiskey. Spring-bank 1966." Three said mind reading Nat as she gave a shocked look as Tony mentally whistled knowing just how expensive that whiskey is. It was the bottle of whiskey Fury mentioned! Had Three mind read Sharon, then her thoughts would have mirrored the redhead.

"Rather cold hearted response." Nat noted.

"He was an evil bastard that deserved it. I would have danced on his grave given half the chance. Besides he was no father to me. He left me with five other kids to receive painful injects in the base of the neck. We grew up being told we did not exist and we would easily be forgotten. I remember after the first injection I awoke in my cell, and he was standing outside next to the Winter Soldier. At the time Bucky was under HYDRA's control, and it was scary. However now I look back and all I can remember is what my qoute-un-qoute father said: 'She is a test subject, nothing more.' So why would he be anything to me?"

"Well I guess that means no reconciliation." Nat said after a moment.

"Yet I get the distinct impression you nor your super pals like my methods for dealing with HYDRA." Three noted nonchalantly.

"You spare no one when it comes to HYDRA. Some would say that is cold-blooded." Nat pointed out.

"Yeah I suppose for those that don't understand, it is." Three said calmly.

"Then why not help me understand?"

"I would not want to give you nightmares." _'Or the ones behind the glass.'_ Three thought to herself.

"Try me." Nat challenged.

"I told Sharon and Peggy about a child-hood love. His name was Four and he lived, not in the hall across from me, but the cell. You see I tried to be a hero, HYDRA doesn't like heroes though. We were starting to receive the fifth and final, lethal injection. They had already injected One, and she died, they were going to take Two, so I offered to go next to spare him. They still took Two, but because I tried to be a hero they skipped me and took Four next. As he slowly went insane and was in pain, I begged and pleaded to be allowed to at least hold him. The guards laughed at me, and I got to slowly watch him die."

Three paused as she watched Nat's reaction, then continued. "Next would be Six because Five died from an earlier injection. But the guards wanted to have fun with her first, I awoke to her screams as they forced her to the ground. She kept screaming for me, begging me to help her. So I ran into the bars... I think I dislocated my shoulder at one point, but I kept running into the bars anyway. Finally some guards and a doctor sedated me. When I awoke six guards had repeatedly raped her, and by then death was a mercy. All this because I tried to be a hero."

Three again paused to lick her lips and let her words sink in. "So by the time of my escape, when Six too was dead from the fifth injection; I decided fuck being a hero. I'll be the one that executes every last HYDRA bastard instead. I started with the facility killing a total of fifty plus HYDRA agents, and completely destroying the facility. I started by killing the guards that were coming to rape me, then I got a key card off of a dead doctor. It allowed me into the computer room, where I took control of the base's defence systems and regular controls. Did you know HYDRA and SHIELD have a similar layout for their buildings?"

Nat merely watched her a bit stunned but then gave the briefest of nods, eyes narrowing.

"The labs operate on a separate ventilation system so that if a bio-hazard occurs it is restricted to the labs. I found that amusing because there were a number of HYDRA doctors in the labs when I took control, and removed the oxygen from those labs. I didn't stop there though, oh no, I systematically killed every one of them. Most were locked in their rooms unable to escape as I activated the self-destruct. The icing on the cake though was killing the security chief Eckhardt, the one that didn't like me playing at being a hero. The one that ordered I go last, and had his guards rape Six."

Three winced thinking back to her escape all those years ago then continued, "Afterwards I naively thought I was free of them. I found a loving father and sister and for three short months I was happy. I had a life with them, and they just wanted me in their lives. I was prepared to try and forget my nightmare life with HYDRA, and just enjoy my new life with them."

Three let herself remember the loving family she once had then shook her head. "But HYDRA wouldn't let me. They sent the Winter Soldier to hunt me down and drag me back. I had to jump from the Nanjing bridge to escape. I thought I was dead for sure, but I survived thanks to my friends in low places. I survived only to learn that HYDRA killed my family anyway just for knowing me. I learned that I would never be free of them."

Again Three took a moment to breath, and Nat got up and got her a drink of water to continue. Getting some water from the water machine in the corner Nat wordlessly set it down to where Three could reach it. "Thanks," Three said leaning forward to take a drink before continuing, "It took time and patience, but after I recovered I helped build an organisation with my friends in low places. Building my resources and preparing to fight HYDRA head on. One of the skills I learned early on was hacking, and while trying to learn more about my enemy I learned the truth."

Three sighed as she took another drink and Nat asked. "And what is that?"

"Operation Paper-Clip, The U.S. government signed away it's soul to put a fucking man on the moon. Problem is myself, the other kids, my family, and a lot of innocent people were the ones paying the price for it. So was it worth it? Fuck no! See if politicians had had a fucking backbone HYDRA would be a memory easily forgotten. All the people HYDRA had the Winter Soldier kill, my fellow lab-rats, my family... everyone HYDRA has killed all that blood is on their hands."

Taking another drink, Three set the plastic cup down then looked at Nat. "Now ask yourself do you really expect me, after everything I just told you; to stop? To be content with HYDRA merely being locked up? Where they will serve some sad amount of years in jail because they cut a deal, then get back out and get back together to reform HYDRA. Have it spread like a disease again until twenty, fifty, a hundred years from now some other poor group of kids are paying the price?"

Judging by Nat's thoughts she now understood why Three wanted all of them dead, not just HYDRA stopped, but dead. "No I don't imagine stopping is an option." Nat seemed to be thinking and weighing the options as she finally said. "You helped us before with the Battle of New York, and the Triskelion Incident. You even helped Stark with the Mandarin according to reports. For all intents and purposes you're an Avenger. Maybe we could cut a deal, if you sign the Accords-"

"No," Three said flatly, "I appreciate the offer. However the Accords is just like Operation Paper-Clip, I would be signing away what little bit of my soul is left so that others pay the price later on."

"It is not the same." Nat pointed out.

"Is Steve Rogers signing it?" Three asked.

"No..."

"Because he can see it too. Yes it would give a lot of people peace of mind, but a lot more people would pay the price for that peace of mind." Three said as Nat sat back in her chair frowning, but decided enough was enough. She closed the file having not written anything down and stood. "It was a pleasure to finally meet you Natasha."

Nat looked up at Three as she picked up the file. "You as well Kat."

With that Nat left the interrogation room and instead of heading for the observation room she went down the hall to get herself a coffee. Once out of the interrogation room, Nat could breath easier as she moved down the hall. The things Three told her was overwhelming, and she just knew it was all true. "What the hell was that?!"

The voice was Everett's as he came to stand behind her, and Nat looked back. Everett Ross, Sharon, and the other Avengers stood there watching her as she calmly said. "I talked to her and got the answers."

"You were offering to have her sign the Accords!" Ross pointed out.

"To which she refused."

"And you believed her sob story!" Ross added.

"Because it was true."

"Please give your insight, Miss Romanoff." Everett said waiting for her explanation.

"I have extensive experience in interrogations. Three's posture, breathing, eye contact, and the lack of gestures all point to her telling the truth. She was not lying." That news was extremely unnerving as Sharon swallowed hard. So it was all true, part of Sharon had hoped not; but having it confirmed made her feel a little ill.

"We need more than what she looked like during questioning to go on Miss Romanoff." Everett pointed out.

"Well I am sure we will have the truth as soon as the files on the drive are opened." Romanoff replied, "but I doubt you will like what they find."

"Meaning?" Everett asked.

"Meaning you may be looking at publicly apologising for falsely accusing James Barnes." Natasha replied calmly. Everett looked to be fuming over the possibly, then looked to Sharon noting how she was taking all this, and with a death in a family too. While he was annoyed at the appearance of Katseye and the imminent threat she posed, he was not without compassion. Ross knew this was a delicate time for Sharon, and sighed.

"Sharon, why don't you go ahead and take a break in the conference room? You look like you could use one. We will discuss what Nat talked about in a moment."

"Thank you sir." Sharon said, then headed for the room and sat down in one of the leather chairs with her coffee. She leaned back closing her eyes quietly considering what was learned in interrogation. It was not anything really new, but just more details. The minutes ticked by then she heard someone enter, but had not expected Steve Rogers to be standing there. "Hi."

Sharon straightened up in the chair before smiling at him. "Hey."

Steve came over and sat across from her at the table, and leaned on it to watch her. She was surprised Everett was letting him wander, but with Three showing up she guessed the pressure was off of Steve and Sam. "You okay?"

"Honestly?" Sharon asked, and when Steve nodded she sighed, "No, I spent two years looking for Lil since the Helicarriers' incident. She just disappeared refused to answer her phone, and never gave me answers to the questions I had. Then when we were in Russia... We knew that what we learned was terrible, I guess part of me was hoping it wasn't true."

Steve smiled a little and was about to reply when Everett and some of the others arrived. Instead Steve leaned back as Sam took a seat next to him and the others took seats. Everett immediately headed for the head of the conference table to begin going over what they were able to gleam from the interrogation. "Alright. Rogers and Wilson you are only here on an advisory capacity. Now the information our new guest gave is still being analysed as is the pictures to prove she faked them. Thus far she is claiming to be a person named Three and was a lab rat from a HYDRA base. She also apparently wants to see Barnes, and has threatened to embarrass the UN in less than nineteen hours."

"Carter you know this girl the best. Your insight?"

"I already told you everything I know." Sharon said not wanting to repeat herself.

"Sir," An agent came into the conference room and addressed Everett. "The computer fob is clean of viruses and ready to be viewed."

Everett nodded. "Thank you, Agent Smith. Forward it to this conference room."

With the computer drive unlocked all the files on it were brought up on the various screens in the conference room they were in. The first file was the algorithm developed to track HYDRA, and showed it was one-hundred percent accurate with detecting HYDRA. The second was what she threatened to dump online that would embarrass numerous governments, and could even destabilize some of them. A lot of the information was no doubt stolen by Three's friends, even supposed 'good' politicians were not safe as their secrets proved just as damning.

However when Ross finally opened the third file, it brought files up on Three and the other five test subjects from Project Mastermind. Videos, recordings, notes, and files came up on dozens of screens. Sharon shivered at the dozens of videos being shown of the six test subjects. Including on one screen a younger Three reaching through the bars of her cell to touch Four's fingertips. It was the closest they would ever touch. In another screen Sharon felt her stomach flip as guards pinned Six down to rape her, while Three threw herself at the bars trying to get to her friend. The audio made it more horrible as the girl screamed for Three. _"_ _THREE!"_

Sharon looked away feeling like she was going to be sick, and Steve saw her going pale. "That is enough."

Everett Ross picked up the remote and paused all the screens. This was not good, not only was she telling the truth, but her threats were real! Ross turned to agent Smith.

"Bring...Three in here. Now." Agent Smith immediately headed off to fetch the prisoner as Everett groaned, he looked like he had a nasty headache coming on.

* * *

The door opening had Three straightening in her chair and eyeing the strange man that came to the table. What did he want? Three wondered nervously as she was unsure what to expect next. "Everett Ross wants to see you in the conference room."

 _'Well that explains everything!'_ Three thought sarcastically, as the agent unlocked her handcuffs and guided her from the room and down the hall. She let him hold onto her since she was not leaving without Bucky. Turning a corner she was pulled into a room with some of the Avengers, Sharon, King C'halla, and Everett Ross. Having so many eyes on her was making her self-conscious as Three tried to ignore the stares, and saw the screens behind them. They had finally accessed the computer drive she gave them, and shivered at some of the images on the screen. Turning away from the screen she swallowed hard. Three knew that by being arrested she was already stepping into the lime-light, so if she was going to come out of the shadows she might as well step out in a big way. By blowing the lid wide open on Project Mastermind. "Couldn't watch them on your personal time at home huh? Guess it won't be a fun feature film."

Guided to a empty seat the agent released her arm once Three was seated. Finally Everett Ross spoke "I believe we got off on the wrong foot. Miss Uhh—Three."

"No I am sure I would have been arrested either way, and I am one-hundred percent sure I would have threatened to embarrass the hell out of the UN anyway." Three said honestly.

Everett cleared his throat trying to remain civil. "What is it you want?"

"I told you, I want Steve and I to be able to see Bucky and for you to inform the world of the truth. He did not bomb the UN."

"That remains to be proven. The photos are still being analysed." Ross replied calmly, "But for now there has to be a reason you came here. You have not spent all these years hiding to expose yourself now." Everett was a smart guy, no she would only do this for Bucky.

"He saved me in Russia, I owe him. Without him I could not have cured Peggy's dementia." Three said peeking at Rogers, the blond's eyes were gentle as he sympathized with her. However she quickly looked down at the table finding more interest in it.

"So it is a loyalty thing then." Everett said thinking.

"Yes, he is not what you think he is." This time she looked up fully at Steve Rogers, "He is a good man, HYDRA did not wipe that away. They tried but he is still there."

Steve's eyes seemed to light up with new found hope, but also recognition? He should recognise her from visiting Sharon, but something told her this was not it. Reading his mind the image was fuzzy like he had trouble focusing. The mental image was of her profile. She was looking down at something in her hands. She was dressed in her suit, but her hair was wet. "It was you, on the Platonic. I awoke for a moment."

Three swallowed surprised then looked at Sam and Natasha before giving a half smile as she looked back at Steve. "Watch for flare."

Natasha smiled as she remembered the hacked message she had gotten. The red head looked at a stunned Sam.

"What were you doing?" Steve asked.

"You were in pretty bad shape then. You're lucky I saw you on the shore. I used a special concoction. A blend of antibiotics, coagulant, and pain relievers. Keeps ya going for an hour until you reach medical attention. I use it for close calls." Three said.

"New York, the Chitari invasion? What were you doing on the Grande Hotel rooftop?" Ross asked.

"Was there to kill a head of HYDRA that never showed, but that could have been because of an alien invasion." Three said.

"Okay I got one Kit-Kat." Tony said trying to sound amusing by changing her code name to the name of a candy bar. However before he could ask his question Three read his mind and answered.

"Roxxon Oil Rig. You really need to learn how to shoot." Three said not wanting Tony to even ask. The billionaire raised then dropped his arms as a sign of annoyance.

"Damn it she beat me to it, and I think I did pretty well on the shooting part." Tony pointed out.

"Oh yes the air and metal rig really had it coming." Three heard a number of quiet chuckles and Steve tried to keep from smiling.

"Okay well kitten what were you doing there huh?"

"The Mandarin killed a friend from my associates in low places, so I was there for his head. I sometime makes exceptions for assholes." Three replied.

"Okay well you didn't get the Mandarin, sweetheart."

"Neither did you," Three said with a knowing smile waiting for him to contradict her, but as Tony thought about it he groaned Pepper had stopped him.

"Damn know it all." Tony grumbled, and Three smugly licked her finger and marked through the air as if checking a scoreboard.

"So if you have been following the Avengers where were you when Ultron came along?" Ross asked.

"Busy, I don't constantly babysit the Avengers. Half the time my path has crossed with theirs by sheer dumb luck. Wrong place wrong time and what not. My main goal is to wipe out HYDRA and ensure they are completely and utterly destroyed, no exceptions." Three replied.

"Yeah heard the mission statement when Miss Romanoff interrogated you."

"Well then you know I blame spineless weasels in government, so when I say I will embarrass the shit out of every government you had better take me seriously. Eighteen hours forty-seven minutes left before my friends do." Three said casually.

Everett Ross stood there stunned as the room fell quiet the soft ticking of the clock reminding them eerily of what Three was still capable of even as a prisoner. Again Agent Smith came in. "Sir the psychologist just arrived."

"Very well," Ross said then looked down at the woman, "First he will be seen by the psychologist. Then if you behave, you and Rogers can see him." The news got Three's attention as she looked up hopefully. She had not meant to, but could not really help it, her heart sped up at the idea of seeing him after so long apart. However Ross headed for the exit and those on his bad side stayed. Tony, Natasha, King T'Challa, and a few others followed him out. However Sharon, Steve, and Sam stayed. Once alone the two men were sat across from her watching her curiously.

Three squirmed uncomfortably as she went back to examining her nails, while Sharon silently got up and got a second mug of coffee. Three figured it was best to remain quiet and not shoot her mouth off too much more. Then wordlessly Sharon set the coffee in front of Three. "Milk and sugar, sorry no amaretto..."

"You remembered.." Three said surprised.

"I also remember never to let you go without your fix." Sharon said smiling as she sat down by Three.

"I am surprised you are even talking to me..." Three said taking a drink of the coffee, it was just how she liked it.

"Why else would I stick around?" Sharon asked.

"Captain hot muscles over there." Three pointed out looking at Steve who blushed, and smiled shyly. Out of the corner of her eye she saw Sharon blush as well.

Finally Steve reached into his pocket and pulled something out, he put it on the table and slid it across to Three. "Bucky lost this in Russia. You are not here just because he saved you."

The item was the military dog tags containing her picture she had bought Bucky. Sighing Three figured there was no point denying it as she picked up the dog tags and looked at them. "The right dance partner."

Three continued to look at the dog tags, but she did see a slow smile spread over Steve's face as he caught onto what she meant. Peeking at Sharon, the blonde agent set her mug of coffee down also understanding the meaning. Sam shook his head at what that meant, then Three sighed. "Now that we're alone I can speak more freely."

"Really? You weren't doing that already?" Sam asked sarcastically. Three ignored Sam and looked at Sharon.

"You have heard about the Alien contagion rumours right?" Sharon nodded, "Well it's not really a contagion. The people popping up with abilities are called Inhumans. A small portion of the human population carries alien DNA, there is a chemical called Terrigen that when released activates changes in those with that DNA giving them abilities."

Three took a moment before continuing. "After I gave Peggy the injection, I sought out help in finding Bucky. A group of SHIELD agents are rebuilding SHIELD, I asked for their help. In exchange I would help them. One of their agents was exposed to Terrigen and changed, we later found out that there were more of them hidden. Sadly their leader suffered because of HYDRA, and she could not see the difference between SHIELD and HYDRA. In the fight I was exposed to Terrigen and changed, and unfortunately Terrigen crystals ended up in the ocean. It's not harmful to normal people now, but game changing for those with the correct DNA."

Sharon frowned at her friend wondering if she could even believe all this, so Three held up a hand to stop the comment about to escape. "I know this is a lot to lay on you, and there is a lot more I want to tell you believe me. As it is I am taking a huge risk in telling you this now."

"Alright say we believe all that. What ability do you have?" Sam asked amused.

 _'The ability to send my thoughts to others, read minds, and attack minds.'_ Three sent the message to the three of them making Sam jump. "Woah!"

"And that is why I did not mention it sooner." Three replied pointing at Sam. All the while Steve sat there sunned by what she had said and done. "I promise I don't usually use my abilities." Three said as she looked at Sharon. The blonde just stared at her for a moment trying to wrap her head around what Three had told her. Three sighed and turned back to take a drink of her coffee guessing Sharon would not believe her. There was so much she wanted to blurt out to Sharon, but not here. She wanted some place private where no one could overhear. However she doubted Sharon would even give her the chance now. That was when they were informed that the psychologist was going to speak to Bucky. Seeing Bucky on the screens in the other room even held in the containment module made her heart skip beats as she got up and went around the table to watch him. Her eyes focused on Bucky not seeing just who was interviewing him.

Three nearly jumped when a comforting hand rested on her shoulder, and she looked up at Steve for a moment. It felt strange to actually know Captain America, this was different than briefly meeting him in the hallway outside Sharon's apartment. He seemed to be taking what she said well, but perhaps it was the fact that she had saved him. She turned back to watch the screen as Sharon moved around and Sam complained about them calling his suit a 'bird costume'.

"I didn't write it." Sharon pointed out. Leaning forward Sharon hit the button on the table and turned on the screens for them so they could watch and hear the evaluation Three and Steve looked back at Sharon surprised then to the screens.

" _I am not here to judge you. I just want to ask you a few questions. Do you know where you are James?"_ The psychologist asked and waited for a response, _"_ _I can't help you if you do not talk to me James."_ The doctor continued and Three watched him closely. While Steve turned away to look at the blurred photo.

" _My name is Bucky."_ Three's heart rate picked up at those words. While Steve went back to the table and looked at the blurry photos that the task force had. Obviously Three's was better and she had cleared them up to reveal the truth, so why hadn't the authorities thought to do that?

"Why would the task force release this photo to begin with?" Steve asked, and Three looked back.

"My guess was they were morons." Three said making Sam smile and shake his head. However Sharon gave another answer.

"Get the word out, involve as many eyes as we can."

"Right," Steve said, "It's a good way to flush a guy out of hiding. Set off a bomb, get your picture taken. Have seven billion people looking for the Winter Soldier."

"You are saying someone framed him to find him." Sharon said, and Three turned to face them fully.

"Steve we looked for the guy for two years and found nothing." Sam pointed out.

"I looked for him too, and found nothing." Three added.

"None of us bombed the UN. Turns a lot of heads." Steve replied.

"Yeah but that doesn't guarantee that whoever framed him would get him. It guarantees we would." Sharon said then seemed to realise the implication.

"Wait, I nor the SHIELD team could find him. He was too well hidden, so the only way to find him would be to draw him out." Three said suddenly not liking being so far from Bucky.

"Yeah." Steve said looking at the screens, both were thinking the same thing. Bucky being captured by a government agency was meaningless to HYDRA, if it was them they would come to try and claim him soon and kill anyone that gets in their way.

" _Tell me Bucky, you have seen a great deal haven't you?"_ The psychologist asked.

" _I don't want to talk about it."_ Bucky finally said something else and Three whirled around to face the screens.

"Easy Cap, you are making her nervous." Sam said looking at Three warily.

"I already am nervous." Three said hoping nothing went wrong, but as it was she wished she had an cell or something for Aida to connect to so she could be alerted should there be a HYDRA threat.

" _You feel that if you open your mouth the horrors might never stop. Don't worry. We only have to talk about one."_

"Lil?" Sharon asked wanting to say something and distract her from her worries, "Sorry Three, I can't get used to that."

"No, Lilith or Lil is fine I am used to you calling me that." Three said trying to show she was still Sharon's friend. Sharon was about to respond when the lights cut out, and both Steve and Three were looking at Sharon.

"Sub-level five. East wing." Three quickly left with Steve and Sam to find Bucky hopefully before anyone got to him. However no matter how fast they ran, it felt like they were already too late. As they ran into the east wing and stopped short at seeing the bodies of the guards. These must have been the teams stationed here or sent to check on Barnes when the power went out. Steve knelt by one, but Three already knew by looking at one that they were dead.

"Help me. Help." The voice was that of the psychologist just in the room beyond, but Three read his mind and knew he was the reason men were dead in the halls and the power was out. ' _He caused this Steve. Do not trust him. I can hear his thoughts.'_ The mental message to Steve made him move toward the man on the ground.

"Get up." When he did neither Steve pulled him to his feet and pressed him against the wall. "Who are you? What do you want?"

"To see an empire fall." He answered. The accent made Three frown she had heard a similar accent from the man in Alaska. Sokovian. Three looked around the containment module she had just moved a few steps ahead of Sam into the room when she was grabbed and thrown against the wall. She groaned as she looked up at the sound of the wall being smashed. Then Sam went flying into the containment module. Blinking a few times she looked up to see Steve rush Bucky and the two began fighting. Steve was kicked out of the room, and Three stumbled to her feet. Using her power she attacked the doctor mentally to keep him from trying anything. Once he was on his knees clutching his head she rushed out of the room and saw Steve held against the elevator.

"Bucky let him go!" Three cried as she tried to pry the metal hand off of Steve. However with one hard shove Steve was shoved through the elevator doors and dropped into the shaft below. Now alone Three jumped back releasing Bucky's arm. "Bucky it's me!" She cried, trying to avoid the metal arm. However Three could only dodge so much before the metal hand caught her by the throat. Lifted off the floor Three was shoved against the wall. _'His eyes are cold and vacant! What has that doctor done to him?!'_ Three thought.

"Bucky please! It's me...Violet.." The air was being crushed out of her, and she saw spots. Panicking she shot her hand out to his forehead and attacked his mind with the only thing that might bring him back. She showed him Tess, their daughter. All the memories she had in quick flashes. Instantly she was dropped to the floor as the man grit his teeth and squeezed his eyes shut. She watched dazed as he shook his head and left, probably assuming her dead. She tried to call out to him but couldn't. Coughing some more, Three slowly regained some air and blinked away the spots to hear Sam.

"Hey." Three looked up to see the doctor flee and regretted not frying his brain a bit more. Sam came into view and saw her. "Hey you okay?"

"Yeah... go get him." Three said gesturing to the doctor. Immediately Sam took off after him while Three slowly got to her feet and went to the elevator. "St—Steve." Three said wincing at having to use her voice.

"Here..." Steve said as he ditched his jacket and started climbing upwards. As soon as he was close enough she grabbed his hand to help him out of the elevator shaft. Soon he was pulled out. "C'mon we gotta find him before more people get hurt."

Three followed after Steve as they ran from the containment area. "Can you find him?" Steve asked.

"I caught a glimpse of his mind. He was ordered to escape but take out as many people as possible in his escape. Then use the helicopter on the roof to make a distraction so the doctor could escape." Three replied her voice croaky.

"Then that is where we're going." Steve said running for the stairs and heading upwards. The two eventually came out to a helicopter pad. Already the helicopter was taking off as they ran up the stairs and Steve rushed forward catching the landing bar. Using his strength and weight to keep the helicopter from taking off he was pulled to the edge of the platform where he grabbed the bar at the edge of the platform and kept the copter from getting far.

Three rushed up, yanked open the door and climbed into the helicopter to try and stop Bucky. She got to the cockpit to try and stop him but he shoved her back. When she got up to try again, Bucky turned the helicopter to try and kill Steve. The sharp manoeuvre sending her against the door as the 'copter was sent on it's side. Her side hurt from landing wrong but she was okay. At least Bucky wasn't flying off now. A crash from the cockpit made her look up, again Bucky held Steve by the throat. Before she could move the 'copter tipped over the side of the landing pad into the water below.

Suddenly the helicopter was flooded with water as Three forced the door and climbed out to see Steve pulling an unconscious Bucky out the window. Both shot for the surface, glad to have oxygen once more as their faces burst clear of the water.

"You know I miss the days I worked alone." Three groaned breathlessly as they swam for the shore. How Sam found them she did not know, but he was there waiting to pull them both out of the water.

* * *

 **Author's Notes:**

 **As always the first thing I want to say is thank you for all the lovely reviews. I knew a number of you would write something along these lines: 'Yes! Civil War!' I also know a lot of you have been waiting for this, so the wait is finally over. I would reply to each reviewer, but then these Author's Notes will get verrrrry long, but I can say: OVER 200 REVIEWS! WOOT! Not that I am counting... okay I am! But I love reviews, so again thank you for the 200 plus lovely reviews and I hope you love this latest chapter.**

 **As for this chapter, well Three was always heading towards the inevitable collision course with the Avengers. In previous chapters they had heard about her, seen snippets of her, or caught glimpses; but now they are face to face with her.**

 **Just some things to note or clarify. In chapter 43 Three called on the entire Shadow Network to perform a huge series of hacks on the 72 countries backed by HYDRA. That is the large portion of dirt dug up along with anything those governments do not want out in the open. It also exposes the untouchable HYDRA heads for what they are. In short she may not be able to kill those HYDRA heads, but she can make it a nightmare for them and their plans if she releases the information to the internet. However such a huge series of hacks in a short space of time meant involving everyone within the Shadow Network, so that is what Cutter and co have done. Currently they are waiting in the wings for a news announcement clearing Barnes, or they push the big red nuke button on the internet.**

 **Also the other thing to note is Three putting not just the algorithm for HYDRA, and dirt on those countries, but everything on Project Mastermind on the computer drive. I know some might ask why she has done that. It is because she knew going into that government building and being arrested she was already exposed and coming into the light. Civil War is in a way Three's coming out party just like it is for Black Panther. In knowing she would be putting herself in the lime-light she decided 'Screw it. If I am coming out, might as well have it all out in the open.' In truth it might not be what she wants, but she has never been the type to do things by half measure.**

 **Lastly I hope you all enjoyed this chapter. For me I reread it about ten times and in this case did do little adjustments because to me if felt like such a critical and important chapter. I just wanted to make sure it was nothing short of perfect. Hopefully I got it right and you all enjoy it.**

 **Please feel free to let me know what you think by leaving a review.**

 **Lesliezin**


	45. Home Away From Home

**Hello everybody,**

 **Here is Chapter 45, enjoy.**

* * *

 **August 6** **th** **, 2016**

 **Abandoned Factory in Berlin**

The group already knew staying was not an option, so Steve hot wired a car and they piled in. Three sat in the back with Bucky unconscious and his head resting in her lap. It was in this moment that she stared down at him, he looked beautiful asleep. Gently she brushed his wet hair from his face, and hoped when he woke he would be Bucky again. Part of her was scared and nervous, would he be happy to see her? It had been over a year, what if he moved on? It was a silly thought, but one that stuck at the back of her mind. However it was a question that would have to wait as Steve drove to an abandoned factory to lie low in. Once inside and to ensure everyone's safety, they trapped Bucky's metal arm in a industrial machine press. Three checked to make sure the location was secure, then headed in. She was just shutting the door when Sam called out.

"Hey Cap." The two men moved to where Bucky was.

"Steve." She heard Bucky say as she rounded the corner. He was looking at Steve, and Three moved forward eager to see him. She was just moving past Sam when he caught her wrist stopping her. Judging by Sam's thoughts he didn't want her risking herself if it wasn't the nicer version of Bucky.

"Which Bucky am I talking to?" Steve asked having the same idea.

"You're mom's name was Sarah, and you used to wear newspapers in your shoes." Bucky chuckled at the memory, then he looked around as his eyes landed on her. "Vi." He gasped and tried to move only to be stopped by the machine press.

"Can't read that in a museum." Steve said to Bucky's earlier comments.

"Just like that, we are suppose to be cool?" Sam asked. Three locked eyes with Bucky seeing the light there. His eyes were no longer vacant, and his thoughts told her he had missed her. Continuing to read his mind he wanted her in his arms, and all she wanted was to be there. Twisting her wrist lose she rushed forward and caught his face in her hands. She then pressed her lips to his in a deep passionate kiss as she knelt down in front of him. Bucky's flesh arm tangled in her hair eagerly kissing her back.

"Apparently she does." Steve said with a smile as he came forward to release Bucky's arm.

"Steve!" Sam started to warn him, but it was too late Bucky's arm was loose and wrapped around Three's waist pulling her close to him. The kiss deepened and Three knew Bucky had missed her just as much as she missed him. Eventually they had to break apart for air, and after a moment Bucky ran his hand over her face looking her over.

"I thought you were dead." The pain in his voice reminded her of what she had gone through.

"So did I." Three said blinking away tears at the memory. Bucky drew in to kiss her again, but a throat cleared reminding them that they were not alone. Both looked to a smiling Steve and an serious Sam. It had been Sam who had cleared his throat and now stood there arms crossed over his chest.

"Sorry to ruin the cute cuddly moment but in case you forgot we are on the run, remember?"

"Considering I can't forget a damn thing, no I haven't forgotten." Three replied sarcastically and giving Sam an annoyed look.

"What did I do?" Bucky asked as Three noticed he was recalling a blank spot in his memory.

"Enough." Steve said, as Three got up and sat by Bucky.

"I knew this would happen. I learned of it after a close call in the HYDRA base in Russia. Everything HYDRA put inside me is still there. All he had to do was say the goddamn words." Three closed her eyes as Bucky thought of the memory, the doctor pulled out a red book. Specific words spoken in Russian.

"Words spoken in Russian. The doctor had a red book with a star on it." Three said, "They must be trigger words spoken to... make Bucky obey. A SHIELD team I help ran into a similar problem with a HYDRA head called Whitehall, who brainwashed people to comply."

"How did you know that?" Bucky asked watching her carefully.

"I knew because you were thinking it. It's a long story." Three replied.

"Who was he?" Steve asked.

"I don't know." Bucky said looking back at Steve.

"People are dead. The bombing, the set up... The doctor did all that just to get ten minutes with you. I need you to do better than 'I don't know'." Steve said.

"He wanted to know about Siberia. Where I was kept. He wanted to know exactly where." Bucky said racking his brain for snippets of information.

"Why would he need to know that?" Steve asked.

"Because I am not the only Winter Soldier." Bucky said.

"What one wasn't enough?" Sam asked.

"One is never enough for HYDRA." Three stated, "After I escaped them, Pierce reopened Project Mastermind trying to recreate me. I had to shut it down hard, and send a clear message never to try again. If the Winter Soldier was highly valued they would do anything to create more like him."

"Sounds like HYDRA." Steve said leaning against the wall. His arms crossed over his chest, then he looked to Bucky. "Who were they?"

"The most elite death squad. More kills than anyone in HYDRA history, and that was before the serum."

"They all turn out like you?" Sam asked.

"Worse." Bucky replied.

"The doctor could he control them?" Steve asked.

"Enough."

"He said he wanted to see an empire fall." Steve said looking to Sam.

"With these guys he could do it. They speak thirty languages, can hide in plain sight... infiltrate, assassinate, destabilize. They can take a whole country down in one night." This news was not good as Sam went over to talk to Steve privately. The pair turned away and Three looked to Bucky to find him staring at her. _'Please be real.'_ He thought as he tried to memorize her face.

"I am real Bucky. I am here, and I am not leaving again." Three replied squeezing his flesh hand.

"I missed you Violet." He said brushing her hair back with his metal hand, then he frowned and gently caught her chin tilting her head back as he noticed the bruise. "I hurt you."

"No, no that wasn't you."

"Sure as hell looks like me." Bucky said his cool metal hand gently ran over the bruise soothing it a little. Feeling ashamed Bucky pulled away, and stood. Immediately Three rose with him and got in front of him.

"It wasn't you."

"I could have killed you." Bucky said, as Three pressed to him.

"But I stopped you, and you didn't. Either way it was not you... your eyes were vacant when this happened." Three said gesturing to her neck. "I know you would never hurt me Bucky."

Bucky sighed as he leaned into her hands that she placed on his cheeks. "I don't deserve a girl like you."

"Well too bad, you're stuck with me." Three said firmly, then smiled.

"Just so you know... we're right here." Sam said and Three glared back at him.

"No really? I did not notice. Ya mind? I mean we did think each other dead for over a year." Three said.

"Unfortunately we need to go. Sorry. We need to find a place to rest and figure things out." Steve said, and Three sighed.

"I know a place, we just need to get there." Three said. Long ago she memorized her safe house's locations. The Shadow Network had made them to her specifications in case she got caught out of her usual area.

"Where?" Steve asked.

"Outside Berlin, in the run down section of warehouses." Three said calmly repeating the address off the top of her head.

"Sounds good." Steve said trusting her. As they headed outside, they stole a car, but it was not ideal for four of them. Sam came to stand by the passenger side door as Three stopped and tilted her head to the side looking at the small car. "Wow ya picked the clown car to steal?"

"Hey you are tiny so it won't be that crowded." Sam teased.

"Keep telling yourself that, you forget two in our group are super soldiers and the third is a mouthy bird man." Three replied as she moved to get in, but was pulled back into Bucky's side. Since making contact with him, Bucky had been afraid to release her from his hold. "It's okay Bucky. I am not going to disappear."

Reluctantly he let go and allowed her to climb into the car behind Steve. A moment later Bucky climbed into the seat behind Sam, and pulled her against him once the doors were closed.

Steve started up the car and drove off, while Bucky held her close. Throughout the car ride Bucky kept a firm grip on her, and Three leaned into him enjoying the warmth radiating off of him. She sighed softly enjoying the beat of his heart, while his flesh hand ran through her hair. Occasionally she felt Steve peek back through the rear view mirror glad that Bucky had someone. At times Steve asked which way as they headed for the safe house. Until finally they arrived.

"Wait here." Three said and started to get out of the car, but Bucky still had a good grip on her.

"Bucky you can let go of me at times." Three said and reluctantly he did let go of her. Getting out of the car, Three came to stand at the building and waved at the camera knowing Aida monitored all the hideouts. A second later the garage door opened, and Three got back in the car. "Okay drive in, cut the engine but do not move. Aida scans for trackers as a precaution."

Steve peeked back at her but did as she asked. Inside the hideout, Steve cut the engines as scanners ran over the stolen car. Once they stopped Three said. "Alright looks like we are clear."

Getting out of the car, Three knew it was a similar layout to her hideouts in New York and Washington D.C. So she went around the partition wall to the computers. "I am glad you are safe Kat, you had me worried with this latest plan. I take it by the presence of James Barnes, Steve Rogers, and Sam Wilson that you are hiding from the authorities."

"That is correct Aida." Three replied as she came up to the computers, and began typing into them. The hideout being one she had never been to before meant she had to activate some of the systems."Any news?"

"Well you and your new friends are all over the news. Not the best way to reveal your existence to the world" Aida replied, "Also the deadline approaches and still no pardon for James Barnes has been issued." Three sighed as Aida called up the time left on one of the screens. Fifteen hours, twenty-four minutes and three seconds left.

"Yes well Cutter knows what to do if no public apology for their mistake is made." Three said casually. Then looked back at her guests looking around shocked by the set up.

"I think there was a lot you left out." Sam said finally looking at her.

"Well I had limited time and sorry but there are some things I was simply not going to tell some politician." The confused look made her add. "Ross, Sharon's boss. Not to mention King T'Challa was not really willing to listen to facts. His thoughts said as much..."

"You never mentioned one of your friends was an AI." Steve said frowning.

"Yes she is an AI, and she was created years before Stark's not so brilliant idea." Three said with an eye roll, "She is also nothing like Ultron."

"How so?" Steve asked sceptical.

"Because Stark did the rookie dumbass move, the move that is in every science fiction movie and book—he didn't think it through." Three said folding her arms across her chest and turned leaning against the counter to face Steve. "I remember I was watching this show about Artificial Intelligence and the pros and cons of it. What was funny was in every scenario the AI is given an impossible task, one it simply will never be able to complete. Tell me did Stark not give Ultron an impossible task?"

"So you're saying you didn't give Aida a task?" Sam asked catching on.

"Nope not a one. She was never given any task at all. I simply created her and let her decide for herself what she wanted. She could have easily left the moment I activated her decided humanity was beneath her. Instead she asked me why, and I was honest with her."

"Why did you create her then?" Steve asked.

"In truth I was lonely. It was before I met Sharon or Peggy when I was on my own, and I wanted someone HYDRA couldn't kill." Three said. "Later she found out what I did against HYDRA and joined me. She also helped me create the algorithm we use to locate HYDRA agents." Three added.

"In other words Steve you can relax she isn't like Ultron." Bucky said, "She is really nice."

This got Steve looking at Bucky surprised. "You know her?"

"A lot happened in Russia." Bucky said with a shrug.

"I am glad that there is no issue with my being an AI, though I did really want to force Stark into bankruptcy after his little stunt with Ultron. He should have known better." Aida added.

"Yep but if we had bankrupt him, he wouldn't be able to fly around in those metal onesies." Three teased.

"Which is the only thing saving him from my wrath." Aida replied her tone almost teasing. "However on a more serious note, some of our other friends have called for you. Daisy has been most persistent despite the situation I told her you were in."

"Alright I will have to call her back." Three said looking for the drawer that held electronics. Every place had extra phones and tablets. Three got four phones and tablets out of the drawer. She broke open the packages and put them on charge, in all she put a phone on for Steve, Sam, Bucky, and herself. Looking back at the three men, Three noticed Bucky looking over the board of known HYDRA members. The boards back home had red marker marks to show what ones had been eliminated, but this board had no such markings. He was looking at the picture of Pierce. "Once the phones are charged I will change them to off network phones. Then you guys can use them. Don't worry tracing them is impossible."

Steve moved over by Bucky to take in the board of pictures. He recognized some of them, but others were unknown to him. Sam move around the computers to the mats and punching bags. Finally Sam sighed and turned back to Three. "Nice place you got here."

"Heh, wait till you see the rest of it. I'll give you a grand tour in a minute. I am just activating the sensors, this hideout has never been used before."

"This hideout?" Sam asked.

"It is built off of the original set up I have in New York. I have hideouts in many locations often outside major cities. Mostly in case HYDRA locates one, I can relocate." Three said casually getting a number of looks. Then she finished typing. "And we're live. Aida it's all yours."

Three stepped away from the computers letting the AI take over. "Now this place has a basement complete with a shooting range, arsenal and escape route." Three started as the three guys followed her. She neared the back where there was a door to the right leading to the basement, and one of the left leading upstairs. She pointed out the basement, then opened the door and took them upstairs. "This is the kitchen, living room, and bedrooms. Each bedroom has a bathroom. Upstairs is my bedroom. There uh should be frozen and canned food with a long shelf life, since we need to keep a low profile and all. Feel free to look around, I'll see about getting us something to eat."

Fresh food like vegetables and dairy products were out, but Three went to the freezer to see what her associates left. There was some frozen microwave meals, frozen vegetables, some meats, and some frozen garlic breads. Then she went to the cupboards to see what there was in the way of tinned foods. Someone in the Shadow network bought six tins of Ravioli. _'Italian it is then.'_ Three thought as she pulled out four of the tins. She emptied them into a pan to heat them, then turned on the oven and put the garlic bread in to cook it. Peeking out she saw Sam watching the news while Steve and Bucky talked off to the side. No doubt the long time friends had a lot to talk about, and Three sighed. She never really got the chance to talk to Sharon, and knew her best friend had wanted to say more.

Remembering the brief time with Sharon earlier that day, Three decided a coffee sounded great. As with anything there was plenty of coffee in the cupboard, but Three held her breath as she looked around the small cupboard in the corner. Seeing the familiar looking bottle she grinned. "Yes Thank you Cutter!"

Pulling the bottle of Amaretto out she decided to make herself some coffee, but her soft cheer did not go unnoticed. The two super soldiers came to sit at the bar counter and see what she was doing. While Three poured herself a mug of coffee, Steve picked up the bottle and looked at it. "Don't sweat it Cap, I am not going to get drunk. You just add a little to the coffee to make it taste awesome."

"Sharon mentioned it earlier." Steve said as he offered the bottle to her, and she took it. Twisting the cap she poured some into her mug.

"Yeah funny story behind it." Three admitted then stirred in some condensed milk since there was no other type of milk there.

"Go ahead let's hear it." Steve said.

"Well we had been going to this cafe for six months. It was a favourite spot for us to go to because we both love our coffees. However one of the times we went they had this new flavoured coffee called Cinnamon Caramel Amaretto. We decided to try it, and it was literally the worst tasting coffee ever! Over sugared to the point of being sickly sweet. We could hardly stand it, but being us we challenged each other to drink as much of it as we could. Afterwords we felt ill and anything sweet made our stomachs turn, we ended up going back to her place just to sit on the couch. After that Sharon swore off Amaretto flavouring. Said it made her feel woozy." Three said as she stirred the ravioli and drank her coffee. All the while both super soldiers were trying to imagine the scene she described.

"In fact she started avoiding Cinnamon and Caramel flavoured coffees too. So one day I got a small bottle of Amaretto to try out and when I went over to watch some movies with her I made a pot of coffee. Now if you ask her she will say I was pulling a prank, I wasn't! I just... slipped some into her mug was all. Besides I put some in my mug too!" By then Steve was smiling, and Bucky was trying to keep from laughing.

"She drank some, and so did I. We both found it to be really good, so Sharon asked me what I did. I said: 'If I tell you will you promise not to get mad?' She began imagining the worst, and I kept telling her it isn't anything bad. Finally she said: 'Lil? Remember how Aunt Peggy said she could be really scary? Well if you don't tell me what you did to my coffee, you will find out how scary I can be!' Finally I told her it is just some Amaretto and even showed her the bottle."

"How did she take it?"

"She was stunned at first, then I got hit with a pillow." Three laughed a little at memory, "Apparently she thought I added something horrible and my reluctance to tell her was proof of it. After that though we started adding it every time, even found it better than the café's coffee. Of course I had to tease her after that incident. I kept asking her if she was sure it was Amaretto she was adding. One time I asked that and she asked: 'Are you sure you don't want me to hit you?' After that though it just became a type of tradition."

Steve smiled as Three dished up the now hot food. "Anyway hope you guys like Italian, I usually go for Chinese but no fresh ingredients."

"Nah this is fine. Thanks." Steve said as Sam joined them and they ate the simple meal.

After eating, Three put her bowl in the sink. "I'll go see about those phones. They should be charged enough."

Heading downstairs Three left them to look around while she checked the phones. Grabbing them she did as she normally did and plugged them into the computer programming them to run without a network. She heard someone come up behind her but finished up before turning her chair to face Steve. "Here you go phone with no pay plan and no being traced." Three said as she tossed him the phone and he caught it.

"I can call anybody on this?" Steve asked.

"Sure. Who you gonna call?" Three asked.

"Sharon." Steve said then blushed, "I sort of memorized her number from when you put it in my contacts." The response made Three laugh a little.

"So it takes the threat of an insane doctor bent on seeing an empire fall for you to call her. Bad Steve." Three said.

"I called her before when you were in Russia." Steve defended then added, "I'll also call Clint Barton. We will need all the help we can get." Steve added.

"Yeah speaking of friends I should call my other friends." Three said taking up one of the phones, and dialling Daisy's number. Steve did the same and moved into the garage to give each other mutual privacy. "Hey Daisy, heard you have been trying to reach me. What's up?"

" _Finally, I have been trying to get a hold of you since yesterday."_

"Yeah sorry about that been busy. Seen the news? I've found Bucky."

" _That is great news, Kat; but I need your help."_

"I can't Daisy. I am sorry, but I am not even state-side."

" _Where are you? We can come and get you."_

"No, it is too dangerous right now, Daisy. Look I will try to get back as soon as possible, but right now I can't."

" _Okay. Stay safe out there."_ Daisy said sounding disappointed as she hung up, and Three sighed. Then frowned Daisy usually came out with the reason for needing help. This time she was too vague. Why did the SHIELD agents have the worst timing? She was just turning when the phone rang again the caller ID said Coulson. Since the phone was off network, Aida must have patched in her old contacts to her new phone.

"Tag teaming is unfair, you know that right?" Three said when she answered.

" _Kat! Tell me you are safe, tell me you have not met with Daisy!"_ Three frowned at the urgent tone in Coulson's voice.

"What is this about, Coul-"

" _Daisy has been compromised, she is not herself."_

The news shocked Three then after a moment replied. "Alright explain."

" _The thing Ward is, we have started calling it Hive. It infected her, and it infects Inhumans. Has Daisy contacted you?"_

"Yes I talked to her just a minute ago. She wanted my help, but I told her I am not even in the States."

" _Good stay away, I don't want you swayed too."_ Coulson replied.

"Swayed?"

" _That is what we are calling those under Hive's control."_

"How did this happen?!"

" _She and the other Inhumans from the Secret Warriors Initiative came to rescue us."_ Coulson said as he went into further detail on what the SHIELD team had been up to. When they got to the Agricultural company owned by Transia, they encountered and captured the Inhuman telekinetic Giyera. Sadly things went south and they ended up being taken to one of Malick's headquarters in the Netherlands. They were able to lock themselves in a storage room, but May was injured. The Secret Warriors consisting of Daisy, Lincoln, Elena, and Joey came to rescue them and capture Malick. Sadly Daisy at some point encountered Hive and was infected. She also killed Malick according to what Coulson told her.

"What is being done to rescue her?" Three asked pacing back and forth.

" _We are working on it, but... Fitz says she is drugged. Addicted to him, Hive makes Inhumans want to serve him."_ Coulson replied sounding utterly disgusted.

"My god." Three breathed concerned about the situation she left back in the States, and worried about Daisy.

" _You must stay away, Kat. For your safety as well as ours. We cannot risk you being swayed too."_ Coulson said firmly, _"_ _Besides Aida mentioned that you found Bucky and it sounds like you have your hands full."_

"Yeah I did," Three gave a short humourless laugh. "Not like I am going to be around anyway. I am also helping a mutual friend... handsome blonde with a sweet looking round shield. Remember him?"

" _Say Hi to him for me."_

"Really and ruin your surprising him?"

" _Good point, for now good luck. I'll let you know when the coast is clear."_ Coulson said hanging up, and Three sighed as she looked down at her phone saddened by the terrible timing of everything.

"Problems?" Bucky asked and Three turned noticing Steve beside him, both were leaning against the wall.

"More than one, but nothing can be done about it." Three sighed, "The group of SHIELD agents I mentioned earlier that I help, they have a new problem. It's mostly terrible timing, and an Inhuman able to control other Inhumans. I have been warned to stay away, but Daisy is under this Inhuman's control." Three looked down at her phone, "Hopefully they can save her."

"Sounds like you have been busy." Bucky replied.

"Yeah well they were helping me look for you, so I help them out too." Three replied then looked to Steve. "Any luck?"

"Yeah Sharon is going to meet us under an overpass outside of town with our gear. Tomorrow morning." Steve said.

"Laid on that 1940s charm, did ya? Poor Sharon never stood a chance." Three replied making Steve blush, then he cleared his throat. "I also called Clint, he is picking up Wanda and Sam's friend. They'll meet us tomorrow at the airport."

Three nodded, and Steve suddenly felt he needed to give them a moment alone. Once he was gone Three heard Bucky chuckle. _'I had hoped Steve would like my girl.'_ The thought made Three smile up at him.

"So I am still your girl." Three asked hopeful.

"How are you doing that?" Bucky asked, so Three explained about her exposure to the Terrigen mist and gaining her abilities. She also explained all of her abilities and how she attacked his mind when he was not himself. Though she was vague on just what she attacked his mind with, somehow telling him she attacked his mind with images of their daughter did not sound like the best way to say 'You're a father'. Yet Bucky frowned as he only remembered snippets of what happened after the doctor said the key words. It was perhaps for that reason that Bucky did not ask about Tess. However no sooner did Three guess that was the reason, that was when Bucky's frown deepened as he recalled the briefest image of a smiling dark haired Tess. There was still a large chunk of his memory missing, but the image his mind lingered on trying to figure out who she was. After a moment though he sighed and gave up saying. "You've been very busy."

"Yeah, and you?" Three asked. "Where have you been hiding?"

"Believe me I was never hiding from you doll..." Bucky said smiling at her then sighed looking down ashamed. "When we were in the Russian facility and got separated. One of the officers started saying the same words the doctor did, and it triggered the memory. I knew immediately what those words meant and what would happen if he finished."

Three stiffened as she realised he had come close to being under HYDRA's influence once more. "Luckily it didn't come to that, I got to him before he could finish the words. After that though I knew going after HYDRA would be too dangerous for both of us."

The way he said it made Three suck in a breath. "You hid from me?"

"Please believe me I wanted to find you, but I also had to be careful of HYDRA. I didn't want to put you in danger." Bucky said, but how else was she to take this information.

"You bastard! I searched for you for over a year! I needed you! You have no idea what I went through-"

"Let me finish!" Bucky yelled, then sighed ashamed to be arguing with her just after finding her. "When the base blew... I had remembered seeing an tunnel at the other end of the base. I didn't check where it went until I was trying to escape. It opened out overlooking a waterfall, though it was pretty high up. Figured it was my only chance so I jumped just as the base blew. I woke up downriver at night. By the time I got back... the Avengers and HYDRA were fighting over the area. I knew you wouldn't be there, but I sure as hell hoped you weren't there when it blew. According to new reports the entire mountain was in flames."

Bucky sighed as he ran his hand through his hair. "I went back to the old locations we had been at trying to find you, but as I said I had to be careful. If the code words were spoken I would be back with HYDRA. I kept my searches discrete, listened for anything on you, but when nothing came up... I lost hope. I'm sorry."

"You gave up looking..." Three said softly now understanding.

"After seven months of looking. After that I figured I had best stay off of HYDRA's radar." Three nodded now regretting getting so upset as she fished in her jean's pocket for the dog tags. Coming forward she held them up.

"You lost these."

"Where did you get those?" Bucky asked surprised to see the tags.

"Steve had them, he gave them to me back at the Berlin facility. I think he found them when he was looking for you." Three explained as she handed them back to him. She then looked down ashamed, she had yet to tell Bucky about Tess. She wanted to blurt it out, but it felt wrong given the situation. She wanted to sit him down and explain it gently not shock him senseless. But it also felt wrong not to tell him, and so she had an internal debate going on inside her. Then she thought about giving him Tess' drawing, but remembered the drawing was in the hidden compartment of her suit's belt. Hopefully no one had found the drawing, and Sharon had gotten to their gear first. Bucky must have seen something was wrong as he came forward.

"Hey," His voice was soft as he gently cupped her face, and made her look at him. "We are together now. You have to know I would do anything to be with you."

"It's not that. I know you would, but there is something I need to tell you I-" Three was about to blurt the words out when Sam called out.

"Hey where is the-" A second later he came around the partition and stopped short seeing he caught the love birds once more. "Oh sorry, never mind I'll figure it out."

The interruption had her rethinking telling Bucky because who knew when they would be interrupted again. Instead she was suddenly afraid to talk about it. She noticed Bucky glare after Sam had left, so she spoke up. "I'm going to take a shower."

Before Bucky could react she quickly left and headed up stairs to her room leaving a confused Bucky behind. Going to the third floor where her room was, it was a similar set up to her place in New York. She found in the drawer a black silk bathrobe and nightdress. Taking them into the bathroom, Three stripped off her clothes and stepped into the shower. Immediately she moaned softly enjoying the hot spray on her skin as she washed her hair and ran the soap sponge over her body.

It felt nice to be clean once more, it also helped her to relax and think about how she should tell Bucky about Tess. She then looked down at herself trying to see if her body had changed to where Bucky would notice a difference. She was still slim and curvy, but nothing that screamed she bore a child. She ran her hands over her flat stomach trying to feel a difference, but there was nothing.

Eventually the water grew cold, and Three stepped out drying herself off and slipping on the items she took from the drawer. Coming out of the bathroom she was still drying her hair when she looked up to find Bucky sitting on her bed. He had obviously had a shower as his dark hair was still wet, but Three felt her heart skip beats as she took in the fact he was shirtless, and in only his tight jeans. Talk about eye candy, however he too was looking her up and down.

"You took off rather fast." Bucky said after a minute, and Three struggled to find words. When no words came he rose from the bed, and Three could only stare gaping at him as he came closer.

"I...I just have a lot on my mind and-" Three gasped as she was pressed against the wall, and Bucky pressed against her.

"I have been without you for so long, I don't want to be without you again." The words from Bucky made Three shiver as he gently caught her chin in his flesh hand and tilted her head up so that he could kiss her. The moment their lips touched, Three moaned and ran her hands over his smooth well muscled chest. In seconds the kiss went from light to fierce as desire took over, and Bucky grabbed her thighs lifting her against the wall. Her hands slide back up and tangled in his wet hair. Suddenly she felt like she was on fire as she clung to him and couldn't stand for her lips to part from his. When their lips finally did part Three was breathless.

"Bucky..." Three pleaded wanting to kiss him again, and he obliged her kissing her deeply. Right then she could care less if she was out of oxygen she never wanted to stop. Again he had to pull away and allow them to catch their breaths. As his hands slide under her robe and nightgown. The feeling of cold metal and a hot hand made Three gasp softly. Without thinking she spoke. "I will never let anyone or anything part us again. I need you."

"I need you too doll. Being without you has been pure hell." Bucky said as he kissed her deeply again. The next thing she knew was he turned away carrying her to the bed where he laid her down and leaned over her. As he pressed to her she felt how much he wanted her and trembled as he ran his flesh hand up between her legs. She blushed as he discovered her without panties and the effect he had on her. His fingers ran over her making her gasp and arch her back as if struck by electricity.

When his fingers left her she opened her eyes partly to see him undoing his jeans. She bit her bottom lip as she watched him dazed. Then seemed to realize what was about to happen as Bucky pressed back against her. Her hands gently pressed against his shoulders to stop him. "Bucky wait, please."

"What is it?"

"Condom." Three replied then took a moment to breath and think, after getting pregnant she contacted Cutter to have them in the hideouts in case she found Bucky. She instructed they be put in the drawer by her bed. Three looked up to the drawer. "They're in the drawer."

 _'Hmm more insistent on protection this time.'_ Bucky thought, then remembered faintly images and flashes of a little girl. He tried to remember where they came from, but it was elusive. Three swallowed hard as she knew where the images came from. They came from her when Bucky was not himself and she attacked his mind with them. Instead Bucky shook his head and reached past her to the drawer for a condom. She felt relief that he did not ask why, and instead tore one open to use.

As he was putting one on Three struggled to get out of her robe and nightdress. She mostly got out of her robe with one of her arms still caught in the sleeve. However Bucky pressed her back down onto the bed unwilling to wait for her to strip. Instead he was kissing her again and the eagerness and desire turned the kiss passionate, and then there was a rip of fabric _'Well there goes my night dress.'_ Three thought as she lay naked beneath him, then he was pushing into her.

She cried out when he started to enter her. _'He is bigger than I remember.'_ Three heard Bucky chuckle and realized she had sent that thought to him by accident. He was trying to ease into her, which was driving her insane. As she wrapped her arms about him and ran her nails down his back. Unable to take the slow torture any longer she bucked her hips against him as he pushed in even more. It was like an invitation had been issued as Bucky began pushing in deeper, and she felt stretched to the breaking point. Watching her carefully he drew back before pushing back in, and Three gasped as she held onto him.

Bucky was trying to take it slow and savour this, but she was too much. She wanted him and didn't want to take things slow. As if the time apart had made them desperate for contact, Bucky lost the battle quickly and began pushing in and out of her faster and harder. Both of them could hear the whirling gears of his metal hand as he gripped the pillow and was quickly destroying it. As if sensing him holding back Three adjusted her hips wanting more. "Don't hold back Bucky."

Three had gasped out as she read his mind and knew what he wanted. Being a mind reader she moved to make it more pleasurable for them. Soon Bucky was unable to hold back as he gripped her and lifted her from the bed onto his lap. She gave another cry as it felt like she was being impaled on him, but only gripped his shoulders. Holding her close Bucky was kissing her neck and going lower as they moved together. It felt like they could go on forever, but the building of pleasure inside her was about to boil over as Bucky started going even faster and harder. Then it was too much she cried out feeling a flood of pleasure. "Oh Bucky!"

Still dizzy and in the thralls of pleasure, Three was vaguely aware that Bucky continued to thrust into her until he jerked. If not for the condom Three would have felt a flood of hot liquid inside her. Instead she knew she had pleased him by his thoughts and actions. For a moment Three just watched him dazed as he laid her back on the bed and began leaving a trail of kisses from her lips to her chest.

She whined and protested when he pulled out of her making him chuckle. "Didn't want me to leave doll?"

"No, is it terrible of me to say I never want you to go?" Three asked making him smile at her as he brushed her hair back from her face. "Because I would love to just stay in bed with you for a week or two."

Seeing Bucky smile was wonderful, as he laid down and pulled her to him. She rested her head on his chest while her free hand ran over his bare chest. The pair laid that way for a while until their eyes grew heavy and they fell asleep.

* * *

 **August 7th, 2016**

 **Outside Berlin**

Three moaned softly as she stretched wondering if she dreamt of Bucky, however in the next moment she realized she hadn't. It was all real as she heard the steady thump of a heart beat and felt the familiar pleasant aches from what they had done. The heat of a warm chest, and a warm hand brushed back her hair. She inhaled deeply enjoying the smell of him, and her hand run over his chest. In response the metal arm tightened around her waist and she heard his soft chuckle when she sighed contentedly. "Sounds like someone is happy this morning."

Three smiled as she nuzzled his chest and moaned. "You know I would be overjoyed if you wanted to take advantage of my naked state."

The laugh from Bucky made her peek up at him through long lashes. He was about to say something when a knock came from downstairs at the door to this level. "Bucky? Kat? You guys in there? We need to get going."

"Damn it Steve you have the worst timing." Kat groaned.

"We'll be right down. Just give us ten minutes." Bucky called out, then caught Three's chin. "He means well. We still need to stop the doctor."

"I know..." Three replied pouting and making Bucky chuckle before kissing her deeply. When he finally released her lips Bucky sighed.

"Come on doll. We've got time for a quick shower." Bucky said getting up, and Three followed suit. The pair took a quick shower together despite how difficult it was to see each other and not do anything else. Instead Three found herself getting dressed alongside Bucky in the same clothes they wore yesterday. Sadly the hideouts were not really stocked with men's clothes, and so to avoid feeling bad Three stuck with her current clothes too. Putting on her hiking boots the pair headed downstairs to meet Steve and Sam.

"So...I take it you two had a lovely rest." Sam said with a knowing smile, and Steve tried to hide his smile. Three blushed as she headed for the coffee machine. She poured Bucky and herself a coffee and was adding condensed milk and sugar to hers as Sam continued to tease them. "What no kiss and tell?"

"Careful Wilson or you will be wearing this coffee." Bucky warned wanting to defend Three's honour.

"Oh okay Mr. Knight-in-shining-amour." Sam said holding up his hands in surrender. Three smiled at them and checked the cupboards for what they could have for breakfast. It looked like Sam and Steve had already opened some tins and made themselves something to eat. Finding the correct tins Three looked back at Bucky.

"I can do us a pour man's stew..." Three said as she grabbed a tin of hotdogs and whole corn. However the tin of baked beans was just out of reach. She tried standing on her tip toes and even jumped for them until a hand reached up and took the tin out for her. Looking back she expected Bucky, but it was Steve. "Oh thanks Steve."

"No problem I know what it is like to be too short."

"Ha Ha, funny." Three replied knowing she was being teased for being smaller.

"Don't sweat it doll, you may be shorter but you pack a huge punch." Bucky replied winking at her. Three blushed a little as she opened the tins, cut up the hot dogs and poured it all into a pot. She heated it stirring the ingredients until it was nice and hot then poured it into bowls with some left over if Sam or Steve wanted some. Leaning on the counter Three ate across from Bucky with Steve on her left and Sam on Bucky's right. It was strange having breakfast with two Avengers and the former Winter Soldier, but Three found it to be oddly freeing to be herself around them.

No sooner did she finish her breakfast, Three received a beeping notice and checked her phone. The deadline for the UN to correct their mistake had been reached and still no pardon. Apparently they thought her joking about her threat. She sighed, she had not wanted to release that information as it meant exposing herself as well. Exposure was unavoidable since entering the government building in the UN, her picture was already plastered all over the news stations alongside Rogers, Wilson, and Barnes. Still to have Project Mastermind out and in the open? It felt like a spotlight was on her exposing her to everyone! _'Well I was going to be exposed anyway. Why not go whole hog and let everything out in the open?'_ Three thought, not regretting the decision as she spoke. "Aida has Cutter and the others uploaded the information to the net?"

"Yes, it is already trending." Aida replied.

"Please hack Everett Ross' phone and send him a message."

"Very well what message should I send?"

"Tell him that I do not make idle threats and to check the internet." Three said coldly as she took a drink of her coffee. The room was eerily quiet until Steve spoke up.

"You didn't want to release that information."

"I knew stepping into that building and being arrested I was coming out of the shadows. The world would know about me weather I wished it or not. I had hoped probably in vain that the UN would step up and do the right thing. Sadly politicians as near as I can tell never do the right thing unless pushed. The way I had it figured was break into the building and be arrest. Limited exposure. But I knew if they didn't step up and pardon Bucky I would embarrass them. They wouldn't tolerate that though, and so rather than have them spin their own tale about me... the Nuclear option. I embarrass the shit out of them, but also blow the lid on Project Mastermind denying them their petty revenge." A spoon dropped harshly into a bowl as Bucky stared at her shocked than angry.

"You did what?!"

"I gave the UN twenty-four hours to examine the blurred photographs and determine it wasn't you. Then they were to hold a press conference apologising for falsely accusing you of the UN bombing. If they didn't, I would do it for them and embarrass them while doing it. Proof it wasn't you along with project mastermind and dirt on seventy-two countries would be released to the internet. They failed to make that public apology, so I upheld my promise to embarrass them." Three said calmly, but Bucky looked more angry.

"You released details on the Mastermind project?! HYDRA will know you are alive Vi!" Bucky yelled not happy at all by her actions.

"What little is left of HYDRA, and trust me I don't intend for them to survive long!" Three replied, "Besides what else was I suppose to do let you take the blame for some other asshole?!"

"If it means keeping you safe, yes!"

"I am more than capable of taking care of myself James Barnes!" Three retorted thoroughly offended.

"Capable of being stupid too apparently!" Bucky said, "You didn't think this through did you?! What do you think this will mean?! Any of HYDRA left will be hunting for you just as they're hunting for me!"

"And yet thus far they have not gotten even close to me!" Throughout the entire argument Steve and Sam looked to one another and were unsure of what to say.

"Can you not see the danger you put yourself in?! Going public like that?! And for what?! To clear my name of one crime when I have an entire list?!" Bucky asked hating that she could put herself in this much danger.

"You didn't do anything HYDRA did! And by now you should know I would do anything for you!" Three replied shocking Bucky, as soon as the words were out she was blushing a deep red. Drinking the last of her coffee she grabbed her phone and headed downstairs wanting to be alone. Once alone on the ground floor, Three paced angrily until she decided she needed to hit something. She ended up at the punching bag in the corner. With gloves on she unleashed hell on the bag trying to vent her anger.

Why was it such a big deal anyway? She had hidden away most of her life, the truth had to come out sooner or later. So why not now? Her fists flew faster at the punching bag wishing it was the doctor she was hitting for causing this mess. _'But would I have ever found Bucky if he hadn't? Would I still think him dead?'_ Three wondered. Again she was too caught up in her own thoughts to notice someone coming up behind her. Steve's voice behind her made her nearly jump out of her own skin as she looked back. He was offering her a light reassuring smile as he went behind the punching bag to hold it for her. "Go ahead."

"Thanks." Three said after a moment of being shocked. She resumed punching the bag to vent her anger. For a few minutes both were quiet until Steve spoke again.

"You know he just wants to protect you, right?"

"I. Don't. Need. Protection." Three said each word as she punched.

"Obviously, but it doesn't mean he will stop trying." Steve offered.

"You think he would be a bit more grateful though. I was trying to clear his name, and did he honestly expect me to keep on hiding away for the rest of my life?!" Three said after pausing in her punching. Frustrated, she resumed punching that much harder.

"I just don't think he expected you to reveal yourself to the world the way you did, and he is worried about what that might mean now." Steve said gently, Three sighed as she leaned against the punching bag.

"In truth Steve I am sick of hiding, even at Peggy's funeral I had to wear a colour clip and avoid Sharon. I was never allowed to tell Sharon the full truth, and when I gave Peggy the serum? I told her she had to pretend she didn't know me, and I could never see her again. My own family I had to wait two years to visit their graves. And it wasn't like I didn't think this out.. I promised Four he nor the others would ever be forgotten."

"Hey I understand," Steve said, "What you did was very brave."

"Yeah? Wanna inform Bucky? I think he missed that." Three replied annoyed.

"No we got it loud and clear that you did it for him." Steve said smiling. Remembering that she yelled she would do anything for Bucky made Three blush.

"Yeah I know I am pathetic."

"No you're not. You love him that's all." Steve said smiling at her making her chuckle a little.

"Yeah well I guess Sharon and I are suckers for super soldiers from the 1940s." Three replied gaining a raised questioning brow from Steve. "Oh c'mon Rogers, Sharon is going to meet us in a couple of hours with our gear under a bridge. Risking all in the process by helping us, and... you are oblivious to the way you turn her to goo with that smile of yours."

Immediately Steve was smiling and blushing as he tried to think of what to say, so she added quickly. "Please for the love of all that is good in the world, please! Make a move. I am begging you, she can hate me for the rest of her days but please do something."

"Alright alright." Steve laughed still blushing at the idea Sharon was interested in him, "But I don't think Sharon hates you."

Three would have argued the last part, but foot steps indicated that their companions were coming down the stairs. It was time to get to the task at hand.

* * *

 **Author's Notes:**

 **First off thank you for the lovely reviews. I am so glad that everybody enjoyed the latest chapter.**

 **HeeHee I am also glad Fin-Fish Jun-Tenshi caught what I did there. I had thought about mentioning it in the last Author's Notes, but then thought I'd wait and see if anyone else noticed. Martin Freeman is such a great actor so I gave little nods to two of his other roles as Bilbo Baggins (The Hobbit films) and John Watson (Sherlock television series.)**

 **I also forgot to mention this in the last A/N but am glad ScaredFox kind of reminded me of it when mentioning the idea that T'Challa and others knowing Barnes is innocent might change events. Unfortunately for Three and the others the whole incident where they escaped happened before the pictures could be proven accurate. Now the focus for ones like Ross is on recapturing Barnes, Three, Rogers, and Wilson. So not many are paying too much attention to the results for the photos. Later perhaps they will look back and see that the pictures are one-hundred percent genuine, and wish they had not ignored the evidence so out of hand.**

 **Anyway I am loving the great reviews!**

 **As for this chapter the stuff to note...**

 **I had noticed before some complaints about Civil War and their time jumping. I am not one of those people, I loved the movie. But as I was writing this some time ago I figured Rogers, Wilson and Barnes had to have had a place to lie low while Clint got the rest of their team together. Which allowed for me to write in the whole Hideout scene. Plus I thought it would be a lot of fun to have Three hang out with them before the next big movie fight.**

 **I also know some might be concerned with Three not telling Bucky about Tess. Let me be clear, Three does want to tell Bucky but she doesn't want to just blurt it out. Hence her almost telling him. As for Bucky he is aware of the image of Tess, but unaware of where the image came from or who it is.**

 **Lastly for those Agents of SHIELD fans yes we got Three talking to them, but just something to note about the phone calls itself. She never fully says the name Coulson because Steve might have overheard that, and to him Coulson is a long dead SHIELD agent. However for reference purposes the episode that is currently taking place while Three is with Bucky, Steve, and Sam is: Season 3 episode 18 'The Singularity'. While it is not relevant to what is going on with Three, because she was hanging out with the agents of SHIELD it felt required that Coulson warn her away to avoid Hive infecting her too.**

 **Anyway please let me know what you think of this latest chapter. I hope to hear from you in the reviews.**

 **Lesliezin**


	46. Making Friends, and Infuriating People

**Hello everyone,**

 **Here is Chapter 46, enjoy.**

* * *

 **August 6** **th** **, 2016**

 **Hideout. in Berlin**

As the group were ready to go Three left the punching bag. She was removing her gloves while Steve came around the partition and headed towards the garage. The atmosphere was certainly different after Bucky and Three's argument. It was partly why Three pointedly ignored Bucky as he watched her gather some equipment together: phones, notepads, chargers, and some survival packs.

Eventually they piled into the car with Steve driving. Sadly, unlike yesterday there seemed to be this division between her and Bucky to the point where he didn't pull her close. Instead she turned her body away to look out the window as they drove from the safe house to meet with Sharon. It felt like the longest drive ever until they pulled up under the bridge to find Sharon waiting and Steve got out to meet her.

"Not sure you understand the concept of a getaway car." Sharon said, making Three chuckle.

"It's low profile." Steve defended, and Three thought to both of them. _'Still a clown car.'_ Both looked at Three in the back seat with Bucky as Sharon opened the trunk. The two continued to talk but more lightly probably to avoid further mental comments.

"Can you move your seat up?" Bucky asked coldly.

"No." Sam said icily making Three wonder if they were at each other's throats because of this morning's argument. However rather then think too much of her arguing with Bucky, Three opted for watching Sharon who looked their way as Bucky slide over towards her. The close proximity made Three shift uncomfortably as she pressed to the door. Still she felt the heat of his body against hers. In the next moment she trembled as Bucky pressed closer to her. She tried to focus on Steve and Sharon. After a moment Steve came closer to Sharon and pulled her in to kiss her. Three grinned at seeing the pair kissing at long last.

"Alright Steve!" Three said approving. The pair stayed together for a moment as they chatted until Steve released her and Sharon awkwardly stepped back before moving past him. Steve looked back to find three grinning people in the car. However before he could move Sharon called his name then peeked at the car as she said something. Steve nodded than looked at Three.

 _'She wants to talk to you Kat.'_ The thought from Steve suddenly made Three nervous. "It's okay she wants to talk to me." Pulling away from Bucky, Three got out of the car and came over to Sharon. Steve busied himself moving their gear to the trunk of the clown car. Afterwords he got back in the car and watched Sharon and Kat talking.

"Couldn't help but notice a similarity between those two, and well you two." Sam said as he watched them. Steve looked over at Sam for a moment then back at Bucky before turning back to watch Sharon and Three.

* * *

"Hey," Three said as she dipped her hands in her Jeans pockets.

"This isn't how I imagined seeing you again would go. Back at the facility we never got a real moment to talk." Sharon admitted.

"Figured you wouldn't want a thing to do with me after what you found out. I am not exactly giving off the cute nurse vibe these days." Three said.

"No you're not," Sharon admitted, "But when I was in Russia looking for you Steve pointed something out that kept me from giving up."

"Yeah and what is that? Aside from his stellar good looks." Three asked teasingly, and making Sharon laugh a little before growing serious again.

"That you were more real with Peggy and I because you wanted to be part of our lives." The comment made Three stop and think as Sharon watched her for a moment. Then Three sighed as she peeked back at Steve before looking at Sharon.

"He's been getting tips from Romanoff." Three looked down trying to organise her thoughts as she spoke, "Throughout my time with you and Peggy. I always tried not to lie. Sometimes that was unavoidable, other times I would give just enough information for you to draw your own conclusions without resorting to lying. Mainly that happened when I would talk about my past. The rest of the time, I could relax and be something approaching normal."

"So it was all a lie..." Sharon said softly as Three looked up.

"No, I could be myself around you and Peggy. I didn't need to hide away like I had for years. Were there parts I had to lie about... yes. Did I like lying to you and Peggy? Hell fucking no! But the alternative was risking yours and Peggy's life. While I did lie about a lot of things the more important parts were real..."

"Like?" Sharon asked.

"Like trying to get you ice skating, you looked like a baby giraffe trying to stand up." Three replied laughing a little.

"I hated you for that, I kept falling on my ass." Sharon replied trying to keep from laughing, "What about coffee?"

"Love the stuff, and am an actual coffee fiend." Both shared a laugh, then Three grew serious again. "I never lied or pretended to be someone else around you. Ice-skating, coffee at the Cafe, sneaking cinnamon buns into the care home, hating night clubs and crowds... that was me. Spilling ice water on that asshole that refused to take the word 'No', that was me. Laughing and joking with you, watching movies at your place, and just wanting to be your friend... that was also me."

For a moment the pair went quiet, then Three sighed. "Not that it matters now."

"Well that is the thing, Lil. It does matter more than you think," Sharon said smiling. "Nothing has changed. You are still my best friend, so when this is over I want to know everything. That means no disappearing on me again." As she spoke Sharon came closer, "I don't want to lose you again, so be careful because if you don't I will be pissed."

In the next moment Sharon pulled her into a hug surprising Three who hugged her back after getting over her shock. When Sharon released her and was going to leave Three called out.

"Wait," Three said, "Your phone, may I?"

Sharon handed Three her phone and Three programmed a number into the contacts list. "This number is to call Aida remember her? She can mark your phone as untraceable. Tell her your name and to take this phone off network. She already knows you, and ask her for a address to the nearest safe house I have. She will keep you up to date and when this is done... we can talk."

Three finished and handed Sharon back her phone. "Looking forward to it." She said then got into her own car. Turning back Three headed for the car now loaded with their gear. Once again they were piled into the compact car, and Steve began driving.

"I am glad you two are back on good terms." Steve said.

"I'm glad you finally made a move on her." Three replied. "Took ya long enough." Steve chuckled as he drove.

"So where to next?" Sam finally asked.

"The parking garage at the airport. We're picking up some friends before we head for Siberia." Steve said. Mostly Three kept herself pressed to the car door as Steve drove, and yet Bucky still brushed her making her shift uncomfortably. She was trying to remain just as mad at him as he apparently was with her, but why the hell did he have to sit so close?! It was distracting.

It was pure relief to enter the empty parking garage as they pulled to a stop by a white van. Three groaned as she got out and stretched along with Bucky. The pair leaned against the clown car and watched as Clint Barton got out, Three recognized him immediately because she had spent years avoiding him when SHIELD had been lead by Fury.

"Cap." Clint greeted Steve and the pair shook hands.

"You know I wouldn't have called if I had any other choice."

"Hey man you are doing me a favour," Clint said as a young woman came up, and Three recognised her from news reports. Wanda Maximoff. "Besides I owe a debt."

"Thanks for having my back." Steve said to Wanda.

"Well it was time to get off my ass." Wanda replied.

"How about our other recruit?" Steve asked.

"He is raring to go," Clint said turning away and heading for the van's side door. As he opened the side door he looked back, "I'd put a little coffee in him but..."

The noise of the door jolted the dark haired man awake. "He should be good."

The guy sat up and began climbing out of the van. Both Steve and Sam looked at each other as the guy asked. "What time zone is this?"

"C'mon." Clint said, "Go on." He gently pressed him forward, and the guy took in the fact he was standing in front of Captain America.

"Captain America." He said shaking Steve's hand.

"Mr. Lang." Three frowned she had heard that name before and instantly recalled it. Scott Lang there was an incident with some rip off company he blew the whistle on.

"It's an honour," Scott said, "I am shaking your hand too long." He finally released Steve's hand. "Wow this awesome." He looked back at Wanda and pointed at Steve, "Captain America, I know you too. You're great."

Three was near to cracking up with laughter at Lang's geeking out moment, and Steve peeked back at her. _'Am I dreaming? Or is this for real? I will have to check.'_ Scott thought, and Three began shaking in quiet laughter as he touched Steve's chest. Steve again looked back at Sam, then at Three, so she thought to Steve. _'He wanted to make sure you are real.'_

"Ah look I wanna say, I know you know a lot of super people so thanks for thanking of me." Scott said, then looked past Steve to Sam. "Hey man."

"What's up tic-tac?"

"Uhh good to see you. Look what happened last time-"

"It was a great audition, but it'll never happen again." Sam said as Three saw a brief image of Sam fighting a man in what looked like a biker suit. The guy could shrink, and Sam got his butt kicked and his pack damaged. Three burst out laughing. "Don't you dare tell anyone." Sam said looking at Three.

"That had to be the funniest audition ever." Three said getting looks and she straightened. "Sorry Scott Lang um has a good mental image of what happened in his 'audition'." Three said using air quotes around the word audition. "How long did it take for the wings to be repaired?"

"I hate you." Sam groaned. Steve considered her for a moment thinking he would have to ask more about it later as he looked back at Scott.

"Did they tell you what we're up against?"

"Something about some psycho assassins." He replied looking back at Steve.

"We're outside the law on this one, so if you come with us you're a wanted man." Steve said wanting to be honest with him.

"Yeah, well what else is new?" Scott asked since he was already a criminal.

"We should get moving." Bucky said.

"We got a chopper lined up." Clint said then they heard someone on the PA speaking in German, and Three groaned.

"Can't catch a damn break." Those not understanding the language looked at her.

"They're evacuating the airport." Bucky explained.

"Stark." Steve sighed.

"Stark?" Scott asked, knowing the name well.

"Suit up." Steve said. Three moved to the trunk and pulled out her suit. She went behind the pillar to get changed and soon Bucky was with her.

As the others moved away and did the same, Three wondered why Bucky insisted on being so close to her. She was trying to give him the cold shoulder as she started to change. She had pulled off her long sleeve shirt and was tossing it aside when an arm slipped around her waist twirling her around to face Bucky. Still trying to be mad at him she tried to squirm loose as his lips crushed down on hers. She gave a protestant moan as she pushed against his shoulders, but that only made him kiss her more passionately. Eventually she had to let go of her anger as she let him kiss her deeply. After a long breathless kiss, Three stared up at Bucky dazed. "I'm sorry doll. I didn't mean to hurt you, I just worry you will regret your decision later. I don't want anything to happen to you."

"It was my decision Bucky, I made it. I'll deal with the issues as they come." Three replied.

"No, we'll deal with them." Bucky corrected then gave her another quick kiss before stepping back. However he looked down and frowned, then he reached out touching her side. His gentle fingers ran over a bruise she had received in the helicopter he tried to escape in. Last night the bruise probably had not shown up, or it simply went unnoticed as they were otherwise occupied. He now looked like a kicked puppy as guilt showed on his face.

"It wasn't you."

"Like hell it wasn't." Bucky growled looking away, Three instantly grabbed his shirt and pulled him back towards her.

"It. Was. Not. You." Three said firmly, "When I got these bruises your eyes were vacant. Right now I can see every emotion in those blue eyes. I know when it is you and when it is not, so when I say you didn't do this—listen. Or we can have another argument right here and right now." Three said firmly, then leaned in kissing his lips. Before she knew it she was pressed against the cold hard pillar, and he kissed her more deeply. Reluctantly he had to force himself away, this was not the time nor the place. Stepping back they finished suiting up, and putting their gear on. Since the cat was literally out of the bag, Three did not bother pulling her hood or face mask on.

The pair stepped out to find the others gathering fully suited up, and Clint gave a shocked look as he recognized the suit Three wore. "Wow you recruited Katseye."

"Kats—who?" Scott asked looking confused.

"You do realize she was SHIELD's greatest pain in the ass, right?" Clint pointed out.

"Technically I was HYDRA's biggest pain in the ass." Three pointed out.

"She's on our side." Steve replied confidently.

"Hey I am not complaining, just surprised is all." Clint said with a shrug of his shoulders. He then passed around ear pieces to keep in contact with one another, and Three fitted hers in.

"I will head out first getting their attention. Most likely Stark will take out the chopper. Sam we need you to use Redwing and find us another ride. Clint get a good birds eye view. Wanda you're with Clint. Bucky well you know who you are with." Steve said looking to Three.

"Let me guess, I got the love birds." Sam replied unamused.

"Hey what about me?" Scott asked.

"Sam said you could shrink, well most likely they will try to take the shield off of me." Steve said,

"Yo—you mean I get to go with you? This is awesome. Okay." Scott said and shrunk down right in front of them. Once they had their plan, Three ran off with Bucky and Sam. They entered the airport which was now empty, and got into position. While Cap went out to spring the trap, Three patched Aida in for help and guidance.

She received a text from Aida on the remaining heat signatures in the area. "Heads up Cap. Aida reports multiple heat signatures. Either Stark has started a boy band or he brought friends."

" _Thanks for the warning Kat."_ Steve replied as he neared the copter. As expected the chopper was disabled by Stark, and slowly they began to surround Steve. The surprise ally of Stark's did snatch Steve's shield as expected.

"We found it." Sam said using Redwing, "The Quinjet's in hanger five, north runway." At that Steve lifted his arms and Clint shot an arrow to cut the webbing on his hands.

" _Alright Lang."_ Steve said and a second later he grew kicking the kid in the face as he flipped and stealing back Steve's shield. After that Three was running with Bucky and Sam down through the airport towards the hanger. As they ran they noticed the kid that had earlier stolen Cap's shield crawling on the windows after them.

"What the hell is that?" Bucky asked.

"According to his thoughts...he calls himself Spiderman." Three replied.

"Everyone's got a gimmick now." Sam said, then before they had a chance to react Three heard broken glass and Sam flew against the wall behind her. She whirled around to see Bucky punch at him, and the kid catch it. The kid was obviously strong.

"You have a metal arm? That is awesome dude."

"Just wait." Three replied attacking the kid's mind he immediately released Bucky, and Falcon grabbed him carrying the kid away as he flew. Outside there was explosions as Three and Bucky chased after Sam and Spiderman. The kid was slippery which was annoying as Sam could not seem to hit him. Suddenly Bucky grabbed a vending stand and threw it at the kid, then grabbed Three to pull her behind the pillar with him.

"Hey buddy, I think you lost this." The kid called out and as they peeked out the table flew back at them. Bucky pulled her back behind the pillar as it crashed into the pillar knocking them to the ground with Bucky on top of her.

"You alright doll?"

"Yeah." Three said as he was getting up. As Bucky got to his feet Sam crashed to the floor. A moment later he got up and was webbed to the bannister.

"Are those wings carbon fibre?" The kid asked.

"Is this stuff coming out of you?" Sam asked. The kid turned out to be a science geek as he yammered on, until Sam interrupted. "I don't know if you've been in a fight before, but there is usually not this much talking."

"Right sorry, my bad." The kid jumped to attack and Bucky rushed between them. Both Sam and Bucky got knocked below where he webbed Bucky to the floor. Three got to her feet and ran closer as the kid continued.

"Guys look I would love to keep this up, but I only got one job here today, and I gotta impress Mr. Stark. So I am sorry." Immediately Three attacked his mind long enough for Falcon to use his arm control to call Redwing. The kid was pulled away, and Three dropped down to their level as Bucky asked Sam.

"You couldn't have done that earlier?"

"I hate you." Sam said.

"You boys look so cute." Three teased as she came to stand over Bucky.

"Cut me loose doll." Three nodded, flicking her wrist and causing her wrist dagger to spin out. Catching the handle she knelt down and cut away the web. Then went over to Sam.

"Hold still." She ordered as she cut away the webbing on Sam. Bucky and Three helped Sam to his feet, then Three turned him to cut the web from Sam's pack. "There all better, what would you boys do without me?"

"Probably be happier." Sam grumbled as they ran towards the hanger once more. Leaving the airport the trio ran and saw Cap and the others ahead.

"Come on." Steve called as they rejoined their group, and were running for the hanger. The group were running as fast as they could and Three thought for a moment they may actually make it until a beam shot to the ground cutting a crescent circle to stop them then Three groaned and looked up at the strange flying man obviously with Stark.

"Captain Rogers. I know you believe what you are doing is right, but for the collective good you must surrender now." The man said.

 _'Then clearly you haven't been paying attention.'_ Three thought to the strange man who tilted his head to the side to regard her. Iron Man landed with Widow to block their way. Then War Machine dropped the panther man off, and lastly Spiderman swung in and landed.

"This is your last chance Cap. Surrender now!" Stark called to Steve.

"What do we do Cap?" Falcon asked, and Three held her breath for a moment. She was not about to surrender Bucky to them.

"We fight." Cap said, and Three straightened glad that Steve would not simply hand Bucky over. The group began moving forward to take on the other group. They could either stand aside or fight them. Instead they began moving towards them and Three really wished they wouldn't. It was inevitable as the group began jogging towards them gradually building up in speed. In response they did too until they met head on in combat against them. The only thing Three knew for certain was she didn't want to kill them. Knocking them out or disabling them was the only thing she would do. It was once what she had to do to avoid killing SHIELD agents.

Black Panther leapt onto Bucky in that moment and Three twisted pulling him off Bucky and rolling with him. She rolled to her feet only to see Widow attack her and the pair tried to land blows. However Three was evenly matched against the red head. Widow tried flipping Three onto her back only to have Three twist and kick her away. Immediately Clint attacked Nat leaving Three free to help Bucky.

She got to them in just enough time to hear Bucky say. "I didn't kill your father."

"Then why did you run?!" Panther asked coldly as he pried Bucky's metal hand from his throat. Bucky immediately tried to punch him, only for his flesh hand to be caught. The pair rolled then Panther was about to twist Bucky's arm at an odd angle when Three attacked his mind with a piercing thought. _'Maybe because you were trying to kill him!'_ Panther cried out in pain at the mental attack as Three ran and jumped, kicking him as hard as she could away from Bucky. The Panther flew hitting a crate.

The pair rushed off together getting closer to the hanger, however while the others were fighting Widow jumped in front of her. Three narrowly ducked a kick as she dodged and caught her leg and flipped her. Immediately Widow flipped to her feet trying to punch Three who caught her wrist and notice the shock bracers. Both twisted around with Widow trying to shock her, however Three flicked her wrist and sliced the electro coil one of them damaging it from working. Sadly Widow clicked the shock on it just as she broke it sending a nasty shock to both of them as they flew apart.

Three groaned and looked at her wrist dagger with a grimace, that stung like hell! Still she couldn't help the thought. ' _Ha! Vibranium wrist daggers one, Widow's sting zero!'_

"Doll?" Bucky's voice was over her as he helped her sit up. "You alright?"

"Yeah..." Three peeked back at Widow as she noticed the poor red head received a bigger shock than her.

"Come on doll." Bucky said pulling her to her feet as the pair ran for a loading stairs. Both pressed to it as Cap pressed against another set of loading stairs. "We gotta go. That guy is probably in Siberia by now."

"We gotta draw out the flyers." Cap said looking skywards at those flying around. "I'll take Vision, you get to the jet."

"No you get to the jet," Sam said over their coms, "The three of you! The rest of us aren't getting out of here."

"As much as I hate to admit it if we're gonna win this one, some of us might have to lose it." Clint added.

"This isn't the real fight Steve." Sam said as the three of them looked worried, and Steve hated to leave them behind.

"Alright Sam. What is the play?"

"We need a diversion. Something big." Sam said as he flew around, and Three gripped Bucky's hand.

"I got something kind of big, but I can't hold it very long. On my signal, run like hell. And if I tear myself in half, don't come back for me." Scott said confusing both Three and Bucky.

"He's gonna tear himself in half?" Bucky asked

"How will it help if he kills himself?" Three asked worried.

"You sure about this Scott?" Steve asked equally worried.

"I do it all the time. I mean once in a lab, then I passed out." Scott replied, then started chanting that he was the boss. A moment later Three could not believe her eyes as the guy that shrinks was suddenly very very very big.

"I guess that is the signal." Steve said surprised.

"Cool signal." Three replied.

"Way to go, Tic Tac!" Sam said over the comms. Immediately the three took off running for the hanger despite the carnage all around them. Bucky kept a tight hold on her hand refusing to leave her behind. Which was fine by her because she had no intention of being parted from Bucky. The group kept running however the weird flying guy with the skin condition used that beam again to take out the landing tower to the right of the hanger. For a moment Three was certain they would not make it until Wanda used her powers to hold it up and Three pushed herself to run as fast as she could keeping up with the two super soldiers besides her. They were almost through it when the tower began to collapse and the trio slid to keep from getting crushed.

Making it to the other side Bucky pulled her to him as they got to their feet. She would have sighed in relief until she saw a very familiar red head. _'Don't make us fight you, please.'_ Three thought to her and for a second Natasha regarded Three before looking to Steve. "You're not going to stop."

"You know I can't." Steve said, as Natasha seemed to realize that there was a reason behind all this. That the only way this conflict would end would be to let them go. It was that hesitation in Widow that made Three stop from attacking her.

"I am going to regret this." Widow said as she raised the one widow sting still working. Three already knew from her thoughts she was not aiming at Steve, herself, or Bucky. The bolt shot out and flew past them into the Panther behind them. "Go."

 _'Thank you Natasha.'_ Three thought to her as the three of them ran for the jet and got in while Widow stopped Panther from pursuing them. Steve got in the pilot's chair and fired up the engines as Bucky and Three buckled in behind him. The engine purred to life as they began to fly out of the hanger. Steve saw they were being followed as he pushed the thrusters and Three wondered if they would get away. For a moment Steve thought they wouldn't, but their pursuers broke off their chase and Three relaxed against the seat.

* * *

For a long time they were quiet knowing that they had left their companions behind left a bad taste in Three's mouth as she looked out the window. She liked to hope no one was seriously injured, but something just told her she was kidding herself. Injury had been a very good possibility even though some were fighting friends.

"What is going to happen to your friends?" Bucky asked.

She heard Steve sigh. "Whatever it is, I'll deal with it."

"I don't know if I am worth all this Steve." Bucky said and Three looked to him squeezing his hand.

"You're worth it to me." She said softly as Steve peeked back.

"What you did all those years. It wasn't you. You didn't have a choice." Steve said, but Three knew Bucky would always blame himself. Both Three and Steve could say it was not him until they were blue in the face it would not take away the guilt.

"I know. But I did it." Bucky said, and Steve looked ahead wishing he could convince Bucky it wasn't his fault. Three leaned into him trying to comfort him as she looked up through her lashes at him. She let him hold her close and rested her head on his shoulder for a bit longer, then gasped. She shot upright and pulled out her phone.

"What is it?" Bucky asked softly, but she was already dialling Aida and putting it on speaker.

" _Oh good you got out of there. I take it you are with Captain Rogers and James Barnes?"_ Aida asked as she answered.

"Yeah but those helping us stayed behind. I need you to hack government channels and find out where they will take them." This got Steve looking back.

" _Of course, also I have come across some disturbing news. I wanted to find out who the doctor was so I hacked footage of his interview before the power cut. Took some time, but his name is actually Colonel Helmut Zemo. He is a part of Sokovian Intelligence, wanna guess what unit?"_

Three sighed as she leaned her head back. "Alaska. His unit is EKO Scorpion and they were in Alaska."

" _Bingo."_ Aida replied, _"_ _They were there on his command looking for leads on Barnes when you showed up, and the SHIELD team arrested them."_

Steve was peeking back with a raised brow, as Bucky looked at her. "When his team was arrested he must have had to resort to other methods."

" _Not quite. I ran facial recognition on him to try and track his movements. A couple weeks back he visited Massachusetts. Nothing was strange there, but I didn't think Zemo was taking in the sights so I ran the algorithm against any crimes reported and got a hit. A man found dead in his home after neighbours reported water coming from his home. He had been tied up upside down above his sink. Former HYDRA, he was in hiding apparently from us."_

"Alright obviously not with HYDRA, but willing to use their dirty methods." Three frowned.

"How did Zemo find him?" Steve asked, peeking back.

" _My only estimation is the files dumped online by Romanoff. Many of them are encoded, but EKO Scorpion has an expert code breaker and hacker. Not to mention Zemo himself has some knowledge on code breaking."_ Aida replied.

"Contact the SHIELD team and let them know. Maybe they can question EKO Scorpion for further details." Three said.

" _Will do, but they may be otherwise occupied. Daisy is still compromised and all resources are focused on the Inhuman known as Hive. As asked I will locate the others from your team and gain all relevant information. Mean time good luck."_ With that Aida hung up and Three tucked away her phone.

"So you ran into this unit EKO Scorpion in Alaska?" Steve asked.

"Yeah, they had seized control of a small town taking some of the villagers hostage to control the others. Then they let on that James Barnes was in the area to lure anyone looking for him. When I got a hit that said Bucky had been spotted myself and an agent called May went with me. We soon learned that they were trying to gain intelligence from HYDRA or anyone else looking for Bucky. So we shut them down and May called in support to arrest them." Three replied then shivered she had given up on finding Bucky after that. The thought always made her heart twist now as she pressed into Bucky.

Again the jet went quiet as they flew towards their destination, it gave Three time to think about how to tell Bucky he was a father. Blurting it out felt wrong no matter how she said it, she needed to do this right. When they could be alone, maybe a romantic dinner? A walk on a deserted beach? Three sighed finding nothing suitable, and wondered how most women told their husbands and lovers. They probably told them while still pregnant making the situation that much more exciting, sadly Three did not really have that option left. Tess was already born and looked older than her actual age.

Sadly thinking more about it would have to wait as they got to the HYDRA bunker. Outside a snow plough was parked which could only mean Zemo had arrived already. As Steve landed not far from it Three internally groaned at the icy weather outside. After Russia she really hated snow, she unbuckled and was rechecking her gear while Bucky opened the compartment marked Romanoff, and out slid a rack of weapons. He picked out an assault rifle while Three checked out her sniper rifle that she had yet to use on this fun filled trip.

As they joined at the ramp, Three stood back letting the two super soldiers go ahead. Instead Steve was reminded of an old memory because of the snow. "You remember that time we had to ride back from Rockaway beach in the back of that freezer truck?"

"Was that the time we used our train money to buy hot dogs?" Bucky asked.

"You blew three bucks trying to win that stuffed bear for a redhead." Steve pointed out making Three chuckle.

"What was her name again?"

"Dolores. You called her Dot." Steve said.

"She's gotta be a hundred years old by now." Bucky replied.

"So are we pal." Steve said placing a hand on Bucky's shoulder.

"Actually you are ninety-eight years, one month, and three days old Steve. Bucky your closer at ninety-nine years four months and twenty-eight days." Three said stepping past them with a smirk.

"Way to make us feel old Kat." Steve replied with a chuckle, "How old are you?"

"Good question, wish I knew the answer. But if it helps I will hazard a guess that I am younger than both of you." Three replied with a chuckle as she stepped down the ramp carrying her rifle. She heard both super soldiers chuckle as they moved off the ramp as well. Three repressed a shudder from the cold weather as they neared the entrance to the bunker and found the door open.

"He can't have been in there more than a few hours. Long enough to wake them up." Steve said as he went inside. Bucky and Three followed him into the long quiet and very creepy bunker. At least the icy wind could no longer reach them, as they stepped onto an old grated elevator and Steve closed the door before hitting the button to go down.

The three stood quiet as the elevator slowly descended deeper making it more ominous. _'Ya know some elevator music would make this place less creepy.'_ Three thought to them, and to keep silent Steve looked at her and thought.

 _'No it wouldn't.'_ The elevator soon stopped with a jolt and a bang making Three frown. With that noise Zemo was sure to know they were here. Nodding to Bucky, Steve pulled the metal grate up and he went first followed by Three. While Bucky took the left side, Three took the right with Steve right behind them. As the wall ended Bucky moved to the right in front of Kat leading them along and checking the side halls. Old machinery lay in the first side hall covered in cobwebs and dust, and Three wondered how long this facility lay disused.

They continued down the hall that led up some stairs. It was half way up the stairs that a loud bang sounded behind them making them whirl around. Steve instinctively knelt down with the shield raised. Three knowing the move saw the small walkway to the left of the stairs and grabbed the railing. Fast and agile she pulled herself over landed on her feet and gripped her sniper rifle aiming it at the door as Bucky stood over Cap aiming his gun over the shield. The metal door was now creaking letting them know they were not alone anymore.

"You ready?" Steve asked both of them daring a peek at her to see her knelt down aiming the rifle on the railing.

"Yep." Three replied.

"Yeah." Bucky said as the door began to separate as it was pulled open. Soon the glow of a arch-reactor and glowing eyes above it told them who had found them and none of them liked where this might lead. Three focused on Tony's thoughts as the billionaire peeked around the creepy bunker and approached them with his helmet off. His thoughts suggested he was not there to fight, but that could be a ruse. Either T'Challa or Spiderman could have easily said what she was capable off. Still that seemed a little far fetched even for Stark, it was probably why Steve was approaching him carefully.

"You seem a little defensive." Tony said and Three shook her head at the stupid comment to come out of Tony's mouth.

"It's been a long day." Steve said a little stunned but also concerned as to why Tony was there.

"At ease soldier I am not currently after you, or your girlfriend." Tony called back to Bucky and Three.

"Than why are you here?" Steve asked warily.

"Maybe your story's not so crazy." _'It took him this long to figure that out? Genius billionaire is slipping.'_ Three thought but Steve was nicer about it.

"Maybe."

"Ross has no idea I'm here. I'd like to keep it that way." Tony said coming to lean against a wall on his left. "Otherwise I gotta arrest myself."

"Well that sounds like a lot of paperwork." Steve pointed out making Tony scoff a little. The relaxed way Tony was acting made Steve lower his shield completely.

"It is good to see you, Tony." Three sighed and lowered her rifle but still eyed Tony warily.

"You too Cap." Tony replied then looked at them. Tony's eyes swept over her, then noticed Bucky still had his rifle raised cautiously. "Hey Manchurian Candidate, you're killing me. There's a truce here. You can drop..."

Steve gestured for him to lower the gun, and as he did Three gave Tony a pointed look. "Can't blame him or I for being a little cautious considering..."

"Alright I deserve that. Ya brought proof and we ignored it." Tony shrugged, "But honest I am calling a truce here. Scout's honour." Warily Three relaxed completely and looked back towards the way they were heading. As Bucky, turned back aiming his rifle towards the hall just past the stairs Three did the same with Steve and Tony following. As they moved further into the compound they entered what looked like holding cells and a practice room. The glass looked like it was meant to withstand bullets, but suffered impacts causing the glass to break. Moving past the room, Three and Bucky let Iron Man take the lead as they rounded a corner and entered a dark room.

"I got heat signatures." Iron Man said.

"How many?" Cap asked. Three frowned as she aimed her rifle off to the side searching the dark. She could hear one person's mind.

"Uh one." Iron Man replied as they drew further into the room. Even in cryo-stasis the mind would have to be at least a little active, yet there was only one mind she sensed. Immediately lights came on in the large chamber revealing what looked like Cryo chambers, six in total. A second later a voice came from the speakers in the room.

"If it's any comfort, they died in their sleep." It was Helmut Zemo's voice. As Three moved right she looked closer at the glass. The female in the chamber had a bullet hole to her head. "Did you really think I wanted more of you?"

"What the hell?" Bucky mumbled as he peeked over at her and gripped the rifle nervously. Obviously Zemo had other plans as Three moved forward with the others.

"I am grateful for them though, they brought you here." Zemo continued and Three focused on his mind trying to see what his plan was. Strangely he kept his mind obscured as though he knew she could read his mind. Her eyes snapped open as there was a bang, Steve had thrown his shield at the far wall. Looking there she spotted Zemo in the window. "Please Captain. The soviets built this chamber to withstand the launch blast of UR-100 rockets."

"I am betting I can beat that." Iron Man spoke up as the pair moved closer to Zemo.

"Oh I am sure you could Mr. Stark. Given time." Three hung back continuing to try and search Zemo's thoughts when another presence came within range. Three stiffened and peeked back towards the door knowing who was there. "But then you would never know why you came."

"You killed innocent people in Vienna just to bring us here?" Steve asked, and Three relaxed a little as Panther stopped at the question.

"I thought about nothing else for over a year." Zemo said practically confirming it was him. At long last Panther saw that his blind vengeance should not be for Bucky, but for this man. _'Glad you finally see the truth.'_ Three thought to him then turned and headed closer to Bucky and the others opting to pretend he was not there. "I studied you. I followed you, and now that you're standing here I just realized there's a bit of green in the blue of your eyes." The man chuckled. "How nice to find a flaw."

Three realized he was toying with them so she tried to press harder only to have him look at her. As Steve said. "You're Sokovian. Is that what this is about?"

"Sokovia was a failed state long before you blew it to hell. No. I am here because I made a promise."

"You lost someone?" Steve asked, though the answer became clear as Zemo pictured them. A beautiful woman with dark hair knelt down in front of a little boy. The pair were laughing as an older man came up and patted Zemo on the shoulder.

"I lost everyone, and so will you." Three stiffened as the image faded from his thoughts to be replaced by a darker image of them lying dead. He clicked something but Three was still focused on his mind. "An Empire toppled by enemies can rise again. But one which crumbles from within? That's dead. Forever."

Suddenly Zemo's plan became clear as Three looked up. "Doing this won't bring them back." Three said then looked back. "He wants us to fight each other."

"Ah such a smart woman. I recognize you, my men in Alaska sent me an update..." He held up a photo of her and May. "Before communications cut, they said you and another came to investigate. They overheard you two mentioning you being able to read minds." Zemo chuckled. Three was about to say she could attack his mind too, but he pressed play on the player.

"I know that road." Tony said, and Three looked back at both Steve and Tony watching the screen. "What is this?!" He asked looking to Zemo but the man remained quiet as the video played. Through Steve's mind Three watched the video as he realised this video recorded the deaths of Howard and Marie Stark. Cautiously Three moved towards Bucky.

" _Help my wife. Please. Help."_ Three felt ill, she knew Bucky had killed them that he had no choice, but to actually see it.

" _Howard!"_ Marie called out to him as Howard was crawling on the ground more concerned for his wife than himself. The Winter Soldier pulled him up by his hair and Howard saw who would kill him. _"_ _Sergeant Barnes?_

A moment later the Winter Soldier punched him with his metal hand killing him as his wife called out. _"_ _Howard!"_

Howard was dropped to the ground before being picked up to be dragged back to the car. The Winter Soldier put him in the drivers seat to make it look like he had died in the crash, then he went around to the passenger side of the car. They watched as he choked her to death, then he came around pulling out a gun and shooting the camera. As soon as the screen went blank Three felt the tension rising and Tony moved to attack Bucky. Immediately Three put herself between them giving Tony a look pleading for him not to attack. While Steve caught Tony's arm. "No, Tony."

Tony was not stupid as he caught on that Steve was not as shocked as he should be. "Did you know?"

"I didn't know it was him." Steve said trying to lie, both knew it was him.

"Don't bullshit me, Rogers. Did you know?" Tony asked wanting the truth.

"Yes." Steve finally said and Tony stepped back from him feeling betrayed. For a second Tony was thinking too much for Three to understand his chain of thoughts. Then he struck Rogers sending him flying back as his helmet came back up. On instinct Bucky pushed her out of the way and raised his rifle at Tony. He shot at him, but when it was clear bullets would not get through his armour he ditched the rifle and tried to punch Iron Man. Three immediately got up as Iron Man grabbed Bucky and flew across the room to land on him. Steve was on her right and threw his shield at Iron Man to throw off his shot at Bucky.

Steve got to them first and shoved Iron Man off of Bucky only to have him use his thrusters and throw Steve back. He shot something at Steve that locked around Steve's legs as Three launched herself onto his back using her rifle to hold on as the length of it was at his metal covered throat. "Tony stop, please! He was controlled."

Easily Three was thrown off and grit her teeth, as she looked up to see Bucky punch him then the pair flew against the wall where they struggled until Iron Man tried to shoot a tank missile at Bucky who shoved his arm to the side and the missile hit the side of the room. The room exploded in flames as part of it started to collapse around them. Three snatched up her rifle as she ran and was barely able to keep up with Steve. Ahead of them a large portion of the wall came crashing down and Steve yanked her under the shield with him as debris fell. Standing the pair saw Bucky as he stood, and Steve yelled to him. "Get out of here."

However Bucky hesitated, and Steve looked to Three. "Give you a boost."

Three quickly backed up as Steve knelt angling his shield to make it a launch pad. Immediately Three ran for it and was propelled over the rubble she landed on the walk way beside Bucky and rolled to her feet effortlessly. The pair took off running as they entered what looked like a missile silo with ramps and an opening Bucky hit the lever for. Three easily ran and caught the ledge pulling herself up as the pair quickly climbed trying to get away. The pair kept running and jumping from platform to platform, but Three could hear the thrusters of the Iron Man suit behind her. She then heard a grunt as Bucky hit the wall, and looked back in time to see Steve block a blast meant for Bucky. It ricocheted back hitting Iron Man and knocking him down to a lower platform. Three knelt down on the platform above them as Steve helped Bucky up.

"He is not going to stop. Go." Steve said and Three reached down to help Bucky onto the platform with her. The two ran, leaping and climbing onto the platforms going higher as they went. They were almost out when a blast above them hit and both saw the latch leading out falling back into place. Both were force to drop back to avoid getting squished. Bucky landed on her right, but she hit the edge and fell onto the lower platform with a cry. Three groaned as she got to her feet having had enough of this she pulled her rifle and shot the grappling hook which latched onto Iron Man as he flew past. With only one boot propulsion system working Three ran off the ledge and yanked as hard as she could pulling Iron Man back down.

A moment later Iron Man turned and cut the cord which had her fall below onto one of the lower ramps. She hit her head and groaned as the room spun with spots dancing in her eyes. She kept telling herself do not pass out, but could not keep her eyes open. For who knew how long blackness overtook her yet the sounds of metal and blasts kept sounding. Blinking away the dizziness and spots Three looked up to find Steve below on the ground, and Bucky trying to rip out of the arc-reactor from Iron Man's chest. She could hear it powering up, and so she ran jumped off the platform below and rushed for them.

"Bucky!" She called in warning as she ran into him to hopefully avoid the blast. She knocked Bucky out of the way. For a moment Three laid there stunned at what happened then the shock was replaced by pain. Three cried out as her left side screamed and she pressed a hand to it. She looked down to find the blast had hit her before she could get clear, a nasty grazing blow.

"Vi!" Bucky cried out rushing to her and kneeling down behind her. She was gripping her side and trying to curl up as he gently turn her over. Iron Man was already moving to attack Bucky not realizing how injured Three was. Instead a shield flew at him knocking him back. Steve ran forward after catching his shield, and using it to block Iron Man's next blast.

"Get her out of here Buck!" Steve said, and Three tried not to scream when Bucky gently picked her up.

"Hold on to me doll." Bucky said, and Three reached up gripping his shoulder as the pain grew. He was carrying her away as the blasts sounded in the room. Bucky carried her from the room down the hall. Despite the pain she was in Three cried out.

"Bucky, You can't leave him!"

"I can't leave you either!" Bucky replied torn between getting her to safety and helping Steve.

"Help him. I'll be right here, just help Steve." Three pleaded as Bucky looked back then gently set her down. Even still the pain made her cry out. Again Bucky got to see the injury that tore right through her suit, and it didn't take a mind reader to know Bucky wanted to kill Tony. She grabbed his collar before he could pull away. "Don't kill Tony."

"He hurt you." Bucky argued.

"He's angry, like I was Bucky. Remember?" Three asked and for a minute Bucky thought about when she found out he killed Takai and Amaya. "Just knock him or disable the arc-reactor..."

By then the pain was getting to be too much as she released his collar and he rushed back into the room. As Bucky rushed in he saw Steve struggling to get up, and Tony had a metal hand raised. "Stay down final warning."

"I can do this all day." Steve said as Bucky rushed forward to stop Tony. Iron Man saw the move and blasted Bucky back against the wall, but by then Steve was moving. Steve lifted Iron Man into the air and as he tried to use the propulsion systems Steve threw him down hard. Climbing on top Steve started punching, then grabbed the shield to break the locks on the helmet. Yanking the helmet off Steve raised the shield once more and Bucky was certain he was going to kill Tony with it as Tony covered his face.

"Steve!" Bucky cried out as the shield came down on the arc-reactor destroying it and disabling the suit. For a moment Bucky just sat there stunned by what had happened as Steve caught his breath from the intense fight. Tony looked up at him shocked and still angry, as Steve fell off of him to the side. After a moment he stumbled to his feet and pulled the shield free from the destroyed reactor, Bucky too stumbled to his feet. Seeing Steve was okay he turned heading back to Three, he knelt before her as they heard Tony.

"That shield doesn't belong to you. You don't deserve it. My father made that shield!" There was a clang as something hit the ground. However Bucky was more concerned with picking her up without hurting her further. Gripping Bucky's suit straps she whimpered as tears escaped. As Bucky turned back holding her, Three looked up to see a battered Steve emerge but without the shield.

"Let's get her out of here." Steve said not wanting to look back as they somehow found their own way out of that horrid place. Outside was not much better as Three shiver and ended up in more pain as the icy air hit her injury. "Hurry, there is a medical bay on the Quinjet-"

Steve had been saying then stopped dead in front of them. Wanting to see for themselves Bucky stepped forward to see the Black Panther standing there. "Your highness."

Again that caution was back as Three gripped Bucky more tightly afraid he would attack. King T'Calla looked at her carefully noticing the terrible injury, and was wondering how Three had not passed out yet.

"I ha—ve a very good reason to s—stay awake." Three said answering his thoughts through chattering teeth.

"You may relax Miss Kat. I have the one responsible for the deaths at the UN. I let vengeance blind me, but now I see the truth." Then the king looked to Steve, "She is badly injured. We should leave now."

Steve nodded as T'Challa wordlessly turned and headed aboard the Quinjet. Bucky followed aboard and took Three to the back. Briefly Three saw a bound and gagged Zemo tied to a chair in the corner. However she could care less as Steve pushed a button and up came a table for Bucky to lie her on. Being the pilot Steve went and started up the jet, leaving Bucky to look at the injury. Now that they were on the well lit jet, Bucky looked down at the injury horrified. Her side was badly scorched with a deep bloody gash that was oozing blood. At the edges of her suit they clung around the scorch mark.

"We must take her suit top off to get to the wound properly." T'Challa replied as he looked down at Three apologetically. Bucky agreed as he unzipped the front and tried to be as gently as possible getting her out of her suit's top half. Once her arms were out it was onto the more painful part pulling it off of her skin. Three tried to keep in control of the pain as Bucky lifted her and T'Challa pulled the suit away, but the suit clung painfully to her and her screaming was unavoidable. Laid back down T'Challa began applying these strange disks to her wound. Three might have asked what they were, they seemed to come off of his bracelet? Or perhaps she had already lost too much blood and was hallucinating? Whatever they were was stopping the blood loss, but with the suit having to be pulled off she had already lost quite a bit.

"She has lost a lot of blood."

"We have to get her to a hospital." Bucky said scared he might lose her.

"If we land just anywhere, we'll be arrested." Steve said unsure of where to go.

"Head for Wakanda. We have the best medical facility there, and I promise no one will know you are there." T'Challa said firmly.

"Alright." Steve said putting in a course correction.

"Bu—cky..." Three said shakily.

"Shhh you are going to be alright doll." Bucky said brushing back her hair. Three could feel it now the need to close her eyes, and let sleep take her away. It terrified her that she might never open her eyes again. She needed to tell Bucky now, no perfect moment just blurt it out. Confess that he was a father.

"I'm sorry. I am so sorry, Bucky." Three said crying, as she remembered the drawing Tess did. It should still be hidden in the belt of her suit. Shakily she opened the hidden pouch and was pleased to find the folded paper still tucked inside. She pulled out the folded paper. Reaching up she pressed the paper into his flesh hand. "I... I'm sorry..."

"No, no doll this is my fault. Just stay with me please!" Bucky pleaded. It was then she could no longer keep her eyes open no matter how hard she fought and tried to. The last thing she heard was Bucky screaming for her to stay awake.

* * *

 **Author's Notes:**

 **First off sorry for the delay. Unfortunately I went away towards the end of last week meaning I didn't post Thursday, then on the way back I caught a nasty cold that meant I was out for the weekend. No fear it isn't the dreaded hiatus only the dreaded cold that I am recovering from.**

 **Also thank you all for the lovely reviews. I am glad to hear that everybody is loving the story thus far, and we got some people just discovering the story. Hopefully you'll like this chapter too.**

 **As for this chapter the stuff to note...**

 **I had a lot of fun with this chapter because when watching the movie I can envision Three saying and doing things that naturally fit in. Such as the scene in the parking garage with Scott, Sam, and Steve. The first time I saw Scott reach out and touch Steve's chest I was laughing, but not just because of that scene. I was envisioning Three chuckling at Scott's thoughts in that moment. When a scene like that happens it just makes things more fun and natural for adding the OC.**

 **The only other thing to note is the end battle where in Civil War Bucky lost his metal arm. While following the movies is great, I also like to deviate from them just a little to keep things unique. Hence Three shoving Bucky out of the way just before the Arc-reactor blast. It is a change I hope you guys don't mind.**

 **Anyway I do hope you have enjoyed this chapter. Please let me know what you think by leaving a review.**

 **Lesliezin**


	47. Everything Coming Together

**Hello everyone,**

 **Here is Chapter 47, enjoy.**

* * *

 **August 9** **th** **, 2016**

 **Wakanda**

Everything seemed too white and bright despite the large wall size windows revealing nothing but mist outside. The medical facility was a private one meant only for the Wakandan royal family and special guests, which Bucky guessed included them. Either way he really did not have it in him to care as his mind replayed the terrible events that led to Three being injured. After she passed out it had been the longest, most agonizing flight ever. One were both he and King T'Challa tried to keep Three alive. He could not recall all of what happened after she passed out, he remembered vaguely T'Challa had called ahead to ensure a medical team was there waiting to meet them. He remembered begging Three to wake up, and praying to god and any other deity that she not die. Every time he closed his eyes he saw and heard her screams of pain. Eventually he recalled King T'Challa calling someone named Shuri and asking her to meet them at the facility. After that they eventually landed and a medical team lead by a young woman rushed her into the facility with him right beside Three. However he was only allowed to follow so far as a nurse stopped him saying he couldn't follow any further. He would have tried, but Steve had been right by his side and stopped him.

In the nine hours since she was taken away King T'Challa had Zemo locked up and was going to send him gift wrapped to the UN for his crimes. In all honesty Bucky wanted to beat the Sokovian man to mush first as he was the cause of his best girl getting hurt. Nevertheless considering Zemo was the one that killed T'Challa's father, Bucky knew T'Challa had far greater right to him then he did. Instead he now sat in the waiting room. He was in a large, soft chair and was leaning forward with his elbows on his knees with his head in his hands. Partly because if he leaned back in the chair it was too comfortable and he didn't want that type of comfort. The other reason was he had too much going on inside his head.

He still wanted to beat Zemo so badly that the Sokovian bastard had to drink his food for the rest of his days. Sadly the blame did not stop at just Zemo, he also blamed Stark for injuring her **.** He understood Stark's desire for revenge, and his anger. So why hadn't he just let Stark kill him? He was also angry at Three for getting in the way. She should have stayed out of the way, instead of rushing in and putting herself in harm's way. It was easy to blame everyone else but most of all he blamed himself. If not for him she would not have been injured in the first place.

Shortly after being made to wait, Bucky had looked at the folded paper in his hands. Why had Three been so adamant that he have this? She had apologised when she gave it to him. For a long time he just stared at the folded piece of paper. Something made him hesitate to open it, but why? He did not know. It had to be important though, his girl never did anything without reason. Shaking his head he decided his worry over a slip of paper was just ridiculous and began unfolding it. It was a child's drawing? Bucky frowned down at the image trying to figure out the meaning. He looked over the three figures carefully recognising the one on the left as Three and the one on the right as himself. But who was the one in the middle?

He stared down at the drawing stunned, then it felt like pieces of a puzzle being clicked into place. He still only remembered bits and pieces after Zemo read the code words, but... _A little girl's giggle. A small brunette in front of a t.v. The same little girl's voice reciting the alphabet. Then there was an image of the little girl on some mats putting a puzzle together._ Some of the images were too fast for him to comprehend. However Bucky had seen the little girl quite clearly: long dark hair, bright intelligent blue eyes. He was still trying to make sense of it when a strong hand gripped his shoulder and Steve's voice brought him back.

"Bucky? What is it?" Steve asked concerned then looked down at the drawing in Bucky's hands. "Who gave you that?"

"Violet, before she..." Bucky said but was still a little too confused. He shook his head and folded up the drawing. He needed more information before he could act on it, and right then he was still too concerned for Three to think properly about it.

Eventually King T'Challa returned, no longer dressed in his Panther suit and informed them Zemo was on his way to Everett Ross. It did little to comfort Bucky as he looked down the long hall they had taken Three down. Still it was more of a comfort to know the king was concerned too as he sat down in one of the waiting chairs for news. Steve had rarely left Bucky's side, and often looked down the corridor as well. It was only when coffee was required that Steve got up, or to speak to Aida. Often Three's phone rang with the concerned AI wanting an update. He was glad Steve took the calls rather than him. Again the phone rang and Steve got up to answer it stepping just a few feet away, but still Bucky could hear the one-sided conversation.

"No, sorry. She is still in there." Steve said sounding worried, it always felt like the longer doctors took the worse the news would be. Perhaps that had changed since the 1940s. "Thank you Aida, but perhaps we should wait..."

This got Bucky looking up at Steve, after a moment Bucky sighed he needed to hear the whole conversation to know what was going on. So Bucky spoke up, his voice coming out raspy from disuse. "Put her on speaker, Steve."

Steve looked to him then hit the speaker button, and Aida's voice filled the waiting room. _"_ _...am sure Kat would agree."_

"Agree with what Aida?" Bucky asked.

" _James it is good to hear from you. I was just telling Steve that I have learned the location of where they took your friends. They are being held in a prison call the Raft by General Ross. I can assist in the rescue."_ Aida said, then added more gently. _"_ _I want to do something other than wait. I need to do something, and Kat would want me to help however I can."_

Bucky sighed as he nodded his head understanding the need to be doing something. Anything was better than sitting there waiting and helpless. Besides hitting something sounded good too, he had not been able to hit Zemo and Stark was not there. Then a thought occurred to Bucky as he had to ask. "What of the SHIELD group she helps? Have they been informed?"

" _Yes I informed them shortly after you arrived at the medical facility. May says that currently they have their hands full at the moment, but as soon as they save Daisy and stop Hive they will come."_ Aida said which meant the AI was on top of things, _"_ _I have also contacted Sharon Carter, she is on her way as well as... another friend."_

Bucky frowned at the last comment, Aida was not known for being vague or hesitant but Bucky guessed it didn't matter. He looked to Steve who was prepared to wait for news about Three, but also was torn between staying and going to rescue their allies. If not for their allies they would never have caught Zemo. Which left Bucky battling his own internal dilemma. Part of him wanted to stay and wait, but he hated feeling helpless. While the other part wanted to be doing something... anything to take his mind off of what was happening and the child's drawing mystery. Just sitting there he was plagued by blaming himself and fearing the worst.

"Go. I will stay and await word for you." T'Challa said as he placed a reassuring hand on Bucky's shoulder. However already Steve was shaking his head.

"No we should wait for word on Kat's condition." Steve said.

"Captain Rogers, right now both Barnes and Aida want to be doing something rather than waiting helplessly and your friends need you. Go, take the jet, and I will inform you if there is any news." T'Challa said knowing that this needed to be done.

"Thank you, your highness." Steve said after a moment as Bucky rose from his chair.

"Thanks." Bucky said not sure how to act around the man that had earlier wanted to kill him, but T'Challa just gave him a reassuring smile. Following Steve the pair headed down the hall then down a couple flights of stairs heading for the exit. They soon left the compound and went to the landing platform where they had left the jet. They were just boarding it when a voice called out.

"Captain Rogers." A tall slender woman with a calm expression stood there, "I was told you might need this." She gestured behind her to another smaller woman holding a round vibranium shield. It looked almost identical to the one Steve always used, but was lacking the red, white, and blue paint job on the front. The Dora Milaje kept her face expressionless as both Steve and Bucky looked at each other surprised. Then Steve came forward accepting the shield from the smaller woman.

"Thank you." Steve said receiving only the briefest of nods before both woman turned and left returning to the facility. Boarding the jet Steve set down the shield and got in the pilot's chair while Bucky retook his seat and tried to ignore that his girl was not beside him this time. The entire time Aida was still on the phone and was patched into the jet's computers. Apparently despite Ultron Steve had come to trust the friendly AI as much as Bucky did. The fact that she was created for no other reason than to be Three's friend, made them relax a bit.

Soon the jet took off and they were in the air when Aida explained the Raft prison in more detail saying it was a large circular prison meant to hold powered individuals obviously in preparation for Inhumans. It was a circular prison in the ocean that could be submerged, and Aida brought up the schematics.

"So if this prison is submerged and the only way to access it is via the landing platform that opens at the top, how are we suppose to get in?" Steve asked.

" _Glad you asked. I have managed to infiltrate their systems. More than that I put in a fake work order. The flight controllers for the Raft will believe that you are coming to perform a scheduled maintenance of the facility. Meaning the Raft will not be submerged and you will be allowed to land. Once you land I can seize control of the systems for you allowing full access to the prison. Sadly that means you will need to deal with the soldiers and guards that will try to stop you. At most I can lock down the Raft's subsections so no additional guards can stand in your way, and lock out the technicians from attempting to retake control of the Raft."_

"Don't worry we can handle the guards." Steve said. Again the flight grew quiet as both men were left to their thoughts. Bucky looked out the window as his thoughts went back to Three. "I am sure she is going to be alright, Buck."

The comment made Bucky sigh. "I wish I was that sure..."

" _If anything happens to Kat I am bankrupting Stark!"_ Aida added angrily, _"_ _Sadly that is the worst I can do to him..."_

"Really?" Steve asked surprised, he must have thought Aida would try to have him killed or something.

" _I would love to do worse, but Kat wouldn't want me to. I also know it would be wrong to kill him, he is not an evil HYDRA douche bag."_ The comment got Bucky to smirk a little as Steve chuckled lightly. Again the trio fell silent, then Steve straightened.

"She did not survive everything that was thrown at her to die so easily. Kat's had a tough break and a deck stacked against her. It's made her tougher, she will fight to survive. It's how I know she will eventually pull through." Steve said having faith in Three, it was strange to Bucky his best friend had only known her a few days and yet Steve had complete faith in her. Bucky wanted to believe Three would be okay, but even if she pulled through another question begged to be asked. Should he stay? He put her in even more danger and she had risked too much revealing herself. Perhaps she would be safer if he left, just disappeared from her life. He knew he caused enough grief for Three, Steve, and those they were going to free. God knew he never wanted her to put herself between him and someone like Iron man ever again. Perhaps that was the point, maybe he was not meant to have someone so good. Maybe this was the universe's way of saying he was not meant to be happy.

However another question begged to be answered, who was the little girl in the images and flashes? Why did Three give him a child's drawing? Was she trying to tell him he was a father? No that could not be it, the little girl looked older than a year. Still the idea was a pleasant one, as he imagined Three pregnant with his child. It gave this lovely picturesque image of a white picket fence, and Three plump with child. Bucky had to shake his head, he was getting ahead of himself. Maybe the little girl was one Three rescued from HYDRA and had adopted her? Maybe she was asking him to take care of the girl if anything happened to her? He might have let his thoughts linger on what it all meant but it was not to be.

"We're here." Steve said pulling Bucky from his thoughts. Bucky had to blink several times as he realised he had been too deep in thought to notice the time passing. A voice came over the radio, obviously a dispatcher for the Raft.

" _This is Raft Prison calling Quinjet 792. You are entering restricted air space, please identify and state your reason for the visit."_

" _I will handle this boys,"_ Aida said to them before activating the communication, _"_ _Raft Prison this is Quinjet 792 we are here to perform some maintenance that could not wait for the usual scheduled rotation. According to our logs a Sergeant Nelson reported a systems malfunction yesterday."_

" _Confirming, please stand by."_ The dispatcher replied and there was a lengthy silent to follow. _"_ _Can you please confirm the nature of the fault Sergeant Nelson reported?"_

" _Absolutely, he reported a fault in the systems collars used to short out some of the prisoners abilities. He checked them against the main system hub and reported that it must be a short. According to the log the report was sent out at 7:43pm specific standard."_ Aida replied as if she were reading the report directly.

" _Confirmed, you have permission to land and welcome to the Raft."_

" _Thank you dispatch, hopefully this issue won't take long to fix, and we'll be out of your hair soon enough."_ Aida replied cutting the communication. Bucky peeked over Steve's shoulder to get a look at the prison they were landing in. It was a shocking sight to behold as Steve landed on the landing pad.

"Alright now what, we don't exactly look the part of technicians." Bucky pointed out as Steve picked up the shield King' T'Challa lent him.

"Now we knock out the guards and find our friends." Steve said trying to make it sound like the easiest thing ever done. Perhaps for two super soldiers it would be the easiest thing ever, and made to be a cake walk with the AI Aida helping them. Coming to the ramp door, Steve hit the button and the ramp descended revealing a couple of guards in full gear with guns. The surprise on their faces was priceless but didn't last, as one ran for the emergency button to warn the base, while the other took aim.

The one that took aim and opened fire which was blocked by Cap's shield, and the other was about to reach the button on the wall. Bucky rushed him, while Steve threw the shield when there was a lull in the shooting. The shield hit the guard square in the chest knocking him against the wall and knocking him clean out. While Bucky caught the second guy before he could raise the alarm, and punched him. That was when they noticed two other guards in the room, one opened fire on Steve the other was already hitting the alarm.

"Why isn't it working?!" The guard hitting the button asked just as Steve knocked his friend out and Bucky knocked the man pushing the alarm. Once both men were out Steve and Bucky looked at one another.

"How come this place isn't swarming with guards?" Steve asked.

" _Because I took out surveillance, communications, and the alarm system."_ Aida answered making both of them smile. _"_ _We must try to limit the amount of guards, I know you both will demonstrate restraint. However they will not, so the less you have to deal with the better and safer it will be."_

"Thanks Aida." Bucky said, in truth he did not want to kill anyone. The fact that Aida wanted to avoid unnecessary death just helped to instil more faith in the AI, and prove she was nothing like Ultron. However running into guards not locked away in other areas of the prison was unavoidable. While Aida made all this a lot easier, she could only do so much. Systematically Bucky and Steve went from room to room heading for the prison and knocking out the guards and some technicians trying to retake the systems from Aida. Until they finally reached the circular chamber holding their friends.

They must have known something was up because they were already standing and looking around when the two entered the dark room. Out of the shadows Steve stepped into view of Sam's cell with a smile on his face, and Sam grinned back as if knowing Steve would not simply leave them high and dry. "You guys ready to get out of here?"

"What took you so long?" Sam asked joking with Rogers, "You're usually faster."

"My shield is on loan." Steve replied gesturing to the shield leant to him. After a moment the lights came back on and both Steve and Bucky looked to the ceiling.

" _Unlocking their cells now. Also their gear has been stored in the room to the right outside...unlocking that door too."_ Aida said.

"Who is that?" Clint asked as the cell doors opened allowing them to step into the room.

"That is Aida, the AI that helps Kat." Steve said.

"Don't worry, she is nice." Bucky added.

"Great, a nice AI." Clint said worried.

" _Relax Mr. Barton, I am merely on loan until we escape."_

"Wait a minute, where is the other one...Kat?" Scott asked.

"She was injured... doctors are working to save her." Steve said with a frown.

"The doctor?" Clint asked thinking he had somehow injured her, "Or was it the super soldier assassins?"

"Neither," Bucky said looking away.

"It was Stark, she took an arc-reactor blast to the side." Steve said, and the group fell silent at the news that Kat had been badly injured.

"This is my fault Cap. Stark came to us, showed me the picture of the psychiatrist the crazy doctor killed. I told him to go to you as a friend, I should have told him to fuck off." Sam said realising his mistake in trusting Stark, and regretting it. While Bucky did not really get along with Sam, he knew Sam was not really to blame. Bucky was more inclined to blame Zemo and Stark.

"He did come to us as a friend, but-" Steve started to explain.

" _Can we please discuss this outside the prison? We are trying to ensure no loss of life, the longer we linger the more chance someone will be seriously hurt."_ Aida pointed out.

"Right sorry Aida." Steve said, then looked to the others, "We can talk about this more later."

" _Oh, one moment Miss Maximoff."_ Aida said and everyone looked to her wondering what Aida was doing. A second later the metal collar that had been put on Wanda's neck showed a green light on the front before the click of a release was heard. The metal fell off Wanda and dropped to the floor with a clang. _"_ _There. I imagine that is better."_

Shocked Wanda raised her hand letting the red energies flow around her fingers, and smiled at the ability to use her powers once more. "Thank you, Aida."

" _My pleasure."_ Aida replied as the group left the holding cell and grabbed their gear from the confiscation room. _"_ _I also took the liberty of deleting all research obtained regarding the Ant-man and Falcon suits to prevent replication of the technologies. As well as your files, so to avoid them locating families or loved ones."_

"You can do that?" Scott asked as he and the others suited up rather then wear their prison clothes.

" _Absolutely, Kat and I have learned to be very thorough in these situations. While the algorithm detects no HYDRA personnel here at the Raft one can never be too careful should the information be transferred it could end up in the wrong hands. It was another reason we were against the Accords. Registering enhanced individuals could mean HYDRA can come after that person or their loved ones. Which is why your records are being deleted, for your safety."_ Aida explained as they finished changing and were quickly leaving the facility. As they neared their Quinjet, Aida quickly added. _"_ _Cap, once you and your companions have left the Raft, I will initiate a lock-down to prevent anyone following or tracking you. Don't worry General Ross and his personnel will only be trapped for several hours until the computers reset."_

The news made Bucky smile, as Steve nodded. "Thanks Aida."

With little else to be said the group boarded the Quinjet and left the Raft prison behind. Aida did as she said she would and caused a lock down of the Raft prison before leaving their computer systems without leaving a trace.

* * *

 **August 10th, 2016**

 **Wakanda Medical Facility**

The entire flight back and still there was no word on how Three was doing, as Bucky sat stonily in the chair while Steve told the others what happened. Mostly he tuned it out, he did not want the accusing looks or angry remarks about killing Tony's parents. He had enough to deal with just knowing Three had been injured trying to protect him from Iron Man, not to mention the questions about the little girl. Instead he stared out the window until a gentle hand touched his shoulder and he was brought back to them from his thoughts. "She knew didn't she?"

The question if it could even be called a question came from Wanda who already knew the answer. Bucky sighed as he peeked back, then looked ahead. "I first remembered killing them when I dreamt about it back in Russia. I awoke and narrowly missed hitting Vi. I told her what I did, and she was certain Stark would forgive me because she forgave me."

"Forgave you for what?" Steve asked curious.

"She forgave me for killing Takai and Amaya, her adopted father and sister." Bucky said then sighed ashamed, "Some would say it is not the same thing, but for her it is. Vi's real parents were HYDRA. They donated her. Blood relations?" Bucky scoffed, "She outright said blood meant shit to her."

"Blood isn't everything." Scott said after a few minutes of awkward silence. Sure blood was a strong connection to some people, but clearly not for others. "Sometimes there are stronger connections than any blood relation." Steve peeked back, it was the first time he had heard Scott not sound like a guy geeking out at meeting Captain America.

After a moment Bucky nodded as he replied. "I suppose you're right, Lang. She loved Takai and Amaya, and I killed them. She wanted to kill me when she found out and I was going to let her."

Again the plane grew very quiet, so Bucky returned to looking out the window. "What stopped her?" Clint asked letting his curiosity get the better of him.

"She just said she couldn't do it." Bucky replied not wanting to go into detail of how or why Three didn't kill him. Some were already drawing their own conclusions as they entered Wakanda air space.

"Hopefully by the time we land they will have some news on her condition." Steve said as they would soon be back at the medical facility. Soon enough they were landing on the very platform they had left from and were met by the same two Dora Milaje. Rogers had no delusions that he had been only lent the shield, so he graciously handed it back to the tall imposing woman that had given it to him in the first place. "Again thank you, and his highness for letting me use the shield."

The tall woman took the shield with a simple nod. "King T'Challa is waiting."

Without further incentive the group entered the facility and headed up stairs to the waiting room that was becoming too familiar to Bucky. The group came into the waiting room to find King T'Challa standing there waiting as he looked to them. "I am glad to see you freed your friends Captain Rogers."

"Thank you your highness, and thank you for lending me the shield." Steve said, then they looked down the hall as they heard medical personnel moving around. Bucky tensed up as he watched every person carefully.

"Relax Sergeant Barnes, the nurse was just by and told me Shuri would be coming to speak to us soon." T'Challa said, but it turned out to be the longest couple of minutes ever as they waited. Eventually the group sat down, with Bucky having to be made to sit down next to Steve. Across from him sat Clint and Wanda, with Sam and Scott seated against the wall to the right of the hall. Finally the petite form of the young teenage Wakandan woman named Shuri appeared in a white doctor's coat came down the hall and into the waiting room.

"Shuri." T'Challa nodded in greeting, "How is she?"

Shuri swallowed before beginning. "The young woman you brought in is now in stable condition. However there were complications due to the blood loss and nature of the injuries. She suffered third degree burns to her left side, her suit was scorched onto the skin in that area. As a result when the suit was removed a large amount of blood loss occurred. Luckily you used the kimoyo beads to stop the blood loss partially. There was however another injury sustained that in normal circumstances would not have been a problem, but because of severe blood loss, it became a problem. She sustained a blow to the head."

Shuri paused to allow the information to sink in before continuing. "During the healing process she went into a type Hypoglycaemic shock. The end result coupled with the blow to the head means she is stabilized, but also in a coma."

"A com—coma?" Bucky asked, he was no medical expert but he had heard this was a bad condition to be in. She was alive, but could not wake up. What if she never woke up? "How long?"

"At least a couple of days, at most a couple of weeks. I have high hopes that it will not exceed a month. It is just her situation is new to me." Shuri replied calmly.

"I thought comas were subjective, and no one can really guess when or if a patient will wake." Clint added.

"That is true in most cases, however her brain activity is off the charts. We have honestly never seen anything like it before. If not for seeing her unconscious, I would say she is awake. Regrettably since her... situation is unique. I cannot honestly say why she slipped into a coma when her brain is clearly not so damaged by the injury to the head. My best guess as to why is because of the blood loss, the serum that was used on her must be reacting on a chemical level. Blood carries oxygen to the body and brain, if the brain was in any type of danger of not receiving that oxygen brain damage could occur. Theoretically I believe the serum used on her is reacting to the blow to the head and blood loss in a way to protect her. Hence the unnecessary coma."

"She will be okay though right? She will wake up?" Bucky asked, but Shuri sighed.

"Unfortunately the situation is unique with no one-hundred percent assurance. I believe she will be awake within a couple of weeks, but that does not mean she will." Bucky looked down worried until Steve put a hand on his shoulder.

"Buck, she is alive and in stable condition. She will be fine."

"Can I see her?" Bucky asked.

"Of course, you and your friends can see her. This isn't my usual lab, go on." Shuri replied, then added. "Oh one more thing because my brother might not have mentioned it. Our medical advances means her injuries are completely healed."

"Uh your brother?" Clint asked confused as Shuri looked to T'Challa with a knowing smile.

"Course he would leave out that part." Shuri said shaking her head then playfully punching T'Challa's arm.

"It may have slipped my mind to mention that we are related."

"You know you will pay for that later..." Shuri said walking away and leaving her brother to worry over what she had planned.

Bucky did not want to wait any longer as the situation was explained, he simply wanted to see her. So he moved quickly down the hall heading for her room. The room itself was clean with white curtains, and bed covers. The bed was in the centre of the room with a t.v on the opposite wall overhead. Below that was a long white leather couch, and matching chairs, closer to him was a small tray table for her when she woke. On the other side of the bed was another white leather chair, and beyond that was a large window.

However none of this mattered because Bucky could only watch Three's small form in the bed as she slept. The soft beeping of the monitors reassured him that she was alive as he went around the bed and took the seat next to her. He watched her chest rise and fall as she breathed in and out, then he noticed a dark strand of hair falling into her face and gently brushed it back as he wished she would open her beautiful green eyes for him. Bucky barely noticed the others come into the room and quietly took seats nearby.

Again the group got comfortable in the room taking the chairs and sofas, a few extra chairs were brought in for those that could not sit down. However Bucky never really took his eyes off of Three, instead he noted the many cuts and bruises from the fights they had recently been in together. She also had an IV, and was hooked up to multiple monitors that watched her vitals and brain activities. As if on cue there was a beeping noise coming from the monitors that made Bucky jump as the group looked to the monitors trying to figure out what was going on. A moment later Shuri rushed in. "Damn it! This is what I mean!"

"What is happening?!" Bucky asked as Shuri came up and clicked a button which stopped the beeping.

"She has been doing that a lot, it will drive me crazy by the end of the week," Shuri said then pointed to the monitor, "Her brain activity gives the machine monitoring her fits. It is nothing to worry about, if her life was in danger you would see a team of us rushing this room." Shuri marked Three's charts and then left shortly after again leaving the group.

"The uhh—Aida she is rather quiet." Scott said softly to Sam unaware that the AI had not left. Instead her voice filled the room.

"That would be because I am also monitoring the SHIELD group Kat and I worked closely with. Currently it seems Daisy is still under Hive's sway, and is attempting to access SHIELDs computers. I am assisting Fitz with keeping her out." Aida answered.

"Aren't you more concerned with...staying here?" Clint asked.

"I am able to perform multiple tasks. While I am here I am also monitoring the SHIELD team and keeping them updated on our situation here. I am also monitoring Miss Carter's progress as she and Miss Romanoff are in route to this facility."

"Natasha is coming here?" Clint asked confused.

"Indeed when it became clear that the authorities intended to arrest Miss Romanoff for allowing Rogers, Barnes, and Kat to escape, I contacted her and told her of a safe location."

"And what Nat just trusted you?" Clint asked knowing Nat had a hard time trusting strangers.

"At first she was sceptical, but I informed her I was a friend of Kat's and told her that Miss Carter was already at the safe location. She eventually agreed and the pair have been there since yesterday. When I informed Sharon of Kat's injuries the two insisted on coming here. Don't worry they are safe." Aida said calmly.

"How far away are they?" Steve asked.

"I just helped them through a customs gate for entering the country of Wakanda, but they are still a couple of days travel from reaching us."

"You should have cleared it with his highness first." Steve pointed out, however King T'Challa chuckled as he reclined in his chair.

"It is alright Captain Rogers, Aida informed me of Kat's friends and associates while you were away. She asked permission to give them our location." Steve could only nod in thanks as the room fell quiet once more. The silence was occasionally interrupted by the beeping of the brain activity monitor which caused a nurse to come in and click the button, mark the chart, then leave again. The next one to break the silence was Scott.

"Hey you both are mental—powered individuals." As Scott spoke he was looking at Wanda, "Can you...you know—read her?"

"Her mind is difficult to read even now." Wanda said after a moment a frown forming on her face, "I have tried a couple of times but get a headache. It's hard to describe...like her mind is processing several things all at once. I see at times... an old woman in a room surrounded by pictures. One of the images is of Christmas a blonde is there. The old woman is given a locket with the name Peggy on it, and the blonde is given a Captain America action figure. The blonde gives Kat an annoyed look until Kat says to look behind the shield. The blonde finds a charm bracelet there."

Steve leaned forward deeply interested in what Wanda was able to see. He immediately knew who they were when Wanda said the old woman was surrounded by pictures. "There are other images of other people men and woman some wearing suits and fighting. Some images repeat more than others though, I see images of James a lot, but there is one person that keeps appearing more..."

Bucky tensed wondering if perhaps it was Four, Takai, or Amaya. Wanda seemed to get lost in searching Kat's mind as the frown grew. "Wanda?" Steve asked, "Who is it?"

"A little girl." That answer was unexpected as Bucky frowned, he still remembered brief flashes of a little girl shortly after Zemo read the code words, and the drawing that felt heavy in his pocket. Slowly his memory came back of attacking Steve and Three trying to stop him. He remembered he dropped Steve down an elevator shaft and had Three by the throat, then...a sharp pain and the flood of images of a little dark haired girl.

"Describe her." Bucky said stunning Wanda but she focused.

"Dark haired with blue eyes... one of the images she—Kat is leaving her with someone. A woman with red hair, she is crying... upset. She is clinging to Kat, and Kat is talking to her trying to calm her down." Wanda frowned wondering what exactly she was seeing from Kat. It was foggy and hard to understand.

"What is Kat saying to her?" Clint asked.

"She is telling the little girl... some of it is muffled. She says to her 'Know that we both love you.' Kat hugs her, but doesn't want to release her. She acts as though she will never see her again." Wanda said trying harder to focus on the fleeting images, "Now the little girl is with the other woman and the red head asks what she should do if anyone comes for her."

Wanda visibly stiffened as she heard what Three thought to the woman. Looking up at Steve and Bucky she said. "Kat thinks her answer to the red head, _'_ Kill anyone that comes for her.'"

A cold shiver ran down Bucky's spine, but he tried to shake it off. _'The little girl could be anyone. Don't jump to conclusions!'_ However the lingering question Bucky had was why did the little girl have his eyes? None of it made sense to him, after all the little girl in the images looked too old to be his.

* * *

 **August 12th, 2016**

 **Wakanda Medical Facility**

Rarely did James leave Three's side as the days passed by. Steve and a couple others tried to get him to leave for just long enough to eat a proper meal and sleep in a decent bed. Though a nasty glare from the former Winter Soldier made them back off. Instead Bucky became a more permanent fixture in the room with the others coming to visit for a time then leaving for the private quarters King T'Chaka offered them. Even members of the royal family visited which had surprised Bucky, for one he had not expected to see King T'Challa's mother Ramonda. The older woman was a strong imposing woman whose very presence screamed royalty, but she also seemed like a kind woman. She had come earlier that day curious about the Avengers.

James honestly could not help but be nervous, after all he had been accused of killing her husband the former king. Yet the woman noticed his nervous tension and laughed. "Relax Mr. Barnes I already know you were falsely accused."

She came in accompanied by two of the Dora Milaje who stood back by the door watching the scene carefully. "So this is the one they are raving about on the news? The one that finally stepped out of the shadows."

"Yes ma'am. I mean your highness—your grace." Bucky replied earning another light laugh.

"Ramonda is fine, my son now rules not I." Bucky nodded then frowned.

"Um you mentioned she is on the news?" Bucky asked worried.

"Yes there is this cute little debate about her." Ramonda picked up the remote for the television and turned it on switching it to the news station. It was a debate between a young woman and a man. The below caption read 'Katseye: A hidden guardian angel to the Avengers?' Immediately the woman's voice came through.

" _...have to look at the facts. She has been fighting HYDRA for over a decade and fighting that battle alone. You cannot expect her to want to jump into the spotlight._ "

" _And why did she jump into the spotlight?! For a known murderer that has killed dozens of people over the last fifty plus years! What does that tell us about her?! That hey she has killed agents of HYDRA but draws the line at the Winter Soldier?!"_ The guy asked being obnoxious.

" _There is obviously more to it, look at the facts and everything she dumped online! Clearly HYDRA wanted the Sokovian Accords, and now what will happen when the Avengers are ham-stringed by this panel that could be corrupted by HYDRA?! As for the Winter Soldier she saw the truth for what it was! Our governments sent out a blurred picture without checking to make sure it was him, a clear mistake that she ousted them for and rightly so!_ " The young woman said obviously taking their side on this issue.

" _And what about the other crimes the Winter Soldier has committed? Are we suppose to just ignore those?"_

" _Well if you would pay attention to the files dumped online by Black Widow than you should be able to find the records of how HYDRA had control of James Barnes' mind. It was not him committing those crimes but HYDRA. Obviously Katseye could see the difference were some of us are apparently blind."_

" _That still does not excuse the fact that she is an outlaw just like Steve Rogers and any that opposes the Sokovian Accords. If she wants to be named an Avenger she needs to accept the new laws of the lands."_

The woman laughed and shook her head. _"_ _I do not recall anywhere in the documents released that Katseye wants to be an Avenger. There was no mention of it, you are literally making fact-less claims. Though based off of everything from the Chitari Invasion, her saving President Ellis' life, fighting HYDRA and trying to safeguard the other Avengers... I think she is more than an Avenger."_

" _Oh and what should she be called? Because criminal sounds perfect."_

" _A Guardian Avenger, because she has been fighting and protecting us even when we did not know it or see it. The Avengers may not have seen her or known she was there, but when they needed that extra hand she has always been there. Even our own heroes need a guardian angel looking out for them. We can be angry and bitter that she has only now just appeared, or we can choose to open our eyes and see that she is what is needed now. Often we say our heroes protect us, but who protects our heroes? We now have that answer: Katseye is our Guardian Avenger."_

A second later Ramonda muted the television and turned to Bucky with a smile. "The name is sticking after that debate. Many are now calling her the Avengers very own guardian angel, or a Guardian Avenger."

"They are now going after her?" Bucky asked worried.

"Many are calling for her arrest much like Captain Rogers and the Avengers that sided with him. However from what I read it is nothing new to her." Ramonda said smiling down at Three, then looked back at James. "Regardless she is very popular now. I look forward to meeting her properly when she wakes."

With that Ramonda left with her guards and once again James was alone. It was amazing to hear how well accepted and received Violet was in the wider world even if she was now a fugitive. However it made James question if he should stay, because of him half the Avengers were wanted fugitives! As it was he still blamed himself for Violet being in a coma after trying to protect him from Stark. James didn't know how long he sat there loathing himself, but the sound of Steve's voice along with two female voices brought him back to the present. He didn't know what they were fully saying until the three appeared. Steve held the door open for a very familiar blonde and redhead, and James sighed as he recognised Sharon Carter and Natasha Romanoff.

Sharon came forward looking her sleeping friend over carefully with a worried expression. "Aida said it was a bad injury."

"She will be okay, Sharon. The doctors say at most she will wake in a couple of weeks." Steve said trying to reassure her.

"The AI also said it was Stark." Natasha said arms folded across her chest a look of disbelief clearly on her face, "That she was trying to protect Barnes and got hit instead."

"It's true." Steve said, both women looked to James who couldn't face them. Instead a soft hand reached out and came to rest on his making James look up at Sharon. The blonde tried to offer a reassuring smile telling him it was okay. However before she could say anything some of the other Avengers came in for their usual visit and greeted Sharon and Natasha.

"How is she doing? Any change?" Scott asked holding a bag.

"Nothing yet."

"Well I got you some sugar based goodies for your guard duty." Scott said after a moment handing James a bag of doughnuts, candy bars, and cakes. Strangely Scott thought this was his way of helping so James smiled and said thanks as he took the offered bag.

"Really Tic-Tac? Junk food? You'll ruin his girlish figure." Sam said trying to tease James, as some of the others tried to keep from laughing. The group once again took up the seats and were simply talking while James decided to eat one of the doughnuts since he had not eaten much. It was then Aida's voice came in with news.

"SHIELD team has made contact. Melinda May is on the phone, she has good news and bad. Patching her in now." It took a moment than Aida turned on one of the wall screen of the room which showed an Asian lady with black hair. James instantly recognised the woman from the picture Zemo had of her and Kat in Alaska. If the woman was surprised to be talking to half of the Avengers she did not show it.

" _This is Agent May of SHIELD."_

"It is good to see you May." Romanoff said smiling at the Asian lady.

" _It is good to see you too Natasha."_ May said giving a slight smile.

"You two know each other?" Steve asked.

"May is an agent of SHIELD, she and Nat go way back." Clint said waving at May, "How you doing May?"

" _I could be better."_ May replied honestly, then looked to Steve, _"_ _Captain Rogers it is a pleasure to meet you. I have been asked to contact you with an update on our situation. Aida has informed us that Kat is in a coma."_ The calm cool voice sounded mostly detached, but with an edge to it.

"Kat mentioned some disturbing circumstances with a friend named Daisy?" Steve asked.

" _Daisy is out of Hive's influence. Lash—Doctor Garner freed her, but died in the process."_

"Oh shit! Melinda I am sorry, what happened?" Nat said concerned.

" _It is a long story, but as soon as Hive is dealt with I will tell you all about it over drinks. I will need a lot of drinks."_ May said bluntly.

"Sorry who is Doctor Garner?" Steve asked.

"That is up to May." Nat said unwilling to give away intel.

" _He was my ex—we were married."_ May said, _"_ _As said it is a long story. For now just inform us when Kat wakes, and let her know what is going on. As soon as we are able we will be visiting."_

"Will do, and good luck." Steve said as the screen went blank.

"Son of a bitch, what the hell is going on with May and those other SHIELD agents?" Clint asked leaning back.

"You know May is short and to the point, Clint. She won't spill her guts no matter how much pain she is in." Nat said frowning.

"Ya think she is with Fury?" Clint asked hopeful.

"No, if she were, Fury would have made the call. Besides you know Fury would have signed Kat up with us sooner if she were working with him. Sounds like the new director has his hands full." Nat said calmly.

"Wait so May wasn't the director?" Scott asked confused.

"Nope, if May was she would not have introduced herself as Agent, but Director." Nat said casually.

"So this Hive is a bad guy?" Wanda asked.

"Kat said he was an Inhuman that can control other Inhumans. In one of the last phone calls she took she was warned to stay away because of him." Bucky said, not that any of that mattered Three was in a coma and Hive was on the other side of the world. Besides now was not the time to go dashing off to help SHIELD agents, not when they were fugitives themselves.

"Well hopefully they'll kick this Hive's ass." Scott said trying to sound hopeful. Unfortunately a three more days soon passed with no change to Three's condition and no further word from the SHIELD team. It had both Nat and Clint on edge because whatever was happening with May had to be serious for there to be no word from anyone. It was not until August 19tha full week later that James had spent the night in the chair next to Kat's bed, and was woken by Sam.

"Hey! Wake up that SHIELD team is here. Aida just informed us they will be here any minute." Sam said as Bucky rubbed his eyes and sat up a bit more. However leaving Kat was not something Bucky was about to do as he looked to the sleeping woman. "She'll be fine now, c'mon."

Bucky got up and took one last look at Kat before following Sam out of the room and down the hall. They passed through the waiting room and soon rounded a corner to find King T'Challa, Steve, Sharon, and the others standing there. Up ahead he could hear voices as Clint asked aloud and annoyed. "What the hell man?! We thought you were dead!"

Slipping through the crowd Bucky looked to both Steve and Sharon who wore surprised looks. "Yeah I know, I was hoping to surprise you and the other Avengers in a better way."

Bucky turned to look at an middle-aged man in a suit standing next to May and a group of other SHIELD agents.

"So Fury played us, typical." Steve scoffed annoyed to be tricked.

"Actually Captain I did die. It is a very long story." The guy replied confusing Bucky.

"Why didn't Lil say anything?" Sharon asked equally annoyed.

"Lil?" The guy asked confused.

"Sorry, old habit. Kat." Sharon amended.

"Well Kat respects peoples' decisions. She knew I wanted to surprise you guys, so she was kind enough not to say anything." The guy replied then looked to Bucky with a soft smile. "Sergeant Barnes it is a honour and a pleasure to meet you. We were helping Kat look for you, I am Director Phil Coulson."

"Director?" Nat asked shocked.

"Silly I know, but I just could never say no to Fury." Coulson said.

"So you are the ones Kat talked about? Which one of you is Daisy?" Bucky asked looking over the group but with only two women there he was guessing the shy girl in the back must be her until Coulson sighed. His face looked grim as he looked at Bucky.

"Unfortunately Daisy is in recovery. She is not only suffering from withdrawals from Hive, but we lost a friend and fellow agent named Lincoln Campbell. Daisy and Lincoln were very close. No doubt when Kat wakes she will want to talk to Daisy via video link, but Daisy is no condition to be travelling around after her ordeal." Coulson said calmly.

"We had best move this conversation to a more pleasant location. No doubt there is much to discuss." King T'Challa said wanting to take the conversation to a more private location where everything could be explained in more detail.

"Um if we may see her first your highness. We have missed Kat and would really like to see her." The shy girl asked and Bucky picked out a English accent. The group looked at her, then she seemed to remember she had not introduced herself. "Oh sorry I am Agent Jemma Simmons. I am also a doctor I could give you more detailed information on Kat since I know more about her Inhuman abilities and the Mastermind serum."

King T'Challa smiled, ever the gracious host. "Of course. This way."

* * *

 **Author's Notes:**

 **First off Thank you all for the lovely reviews. I m glad you have enjoyed the latest chapter.**

 **Also anyone seen Avengers Infinity War? I have, but don't worry I won't spoil anything. However if anyone has seen it and wants to discuss it PM me. I am already considering how Three will fit in there, but like with everything I will need to wait until it comes out on DVD. It helps me break down the movie and take note of the dialog so that the story accurately follows the movie. Still it was an exciting and overwhelming movie, I hope you all go see it.**

 **As for this chapter it is the bridge between Civil War and the next movies. It also bridges Agents of SHIELD because at this point season 3 is over and this is set between seasons. As for Bucky and the drawing from Tess. He is not opposed to the idea, but the brief images show an older child that does not fit with him being apart from Three for just over a year. It in short is a lot to process and with everything else that has happened he is more concerned with Three.**

 **Some other things to note is where Aida helps Steve and Bucky free their companions from that Raft prison. In the movie I always wondered how Steve freed Sam and co, so I figured the AI friend would lend her digital hand in their rescue. As for Bucky he just really wanted to punch someone since he couldn't punch Zemo or Stark the guard would just have to do.**

 **Lastly Avengers and Agents of SHIELD crossover! Yep Team Cap now know Coulson is alive and the director of SHIELD. It seemed only natural that after dealing with Hive Coulson's team would want to check and make sure Three was okay once everything was said and done. It was even more natural that Sharon would come to see Three and since Nat is a fugitive... well girl road trip. Anyway I hope you enjoyed this latest chapter.**

 **Please let me know what you think by leaving a review.**

 **Lesliezin**


	48. Avengers vs Disney Princesses

**Hello everybody,**

 **Here is Chapter 48, enjoy.**

* * *

 **August 19** **th** **, 2016**

 **Wakanda Medical Facility**

The group was led into the room where Three was being kept and Bucky took his usual protective spot next to Three as the SHIELD agents gathered around and the woman known as Simmons looked at her charts. The more she looked the more she frowned. "No, no, no you have the brain activity monitor set for a normal person. Her brain activity registers on a whole other level which is why it alerts you every ten minutes. Her cerebral cortex..."

From there Simmons launched into full medical terms as she began to explain the problem. It was another young agent with a Scottish accent that cut in. "Jemma, they do not speak medical."

"Right sorry. Think of her brain as a high speed computer it is able to retain and process several processes at once. Whereas the normal human brain only retains fifty percent of incoming knowledge and gets bogged down if too many processes happen at once. Her brain is literally geared for a higher setting so you need to recalibrate the machine at a higher setting to properly monitor her brain activity." Jemma said which now made a lot more sense when not using medical terms. "If you have some tools Fitz could make the proper changes."

Simmons gestured to the man with a Scottish accent who must have been Fitz. However a bigger coloured guy spoke up. "Perhaps that should be considered later, Simmons. We only just arrived and half these people thought Coulson was dead."

"Right of course." Jemma said putting the chart away.

"How did this happen? Aida was not very forthcoming with the details and while Kat can get injured a lot nothing keeps her down this long." Coulson asked.

"What did Aida tell you?" Steve asked.

"That she was injured helping you guys and ended up in a self-induced coma after severe blood loss." Coulson replied.

"Did Aida say who injured her?" Clint asked.

"No some of the details were glossed over with all that was happening." May replied.

"It was an arc-reactor blast to the side." Steve said with a sigh.

"Stark?! He did this?!" Coulson asked shocked, "I know the guy has a huge ego, but this isn't his MO."

"No you're right it isn't," Steve said frowning then sighed, "Perhaps we should have a sit down and we can talk and exchange stories." Coulson could only nod in agreement as he looked down at Kat.

"This way gentlemen and ladies." King T'Challa finally said. Then he began leading the groups from the room, but when certain ones like Steve noticed Bucky not following, the Wakanda King turned around. "Sergeant Barnes you have spent the last week in this room. She will be fine while you get a proper meal."

Already James was shaking his head, "What if she wakes up?"

King T'Challa chuckled already knowing the AI would be watching. As expected Aida spoke up. "If she does you will be the first to know James."

Still James looked down at Three uncertain of leaving her alone, then Sharon added. "Think of it this way. If you come with us and have some actual food you will also be intelligence gathering. You will get to know what Lil—Kat has been up to for the past year."

Sharon knew just what to say to peak James interest, so the former Winter Soldier came around the bed and followed the two groups down the hall to a large dining hall with a long table meant for the royal family. Like most of the medical facility it had a large wall sized window of the misty landscape and light in colour. On entering the dining hall the long table stretched out ahead and ended at the opposite end of the room with the large wall size window just beyond it. King T'Challa naturally sat at the end of the table while Steve, Sharon, James and the other Avengers sat to the left, while the SHIELD agents sat across from them on the right.

Before any food was brought in Coulson began to explain how he died and Fury used alien DNA to bring him back. He also explained the TAHITI program that was used to make him forget the painful events. Afterwords he went onto explain the forming of his new SHIELD team, recruiting Daisy who was known as Skye at the time, and the many missions that followed. Coulson also explained how Kat first contacted his team. While there was no physical appearance the fact that even then Kat was looking out for the SHIELD team said a lot.

"I still cannot believe she didn't say anything about you. I was the one that told her about you dying." Sharon said still shocked that Three could keep such a secret.

"Wanna know a painful truth? When she saw me outside of Daisy's van, she was going to shoot me. She admitted it because she saw me standing next to Ward, a HYDRA agent." Coulson said, "It was a painful admission for her, but I also understood why she did not outright try to oust Ward. More than once she wanted to shoot him, but at the time she knew what that would mean so she didn't. She did that to protect us."

Coulson went onto explain her involvement in the missions there after and how she always managed to keep her distance while still helping them. Thus after Coulson had been kidnapped on one of those missions and he learned he had been dead for days, he did not report Katseye's involvement. "From there things went pretty quiet, we only received bits of intel that she and Aida hacked from SHIELD. Then HYDRA happened and we heard about the Triskelion. Reports flooded in that she saved SHIELD agents and killed HYDRA, but no further contact. Well except for Daisy, Kat had given her an off network phone as a means of keeping contact. When the GH serum began to effect me Daisy decided to contact Kat and get an outsider's opinion. However that phone call Daisy was not prepared for..."

"That was when Kat told us that she knew Ward was apart of HYDRA, and was trying to make amends." Simmons pointed out.

"Make amends how?" Scott asked.

"By getting the Mastermind serum, according to Daisy, Kat had been after it for years. With the fall of SHIELD it was now more accessible. You see when Ward betrayed us he nearly killed Fitz and Simmons." Coulson explained.

"Fitz suffered oxygen deprivation which caused damage to the brain. Kat wanted to repair the damage Ward had caused." Simmons added.

"Like with Aunt Peggy." Sharon said sitting back shocked.

"Yeah, Daisy mentioned she was in Russia trying to acquire it. However it was not until a month later that she came to be standing in front of our base."

"You're kidding?" Sam asked shaking his head.

"Purposely tripped the sensors, with Aida she probably could have infiltrated the base and we would not have known," Coulson said then added with a shrug, "But she wanted us to know she was there. So there she was fully suited up and holding the serum that made her. What shocked us the most was she was asking for our help to find Mr. Barnes."

"De'ja'vu anyone?" Sam asked chuckling.

"You mean her ability to show up at hidden bases unannounced and bypass security?" Sharon asked shaking her head.

"Yeah, but ya gotta love that talent. I thought it was pretty cool." Coulson said, again he continued telling about Sif coming to the planet following a Kree and the Kree being after Inhumans. He told how vicious Kat can get when someone tampers with another person's memories.

"The most fascinating part was the Kree device used to erase memory, including the memory of an Asgardian had no effect on Kat. Instead it caused latent memories to resurface." Simmons said, while Simmons had not been told right away she was told much later of the incident, and still was amazed by it. "I still believe if she came into contact with the sceptre Loki used she would be immune to it's effects."

"Yeah—no you don't want to test that. Believe me." Clint said speaking from experience on the matter.

"No no of course it is just my belief that she is immune to mental impairing effects and cannot be mentally manipulated. My theory is cemented by the fact that her Inhuman abilities are also mental abilities." Simmons replied.

"Wait mental effects..." Natasha said, then frowned.

"Okay what is it now Nat?" Clint asked.

"Stark Tower after the Chitari invasion, Loki." Nat stated, and Clint shrugged.

"What about it?"

"Loki started screaming and Thor said he must have tried attacking someone's mind. Kat was on the roof of the Grande Hotel waiting for a HYDRA head. Loki must have seen her, I mean who else would he mentally attack?" Nat asked

"Wait that doesn't make any sense. Kat didn't become Inhuman until years later. No way she could have attacked Loki's mind." Mack pointed out but Jemma laughed.

"Ha! More proof, you see this proves it. The Mastermind serum acted as a booster for her Inhuman abilities allowing her to use them in extreme circumstances prior to Terrigen mist exposure." Right then Jemma looked overjoyed by the discovery but Bucky frowned at the idea of Kat being mentally attacked by this Loki person. Finally Coulson cleared his throat wanting to get back on track of explaining more of the missions Kat helped them on. He went on to tell them about the ones claiming to be the real SHIELD. He told them how he, Hunter, Kat, Mike, and Fitz teamed up unwillingly with Ward and Agent 33 to try to find Daisy. Eventually they rejoined SHIELD when they saw they would need help.

"Kat really didn't like it. The fact that they shot live rounds at Daisy meant to her they were willing to take that nasty step towards being more like HYDRA. She made it more than clear that if this 'real' SHIELD ever took another shot at Daisy she would break her own rule." Coulson said taking a drink of water.

"Her rule?" Scott asked.

"To not kill a SHIELD agent." May finally said calmly.

"It was a blow to Weaver and Gonzalez. When they realized Katseye only targets HYDRA we all kind of looked up to her. Gonzalez even admitted that being told by one you view as a hero that you are one dangerous step towards becoming the bad guy hurt like hell." Mack said

"Believe me when I started working with them, she was pissed off. We had a huge argument over it. After all she was made a consultant for SHIELD and her advice was highly valued. However Weaver and Gonzalez were also SHIELD. So she decided once we got our people back she was going to walk." Coulson said then continued to explain how Daisy appeared on the plane as they were about to head out, only now she had full control of her powers. They attacked the HYDRA base and saved Lincoln and Mike but Ward escaped.

"Later when Kat left and we allowed Lincoln and Daisy to leave, they returned to the Inhuman safe-house known as Afterlife. With us about to pay them an unexpected visit, Daisy contacted Kat and was asked to assist as an advisor to their leader Jiaying. I guess when it comes down to it Daisy's go to option is to call Kat. Hackers huh?" Coulson asked with a shrug, then explained how the meeting was a set up and it was all done to start a war which eventually led to the Illard ship, "I am not sure why Jiaying took Kat, all I can think is she felt a kinship with her, I mean both suffered because of HYDRA. Either way Kat escaped with Weaver and since the boat had two air ventilation rooms they headed for the smaller one. While Mack, Fitz, and I headed for the larger one knowing if the Terrigen crystals broke in that room everyone on that boat would either become Inhuman or die. We fought a teleporting Inhuman, but in the attempt to keep the crystal from breaking..."

Coulson sighed and removed his prosthetic arm shocking the Avengers. "Jesus!" Scott cried.

"Yeah Kat wasn't so lucky. Aida just got the scientists and lab techs out of the labs after Kat stopped an Inhuman that could go invisible, but on his death he dropped a crystal and it broke. Kat was exposed, and she told Aida to vent the system so that the mist would harm no one else. Luckily Kat didn't die, just gained some cool new abilities." The conversation continued, but now Bucky noticed some of the details were being glossed over. "After that Kat went back to looking for Mr. Barnes and for a time there was little contact as she adjusted to the new situation."

Most would assume 'new situation' had to do with her new powers, but how some of the agents were reacting told Bucky this was not what she had to adjust to. Bucky leaned forward listening more intently as Coulson explained how Jemma was dragged through a stone called the Monolith that would go liquid and create a portal that had been on the Illard. Six months later, Kat had gathered Intel on Rosalind Price the head of the ATCU and was swept along wanting to help bring Jemma back. "It was at an old castle in England that we learned how to reopen the portal and Fitz's determination that we got Jemma back."

"It was a close call, Galadriel heard that thing called Hive." Mack said.

"Good thing she only heard it and never met it." May added coolly.

"I am sorry, Galadriel?" Scott asked confused.

"Yeah. It is what Mack calls Kat because of her abilities." Fitz pointed out.

"Oh cool." Scott said as Coulson resumed his story of Kat eventually rejoining them for further missions. By now Bucky noticed he wasn't the only one wondering what Coulson was leaving out. Still he decided to wait until the end to call him out on it. Coulson explained how they were after Gideon Malick and Rosalind was killed by Ward. Kat was just as eager to hunt Ward down with Hunter and Bobbi's help as she and Coulson tracked him back to the castle they had used before. From there it became a mission to kill Ward, save Fitz and Simmons, and free the Inhumans. Most of this part of the story was told by May and Mack since Coulson was on another planet.

"Thanks to her we were able to make sure who was coming through the portal. We got our people back, and managed to escape. However Doctor Garner—Lash got loose and killed the captured Inhumans. Our mission was only partly successful." May said.

"Not to mention we thought the HYDRA hell beast was gone and had not made it through." Mack added.

"After that, she parted ways wanting to resume her search for Barnes, so we left her be. Only contacting her in dire situations where we needed all hands on deck." Coulson continued, "The next time we called in her help was after the Malick party crashed The Symposium for the Alien Contagion." From there he explained how Malick helped organise a coup against the Russian prime minister, and regrettably how Bobbi and Hunter were captured. "I was certain Bobbi and Hunter were going to face a firing squad. President Ellis was refusing to get involved until Kat asked to speak to him."

"Totally shocked us that Galadriel saved the President's life and was calling in the favour." Mack added.

"It was enough to spare them, but in the end they were disavowed." Coulson concluded, even then they missed the hapless pair. However rather than linger on the issue, Coulson continued on explaining how months later Kat called him: thinking Bucky was in Alaska. "Kat had helped us numerous times, and we owed her more then we could count, so when she asked. May volunteered to go with her to Alaska, and the pair took a Quinjet."

From there Coulson turned to May to explain what happened on that particular mission and how it went south. Bucky was not there, instead a small town was held hostage by a special forces unit. Eventually between the two women they freed the town, but learned that they were there to lure anyone looking for Bucky out. However May looked a bit more hesitant to lie as she considered how to say this. "Afterwards we sat at the bar, she had been looking for you for over a year. Repeatedly by HYDRA she had been told you were dead. She asked me to tell her the truth asking was she deluding herself into thinking you were still alive. I told her only she could decide that because I sure as hell wasn't going to tell her one way or another."

"She gave up didn't she?" Clint asked, and May nodded.

"After that she called off the searches, and she devoted herself to eliminating HYDRA. She focused on the untouchable HYDRA heads and was also having Aida do searches for Garner." May concluded, though she looked disappointed, "With her renewed focus she drifted further from us. I understood the need to be alone, but it also felt like she was distancing herself. Preparing for some blow, I guess her instincts told her this was usually when she needed to distance herself."

"She had tried before at times to put distance between the team and herself, but this time..." Coulson trailed off trying to find the right words.

"It felt real, permanent, definitely permanent." Simmons said, and Sharon seemed to give a short humourless laugh as she shook her head.

"What?" Coulson asked.

"All those times Lil—Kat would do this disappearing act or claim to be busy. It felt like she was avoiding Aunt Peggy and I... she was actually distancing herself. Or at least trying to."

"Yeah well she does that." Coulson said casually then sighed, "Leading us to the present. Weeks ago when the Sokovian Accords came into play she contacted us to inform us of those Untouchable HYDRA heads were finally making their move. Sadly we were dealing with Hive and you can guess how things went from there." For a few minutes the group was quiet, and Bucky decided now was the time to call Coulson on what he was leaving out.

"I don't doubt what you have told me, but there are a lot of empty spaces in your story. What are you leaving out?" Bucky asked watching Coulson carefully. He noticed the sharp intake of air from Simmons, and how Fitz went Rigid. May was the least readable of the group as she kept careful control of her features, while Mack tensed and looked to Coulson. The director of SHIELD sighed as he leaned back in his chair.

"Aida kept close watch over Kat even when she broke into the facility and allowed herself to be arrested. If you think the AI was simply going to let her friend walk into that compound unmonitored than you were kidding yourself. Aida _always_ kept watch to some degree, which is why she noticed Kat had left out a important detail to you and asked us to do likewise."

"Important detail? What detail?" Steve asked not liking things being kept from them.

"I am sorry but I cannot say, Captain Rogers. It isn't my place or my secret to tell but Kat's." Coulson replied regretting having to keep silent about it.

"It is alright Coulson. They will know soon enough, the other group has just arrived." Aida said.

"You have brought her _here_?" May asked surprised.

"It was an contingency plan Kat asked to be put in place should anything happen." Aida replied.

"Wait a minute, Kat called off the search for Barnes so this contingency plan-" Mack started to point out.

"Kat asked the search to be called off, but I never stopped looking. Besides she made no mention of this particular plan so I kept it. Kat didn't forget about it, she just assumed I had removed it." Aida said sounding smug at finding a loophole. Bucky chuckled as he placed his flesh elbow on the table and covered his mouth with his hand to hide the proud smile. However now he was wondering what this 'contingency plan' was for. No sooner than he was about to ask then King T'Challa's bracelet rang and everyone looked over at the King. Soon a holographic image of a Dora Malaje appeared.

"Yes?" The king asked.

"My king, we have some unexpected guests."

"They are guests that have been invited. Send them up." With that the holographic image disappeared and T'Challa looked around. "It seems this other group are here."

"Doesn't leave much time to explain things." May said.

"In all honesty shouldn't they have arrived before us?" Mack asked.

"As a precaution I had them fly to varying locations to lose anyone that might follow. Certain measures had to be taken to ensure their safety." Aida answered. The more they said the more apprehensive Bucky got.

"Well this is going to be awkward, but let's go meet them." Coulson said as he and the other SHIELD agents rose and headed out of the dining hall. Curious Bucky followed them with Steve, King T'Challa and the other close behind. Leaving the dining hall they came back to the long hall and were heading for the elevator around the corner when a slender red head came around. The woman was dressed in black skinny jeans, a form fitting blue shirt and a black leather jacket. She looked at them warily as she held up her hand stopping someone around the corner from following her.

"Myra?" Sharon asked stepping forward, "How—you died in the warehouse as did Caroline."

"You know her?" Steve asked.

"She is Agent Myra Bicks."

"Former agent." Myra corrected sternly, "I take it by your surprise Aida didn't get the chance to explain." A noise from around the corner made Myra look and hold up her hand again stopping someone. "Let me make sure first, okay?"

"Aida?" Sharon asked wanting to know why a long thought dead agent was standing there.

"Apologies Myra. Coulson and his team arrived first, and I thought Kat would have woken by now to explain things herself. It was a miscalculation on my part. During the Kovach mission a total of eight agents were assigned to protect one doctor Ethan Kovach. Three SHIELD agents, and five HYDRA agents."

With those words Coulson pulled a gun training it on Myra, and the woman sighed and held up her hands in surrender. "Aida I really wish you would have explained this to them sooner."

"Please lower your weapon Coulson and allow me to explain." Aida said calmly.

"Kat confirmed early on Monroe was SHIELD and was killed by HYDRA. That leaves Sharon and I as the other two SHIELD agents assigned to Kovach!" Coulson replied.

"You are correct, Coulson. However if you shoot her Kat will be pissed off as will I. We risked much to help Miss Bicks escape HYDRA and she has been a loyal ally since!" Aida replied sharply. Hesitantly Coulson lowered his gun.

"When Kat knocked you, Sharon, and Monroe out, another HYDRA agent had the chance to kill her and instead Myra shot and killed that HYDRA agent. She asked for our help to escape HYDRA because Kovach experimented on her and her old team." Aida continued to explain then the group looked to her to confirm it.

"Had Kat not shown up to deal with Kovach I had planned to arrange an accident for him. Either way Kovach was not going to live very long." Myra replied with a shrug.

"You turned on HYDRA?" Clint asked sceptical.

"I used to believe they were right. Hell I was raised to believe it, my dad preached their damn praises. I believed that garbage for so long, then they send us to retrieve Kovach and he tests his serums out on us. FYI one of the side effects of his serums is sterility, so yeah I turned on HYDRA. So we good for now? Or do I need to start running?"

"No we're good." Steve said wanting this to continue being a peaceful situation. Myra sighed however no one had noticed the little figure peeking out from around the corner. Once the situation calmed down the figure rushed out.

"Coulson!" The squeal of a little girl's voice stunned Bucky as he saw a head of dark hair rush over to Coulson. She looked about two years old, with blue eyes. In her arms she held a stuffed animal cat and was dressed in a cute little pair of glittery jeans and a long sleeved shirt that had a pretty matching butterfly on it. However what truly caught Bucky off guard was this was the little girl he had seen flashes of. He could not take his eyes off the little girl as Myra sighed annoyed.

"Tess you were suppose to—oh never mind."

"Hey there Tessi." Coulson said as he knelt down and let the little girl hug him.

"I missed you. Mommy said you were on a dangerous mission, and she had to go on a dangerous mission..." The girl looked around at the SHIELD agents then frowned, "Where is Daisy and Lincoln?"

The disturbed look on Coulson's face made Tess look around worried. "Are they okay?"

"We uhh-" Coulson was struggling with the words as he really didn't want to tell the girl Lincoln was dead.

"Daisy is in recovery, you will see her soon." May replied.

"Is Lincoln with her?" Tess asked and May seemed to have difficulty maintaining a calm mask, then seemed to school her features. "Right now there are some people that would like to meet you."

It was during this conversation Bucky had slipped further back into the group stunned as he had trouble processing all of this. Steve obviously noticed and realised he was still trying to wrap his head around this. The little girl was the one he had seen in images and flashes, but how?! The one that no doubt drew the picture Three had given him. It didn't take much to figure it out, she was their daughter! Again though the question came up—How?! She looked about two and it had only been a year since they met in Russia the timing made no sense! By now the little girl was looking at the larger group with an awestruck look. She obviously recognised some of them from T.V. and she seemed to get a little nervous and shy. She looked at May worried and held up the cat toy to hide her face as she whispered. "Mommy says I have to be careful. That HYDRA might be nearby."

May gave one of her rare smiles and looked up. "Aida are there any agents of HYDRA nearby?"

"None the area is completely safe."

"See? No HYDRA." May said looking back at the girl who shyly lowered the cat toy, and looked at the Avengers.

"He—hello. My name is Teresa Amaya Barnes, but everyone just calls me Tess or Tessi." Bucky felt like he had been hit in the gut with a vibrainum baseball bat. He noticed a number of different eyes on him watching and waiting but his brain could only think of one thing to ask.

"How is this possible?"

"Well you see the super soldier serum and the mastermind serum effected development stages differently than an normal child. It even accelerated the pregnancy process to the point-" Jemma had started to explain, but this was only shocking him more. So Mack spoke up to give him the long and short of it.

"She looks and acts much older than she actually is... Tess is actually only Ten months old." His words sent Bucky's mind spinning even more as he realised that Tess was his daughter. Looking at her she was looking up at him with another awestruck look. Still Bucky looked too stunned to react, and Steve knew it. So Steve came forward and knelt down to the little girl, he gave her a nice reassuring smile. However Tess was still looking at Bucky.

"Hello Tess. I am Steve Rogers. I am a friend of your mom's." It was then Tess finally tore her eyes away from Bucky and looked at Steve.

"You're Captain America." Tess said shyly, then she pointed out the other Avengers. "That is Black Widow, Hawkeye, Falcon, Scarlet Witch, and Ant Man."

"You know girls usually memorise the Disney princesses." Scott pointed out.

"I memorised them too." Tess said with a pout then began rattling off the list of Disney princesses, "Lastly there is Mommy's and my favourite Mulan."

"Mulan isn't a Disney Princess." Scott replied.

"Is too."

"Is not."

"Is too, Is too!" From there it descended into an argument between Tess and Scott as Myra pulled out her phone and looked it up.

"Actually it says here Mulan is a Disney Princess just not as highly advertised." With it being confirmed Tess stuck out her tongue at Scott.

"Wow you have a very good memory." Steve said noting a key trait Tess had, then swallowed hard. As he asked his next question he pointed back at Bucky. "Do you know him?"

Again Tess seemed to get a little shy, but nodded as she hugged her cat toy. "Did your mom say who he is?"

Again she nodded, but lowered her cat and unzipped the back. She pulled out a small framed picture and handed it to Steve. Unable to hide his curiosity Bucky came forward and knelt down next to Steve to better see the picture. It was his picture of him in his dress uniform. Looking back at Tess, he noticed this was just as awkward a situation for her as it was for him. Reaching into his pocket he pulled out the drawing and unfolded it, then held it up for her to see. "Did you draw this?"

Again Tess nodded as she shyly hugged her cat toy. "It is very pretty."

"Thank you." Tess replied shyly. Right then Bucky's mouth ran dry as he searched for a way to break the ice then pointed at the toy she carried. It was a Siamese cat that had a zipper pouch on it's back and straps making it double as a backpack.

"That is a lovely cat." Yeah trying to find a icebreaker was harder than he thought.

"Her name is Sake. She is usually mean unless you give her Sake then she becomes nice." Tess said softly, then held the cat out to him. "Wanna hold her?"

"I thought you said she is mean." Bucky pointed out smiling a little.

"It's okay. I gave her some Sake before we arrived." Tess said confidently, then handed him the toy cat. The toy rested in his flesh arm and he pretended to pet the cat with his metal hand. The action caught Tess' attention as she forgot her shyness and came up touching his arm curious. For a moment Bucky thought this might scare her, but instead she tilted her head and smiled as she studied his arm. After a moment Tess looked up at him and shyly whispered. "Mommy said she would find you."

"Yeah I imagine she did. She is very good at it." Bucky said swallowing thickly, still finding it very hard to think. Hesitantly Tess came closer and wrapped her tiny arms around his neck giving him an awkward hug. Without fully realising it, Bucky slipped his arms around her hugging her back. As the moment passed the hug became less uncertain and more sure. The super soldier serum definitely coursed in Tess' blood, she had a strong tight hold.

* * *

 **August 28th, 2016**

 **Wakanda Medical Facility**

It was almost a week since Bucky had found out he was a father of a ten month year old girl that seemed more like a two year old. He was still reeling from it all and trying to wrap his head around the how and why though asking meant listening to Jemma Simmons go into another medical rant of how it all was possible. The others were more accepting especially when Tess displayed heightened intelligence far beyond her current age range. However Bucky could not deny that he instantly fell in love with the little girl that wanted to stick close to him.

From there the pair were bonding better than Bucky thought they would. He imagined a awkwardness between them especially since he had no clue about being a father. Instead he constantly reminded himself that it was just as awkward for Tess as it was for him. While she had merely been told about him that still left her shy and unsure of how to act. While Bucky tried to think of things to talk to her about. There was the awkward conversations they had about Tess' toy cat Sake and the cartoons she watched. Other times he caught her showing interest in the discovery channel and news. Perhaps this was another clue that she was Three's daughter, Tess certainly never forgot what she watched. In Tess' attempts to make conversation she asked Bucky if he knew Hummingbirds beat their wings sixty to eighty times per second. According to Myra she had watched an episode about them two weeks prior.

To add to the awkwardness Tess wanted to stay close to him and Three rather than go play. She even curled up on the couch in the room to sleep rather than sleep in another offered room. Myra had tried to make her sleep in another room, but the brilliant toddler always escaped the crib and got out of the room coming straight to Three's. Thus they simply gave up trying and let her sleep in the hospital room on the couch. She only left when Myra, Coulson, or one of the SHIELD team came to get her. Mainly to get food and have regular baths thanks to Myra who acted as a nanny. However this was also concerning as Bucky noticed she avoided the other Avengers but not Coulson's team. Myra told him it was because she was shy and socially inept like her mother. The toddler was not used to 'additional people'.

Eventually as they spent more time together, Bucky did bond with her. After a few nights of Tess staying in the room when he returned to Three's room, Tess was by his side wanting to stay close to both her mother and father as usual. He reclined in the large chair by Three's bed with Tess trying to get comfortable on the other chair. However when Tess dozed off, Bucky could not help it, he carefully picked Tess up, wrapped her in a blanket and returned to his seat letting Tess sleep in his lap. When she woke the next morning she hugged him and since expected to be allowed to sleep in his lap after. While it cut into his hours of sleep, Bucky didn't mind.

However as much as he became attached to Tess the lingering question remained. Why? Why didn't Three say anything? Was she ever going to tell him about Tess? Sure she gave him the drawing, but he still felt doubtful. The questions felt like they would never be answered and it hurt to think that the woman he loved would keep his own daughter from him. While it was upsetting Bucky reasoned she was going to tell him but was merely waiting for the right moment. Otherwise why tell Tess about him? The little girl told him all about how Three had been searching for him since before her birth, and had no problems telling Tess exactly who her father was. It still did not take away the questions he had for Three nor how much it hurt to find out the way he did.

It was early one morning and Tess was in his arms fast asleep, when she was this close he dare not sleep for fear of having a nightmare and possibly hurting her. Instead he was merely resting his eyes, and did not really respond when someone came into the hospital room. After all they were safe, no need to worry at this point. Whoever it was stood there a moment and then there was the click of a camera button. Bucky's eyes shot open to see a smirking Steve snapping a picture of Bucky and Tess. Before Bucky could stop himself he asked. "What are you doing?"

"Capturing the father daughter bonding moment. Kat will love this." Steve said pocketing his phone. Then noticed the circles under Bucky's eyes and sighed. "You need rest Buck."

"I don't sleep when I am holding Tess. I don't want to have a nightmare and hurt her." Bucky said and Steve sighed. It was time for Captain America to rescue his friend. Gently Steve came over and placed a hand on Tess' shoulder.

"Tess sweetheart, time to get some breakfast." Tess stirred but clung tightly to Bucky groaning before mumbling out.

"No... I want to stay with Mommy and Daddy." The response made Steve smile as he decided to try again.

"But the others want to see you too. Coulson and May miss you and Sharon says as your unofficial aunt she is required to spoil you." This got Tess to wake up more and peek out from under her arm.

"Really? Sharon wants to be my aunt?" She asked shyly, and Steve nodded. Mostly with those that she knew were close to her mother like Sharon and even some of the Avengers Tess was painfully shy.

"Oh definitely," Steve said then leaned in and looked left and right conspiratorially. "In fact your dad being my best friend means technically I am your uncle. Sharon and I both want to spend time with you." The information made Tess come out of hiding and look at Steve fully, "So what do you say? Join us for breakfast?"

Tess looked to Bucky wondering if it was okay to leave him alone, and Bucky chuckled. "It's okay go on. I will just catch some extra sleep."

Carefully Tess unfurled herself from the blanket and got up however instead of taking Steve's hand she turned to Bucky and spread the blanket to cover his lap a bit more. With that done she went with Steve taking his hand as he guided her out and towards the cafeteria, but she did peek back at Bucky a lot before they slipped around the corner. Now mostly alone aside from Three in the bed not far from him, Bucky pulled the blanket up some and got comfortable as he got some much needed sleep.

* * *

Tess let Steve lead her towards the large lovely cafeteria where Coulson's team and the Avengers were already waiting. Seeing the large crowd she kind of tried to hide behind Steve. The blonde looked down and back at her about to ask what was wrong when Sam spotted him. "Hey Steve. We were just having a debate..." Then he noticed Steve was not coming closer. "What are you doing?"

Steve smiled then looked to Sharon. "I have a confession I met this beautiful dark haired girl."

"Really?" Sharon said crossing her arms over her chest, "Where is she?"

Steve gently picked up Tess bringing her into view. "Right here, but she is very shy."

"Well she is beautiful," Sharon admitted, "But shy? I don't believe it." As the blonde woman spoke she came around the table and Tess hid behind her hair ducking her head away to hide.

"You know what cures shyness?" Scott asked with a grin from where he sat, "Tickles."

"Well then." Sharon said before coming up and tickling Tess as Steve held her. Immediately she was giving girlish shrieks of laughter and wiggling trying to escape Sharon's tickling attacks. After a moment Sharon stopped and asked. "Still shy?"

Giggling Tess shook her head, "Good because we have a full day planned for you." Sharon promised, and they did. They planned to get Tess away from the Medical facility and spend time with the little girl. A number of other Avengers and SHIELD agents wanted to take her shopping. Wanda, Jemma, and Sharon wanted to get her some cute clothes. While Steve, Sam, Scott, and Mack wanted to take her to a park to play. So the group would be out for most of the day.

Meanwhile back in the room Bucky caught up on some much needed sleep until it became early afternoon when he got up and decided to get some food and a much needed shower.

* * *

 **Author's Notes:**

 **As always thank you all for the lovely reviews. Sadly I am going to be going back to posting just once a week. As it is the story is heading for a Hiatus because after Infinity War we have a year long wait before the fourth Avengers movie. I will be able to keep posting what is happening in between and as the movies come to DVD I can continue with those, but after Infinity War we will be in for a long gruesome wait. So I am trying to keep the story going, and as the movies hit DVDs I will be able to add to it; but even still we are facing a long wait. Thus this is the reason my posting chapters is only happening on Sundays.**

 **Fortunately having seen Infinity War and without giving anything away. There is a two year gap between Civil War and Infinity War that I can play with and expand on. I only learned this detail during the movie, so I am looking for avenues to explore during that gap which will allow me to keep writing and hopefully provide more chapters.**

 **Anyway onto the notes for this chapter...**

 **In this chapter we finally have most of the groups coming together, and a recap of what Three has been up to with the SHIELD team. We obviously knew that Coulson would have to explain how he was brought back from the dead to the Avengers. Meanwhile Myra Bicks brings Tess to the facility, is something I think everyone was waiting for. It was particularly difficult to write to try and capture how each character would react to this shocking situation. At times it felt like I was not conveying enough of their reactions or Bucky's, but if I keep trying to fix it, it will never get posted.**

 **Anyway please let me know what you think by leaving a review. I look forward to hearing from you.**

 **Lesliezin**


	49. Playdate with Heroes

**Hello everyone,**

 **Here is Chapter 49, enjoy.**

* * *

 **August 28** **th** **, 2016**

 **Wakanda Medical Facility**

Since Fitz adjusted the brain activity monitor Three was hooked up to, there had been no further frequent beeping from the machine. It only showed the activity, but was dialled back so that Three's heightened brain activity was not setting it off every five minutes. However that was about to all change when Three awoke with a gasp and the monitor registered the extra activity. Three winced at the lights and sounds, but was alone in the room. Being alone frightened her more then it had before. She had no idea where she was or how she got there. She immediately remembered what happened before losing consciousness. However she had no idea where she was! Add to that she hated hospital rooms which reminded her of HYDRA facilities and she was close to panicking.

Sitting up she pulled off the monitoring wires, and took out the IV. Looking around the room did not really help, it was a hospital room, but where was Bucky? Looking down at herself Three found herself in a sleep shirt which was better than one of those terrible hospital dressing gowns. Slowly she got up, gripping the edge of the bed as she did so. Her bare feet touched the cold tile floor which helped to confirm she was awake. Three would have tried moving away from the bed if not for the surprised gasp that came from the doorway.

It was a young woman in scrubs, her hair was pinned up in a bun. "You are awake at last."

The accent sounded Wakandan as the woman smiled and came into the room. Was Three in Wakanda? Three decided to ask an even more important question. "Where is Bucky?"

The question came out of a scratchy throat and in response the nurse got her a glass of water as she answered.

"It is alright. You are safe. I am sure Sergeant Barnes will be back soon, as will the little one." The nurse replied coming closer, and turning off the machine. Little one? Three frowned confused by what the nurse meant. The nurse gave Three the water which she drank down glad to drive away the sand-papery feeling. "Your friends will be relieved to see you have woken up, but please you should take it easy. You only just woke up."

"I am fine, I just...wait friends?" Three asked confused.

"Yes some of the Avengers are here as well as a SHIELD team. They were very worried about you." The nurse explained and gradually Three began to relax a little.

"What about Aida?" Three asked.

"I am here Kat." Aida's voice sounded in the room much to Three's relief. Meanwhile the nurse was checking Three over carefully. She was amazed that the young woman was up and about so quickly, but guessed being an Avenger herself meant that she could handle a lot more than the average person.

"How long?" Three asked after a moment as the nurse bandaged her wrist where the IV had been.

"You were in a coma for almost three weeks. It is amazing that you are even up. Usually a person a can barely move!" The nurse said as she started checking her blood pressure and pulse.

"Yeah I guess I have just enough of a healing factor to make recuperation that much easier." Three said as she still felt a bit weak from the coma. Mentally as always she was perfect, physically she just felt a bit drained.

"I shall inform Shuri that you're awake. She will be by to check on you more thoroughly shortly. Please do not try to overexert yourself, just rest." The nurse said before leaving the room. With that Three was left alone with Aida.

"What happened Aida? The last I remember I was bleeding out-"

"King T'Challa had Steve and Bucky bring you here to Wakanda to receive medical aid. The technology and Medical advances here helped keep you alive until seen by the medical team. They saved your life, however as the nurse said, you have been in a coma for almost three weeks."

Three sat there shocked on the edge of the bed then asked. "What happened while I was out?"

"I helped Steve and Bucky rescue the captured Avengers from Raft prison. They are here as well. I also alerted Coulson's team to your situation and they came as soon as they could, but I have bad news..." Just as Aida was about to tell Three about Lincoln Campbell's death, Three beat her to it.

"Lincoln's dead, I know. I saw him." Three said, while she had been 'asleep' she guessed she dreamt. She saw Lincoln and Doctor Garner amongst others including Peggy.

"How did—well I guess you were closer to death than any of us thought." Aida said.

"Daisy? How is she?" Three asked knowing that this must have hurt her fellow hacker.

"She is in a SHIELD recovery facility. She is still suffering after effects of Hive's control but we believe she will eventually recover." For a moment both were quiet until Aida had to ask. "Kat? What happened? What did you see?"

"Everyone," Three said feeling the painful loss, "Everyone we lost."

"Did they say anything?" Three was quiet as she easily recalled what was said and done in the 'dream.' Instead Three sat there a moment quietly thinking of those in that strange otherworldly dream. "Kat? Is everything okay?"

"Hmm? Yeah Aida. I just... it is a lot to process is all." Three said then decided she needed a change of topic. "So uhh where is everybody? I thought there would be a 'welcome back from the dead' party waiting."

"Most decided to get some fresh air. They have taken Tess shopping and wanted her to have fun in the par-" The words from the AI made Three stiffen in fright, and she could not help the cry that escaped as she asked.

"What?! Tess is _here_?!"

"Yes I had Myra bring her here for her safety." Aida explained which did not help her panicking.

"Bucky does he know about Tess?!"

"Of course it was explained shortly-"

"No No No NO!" Three cried standing once more and she gripped the bed for support and leaned over it. "Why Aida?! I was suppose to tell him!"

"Kat calm down you were in a coma and in no condition to tell James of Tess." Aida said worried.

"That hardly matters Aida! I was suppose to tell him! Me! God this is a disaster..." Three groaned.

"I am sorry, I was only trying to help you." Aida said sounding hurt, and Three tried to calm down as she ran her fingers through her hair.

"It's okay Aida, just um I need time to think. Please don't tell anyone I am awake yet, and don't let the medical staff tell them either." Three said and Aida took the hint leaving Three alone to think about the terrible situation she found herself in. The AI did as asked keeping tight lipped about Three waking and urging the medical staff not to speak of it yet either. However there was little she could do to keep James from finding out. In actuality the Winter Soldier had came back to overhear Three talking to Aida. Learning she was upset about him learning of Tess made him pause outside the door. He waited until the AI left before slipping into the room to find Three's back to him.

Three rubbed her temples as a headache developed and she considered how she would explain herself to Bucky. _'Nothing like being told you're a father by the woman's AI friend. Talk about a horrible bombshell being dropped! How am I going to fix this?! I was suppose to tell him!'_ She gave a frustrated groan before cursing loudly. "Shit! What do I do? What do I do?! Goddamnit!"

So deep in thought she never heard Bucky come up behind her until a pair of powerful arms wrapped around her waist. One metal one flesh pulled her against a strong warm chest. "Less of that doll. After all I am thanking god for you waking up."

Being held against Bucky made Three stiffen. She had no idea what to say, no way to explain herself, ad no time to think of what to say. "Bucky..."

"Yes it's me." Bucky said smiling behind her enjoying just holding her. However Three was too confused to speak. Then Bucky chuckled at her lack of speech. "What's wrong? Why are you speechless?"

"You're not mad?" Three asked softly still confused. In response Bucky nuzzled her neck leaving soft kisses.

"Do I seem mad to you?" Came the soft whisper in her ear. He left a few more soft kisses then added, "At first I was hurt. 'Why didn't you tell me I had a daughter?' I kept asking myself that. Was I that big of a danger that you felt I had no right to know."

As Bucky paused the damn broke and Three could not stop her mouth or her the tears that came down her cheeks. "I am sorry. I was going to tell you, I swear. I wanted to tell you so many times, but I was looking for the right moment. I didn't want to just dump you with too much information to process. I wanted to break it to you gently. I am sor-"

She was whirled around to face Bucky who gripped her upper arms firmly before crushing his lips against hers in a passionate kiss. Pulled against Bucky, Three shivered as she gripped the front of his shirt and let the kiss deepen. She leaned into him because she still felt weak and did not want to topple over. As near as she could tell Bucky did not mind in the least as his metal arm came down and around her waist pulling her into him. However when the kiss broke Three was left breathless and dizzy as Bucky held her tightly to him. "Never do that to me again. I thought I lost you, doll."

 _'I nearly was lost.'_ Three thought as she leaned into him. They might have stayed like that except a clearing throat made them look to the door to find a smiling teenaged Wakandan woman.

"Well glad to see you have woken, and are 're-acquainting' yourselves. I am Shuri. I am here to check you over. Norina was not lying..." Shuri noted stunned, then came in to look over her chart as Bucky helped Three sit on the edge of the bed. After a moment Shuri continued as she peeked over the chart. "You know usually if a person awakens after even a two week coma. They experience severe weakness. However since we do not know what caused you to slip into a coma, I am a little unsure of what the after effects would be."

"Well I think there is a mild recuperative factor to the Mastermind serum. Not as strong as Mr. Super soldier here, but I survived a jump from a really high bridge." Three said getting Shuri to laugh.

"Well from the looks of things you have not really suffered any mental impairing effects." Shuri said as she checked her pupils, "But then Doctor Simmons said not worry about that. She said your mental processes operate on a higher function than the average persons. We will have to compare notes some time."

"Yeah she has had experience with my unique condition." Three admitted.

As the woman continued her examination and checked where Three had originally been injured. Three noticed the injury completely healed leaving no scars. Shuri smiled at her own handy work and said. "Yeah I know I do amazing work."

"It's weird. I know I was injured there, but you healed me? How?" Three asked with a frown not even feeling a slight twinge.

"Cellular reconstruction. Wakanda is well advanced in medicine." Shuri replied after pressing a few more times. She then tested motor functions, and asked Three questions about what happened before she lost consciousness. For fear of being dubbed insane, Three did not mention the near death experience slash weird dream. "Well you might suffer some fatigue but other than that it looks like you're on the road to recovery. I will clear you, but should any issues arise immediately tell us or Doctor Simmons, okay?"

"Of course." Three answered.

"The nurse will bring you some food. Nothing too heavy, but it should restore some of your energy. Also no strenuous activities with super soldier here." Shuri said teasing them as she marked Three's chart before stepping out to inform King T'Challa that his guest was finally awake and doing fine. Getting comfortable on the the bed Three talked with Bucky more before Nina came back with a tray. On it was a bowl of light vegetable soup, a lightly buttered roll, a bowl of mixed fruit, and some orange juice. Three started eating not really realizing just how hungry she was. Sure the IV drip helped keep her nourished, but it was not the same as actual food. However even Three knew to be cautious at this stage as she ate slowly to give her stomach time to adjust. She had read that it was sometimes difficult for people to begin eating again after not having actual food for a while.

Eventually she ate all her food with no trouble and relaxed a few minutes to ensure her stomach did not reject what was now there. Throughout she continued to talk to Bucky about what was happening in the news today. She had to laugh at the woman on television calling her a 'Guardian Avenger'. However Three really wanted a shower. She felt dirty, and wanted to be back in normal clothes. She noted the bathroom in the room, and finally looked to Bucky.

"I really need a shower and to get into some normal clothes. Now that I have eaten and not had any problems I think I will try my luck in the shower."

"Okay, but I am going to be right there in case you have any trouble." Bucky said still worried about her condition.

"Admit it you just want to watch me shower." Three teased getting Bucky to smile. With that she was helped to the bathroom. Once the door was closed, Three stripped down as Bucky turned on and adjusted the water. Three got in under the hot spray and swayed a little then felt Bucky's hand on her back steadying her. She smiled back at him before starting her long shower. Occasionally Bucky would steady her when she got dizzy or swayed.

As she washed her hair and body she noticed the area where her wound would have been and frowned at the area. While it looked completely healed it did not even feel tender or perhaps it was just the knowledge that Iron Man had been the one to injure her. It was Tony Stark's own Arc reactor that had nearly cost her her life, and she could not help feeling the sting of betrayal. It was strange considering she didn't really know Tony that well, but she had fought by his side from the shadows. _'Had I not pushed Bucky out of the way, what would have happened?'_ Three wondered. She could only imagine the resulting blast would have killed Bucky. Perhaps that was why she felt betrayed, Tony Stark was more than willing to take Bucky from her and for what? It was not Bucky's fault, HYDRA made him do those terrible things! She shook her head as she ran her hand over her side. _'Stark had a right to be angry and upset. I just wonder did he even notice what he did to me?'_

Thinking back to the fight she realised with horror that Tony must have seen she was injured, he just didn't care. He had been blinded by revenge. Shivering Three resumed showering and quickly finished not wanting to dwell on these thoughts. Carefully stepping out of the shower Bucky wrapped her in a towel to help dry her and Three was reminded of the silent soldier guarding her. Drying off, Bucky wordlessly went and got her some clothes and she dressed in a pair of jeans, hiking boots, a purple tank top, and lastly a grey checkered button up shirt with the sleeves rolled up. Lastly she brushed out her hair to help it dry some.

By then it was getting towards evening and the others should be returning to the facility with Tess.

* * *

 **August 28th, 2016**

 **Wakanda Medical Facility**

The day out was just what was needed for a little girl. At least that is what Sharon thought, and she knew she was not the only one that thought this. Still even away the little girl seemed distracted and worried about her mother. Regardless everyone tried their best to distract Tess from the situation. Ever since she first arrived the nine month old child did nothing that anyone was expecting. She stuck close to her parents only leaving for food and a bath. Not even Coulson's team could distract her long. Thus desperate times called for desperate measures. They made the group effort to get Tess away so she could act like the little girl she was.

The day was spent taking her shopping and playing in the park. It took a bit to get her to relax around the Avengers and those Tess was not accustomed to, but once she did relax it all became easier to socialise with her. However with strangers she was a little too jumpy, and would watch anyone she did not know with eagle eyes. As if she was perceiving a potential threat. One local came up to compliment Sharon on Tess mistakening the girl for Sharon and Steve's daughter. Tess stuck close to Steve watching her carefully as she gripped her toy cat. Once the woman was gone, Sharon could not help but ask what was wrong. The answer surprised Sharon. "Before Mommy left she told me I have to be careful. To watch out for HYDRA."

"Yeah but I doubt HYDRA kids come to play here. You avoided that little boy earlier as if he has the plague." Clint pointed out from where he sat nearby.

"There is nothing wrong with being cautious." Natasha argued, "Watching your back should be second nature. Besides boys have cooties."

"We do not. You're just paranoid." Sam added.

"I agree with Natasha." Tess said giggling behind her toy.

"Wha-" Scott started.

"See? She is a bad influence." Sam said pointing at Natasha. Meanwhile the redhead leaned forward smiling at Tess.

"That-a-girl." Holding up her hand to let Tess give her a high five, which Tess did.

"Total traitor." Scott grumbled.

"You know the saying 'girls rule, boys drool'." Wanda pointed out as she, and some of Coulson's team came up with some ice creams.

"Oh no she didn't." Mack laughed. From there it descended into an teasing argument about girls being better than boys and vice-versa as they had ice cream. Amidst it Natasha and May pointed out key tips of things to watch out for to Tess to ensure she was never caught off guard.

"C'mon Nat, May, you two are turning a ten-month old into a paranoid kid." Coulson said shaking his head, then looked to Sharon. "Sharon you'll back me up on this, right?"

It was by then that they were finishing off their ice creams and Steve nudged Sharon telling her he would go along with an earlier idea. "Well right now... I don't know. Tess does have a right to be paranoid, but not of HYDRA. No you see her taking Nat's side means certain other Avengers will come after her. Unfortunately I will not be able to stop them..."

Tess went wide eyed and looked to Nat and May for help. "Better start running Tess." Steve added.

"Ya heard the cap. Get her!" Scott cried as he rushed after Tess who squealed and ran. From there most of the guys from the Avengers and Coulson's team chased Tess about trying to tickle her while the ladies tried to protect her. The game ended with Steve catching Tess and tickling her before bringing her to Sharon.

It was a good day, but all good things had to come to an end as it was getting towards six o'clock by the time they got back to the facility. As they neared the entrance Sharon was surprised to see Bucky waiting for them. Meeting them half way, Bucky came to pick up Tess and turn her from the entrance as he smiled at her. "Hey there beautiful, how was your day?"

"Good. Natasha told me several key tells when someone is following me." Tess said.

"You know you could pretend to have enjoyed the park." Sam replied.

"The park was fun too." Tess added.

"We also took her shopping." Wanda said, "We got her some cute clothes."

"How is Mommy?" Tess asked, it was then that Bucky smiled.

"Why not ask her yourself?" Bucky countered looking past Tess to the stairs leading into the facility. Tess turned to follow her father's gaze and found Three standing there leaning against the railing.

"Mommy!" Tess cried then ran off towards her mother, as Three got to the bottom of the stairs and knelt down. The little girl ran up and hugged her glad to see her mother finally awake.

"How? When?" Scott asked.

"Earlier this afternoon. I would have called you guys but I needed to talk to her." Bucky explained.

"It's alright," Steve said understanding, then had to ask. "How did it go?"

"Sharon was right she didn't tell me about Tess because she was looking for the right time was all." Bucky said giving a relieved smile.

"See? I told you. She is not the type to do something to be callous or cruel." Sharon said as she watched Three and Tess. Three finally pulled away to look over her daughter more carefully and brush some of the dark strands from her face.

"Have you been a good girl?" Tess smiled and nodded making Three smile at her briefly. Then Three sighed. "I am sorry I left you like I did."

"It's okay, you found Daddy. I am just glad you're awake." Tess said still grinning.

"Me too princess." Three said hugging her daughter again. The near death experience made Three look at things in a new harsh light. After that Three was greeted by both the Avengers and Coulson's team. Both were glad she had survived and woken after the mysterious coma.

* * *

 **August 31st, 2016**

 **Wakanda Medical Facility**

Over the next couple of days Three recovered quickly with Simmons insisting on only minor tests to ensure there was no further complications. It was not long after being reunited with the Avengers and Coulson's team that she said she already knew Lincoln and Doctor Garner were dead even before Coulson could explain everything. She explained the weird dream to them and since she knew things before being told of them the two groups believed her. Still it also helped to explain Daisy's absence at the facility. In fact it was on this day that Three was allowed to contact the SHIELD recovery facility Daisy and Yo-yo were being treated at for trauma. It was in her own room that she accessed the wall screen and was finally able to see Daisy. The poor SHIELD agent seemed to still be recovering from withdrawals caused by Hive, and Three was a bit shocked as she saw Daisy.

"Yeah I have looked better."

"My God Daisy, what did that sick bastard do to you?" Three asked.

"Yeah you look good too." Daisy humourlessly teased.

"I am sorry, Daisy. I-"

"It's okay," Daisy said knowing that this was a difficult conversation, "I heard you found Bucky."

"Yeah I did."

"And nearly got killed by Tony Stark, not my first choice."

"Yeah that sucked. Stupid arc reactor tore right through my suit." Three said then added, "I heard you dealt with a nasty squid alien that had worn Ward's face."

"Yeah, was infected or drugged by him too. Still coming down from the high too. Garner he...cured me." Daisy said finding it difficult to talk about.

"I know Lash did a lot of terrible things, but Garner was still a good man and he was in there. He could have killed both of us at any time, but he didn't. He freed you from Hive, in the end he did the right thing. That is what matters." Three said which Daisy nodded in agreement, but Three could tell Daisy barely believed it.

"I umm heard you dumped everything about yourself online along with the dirty laundry of seventy-two countries."

"Well that and I exposed the mistake made when they claimed Bucky blew up the UN, and the fact that the Sokovian Accords is backed by HYDRA." Three said.

"Yeah I heard Bucky is already being pardoned for the UN bombing, and the accords is being re-written since forty-seven countries are now refusing to sign it. Something about making new by laws for it." Daisy said. Three laughed a little the Sokovian Accords would still go through in about six months once the bugs were worked out, and there was no influence from HYDRA on the accords decisions.

"And yet there is a call out for my arrest same as Steve Rogers and some of the other Avengers. Something about killing HYDRA agents, FBI and CIA interference... I am not going to list all the charges." Three laughed as Daisy shook her head.

"My favourite is hacking government agencies." Daisy pointed out making them both laugh.

"Never mind I aided the Avengers during an alien invasion, protected SHIELD agents, saved lives, helped stop a terrorist..." Three added.

"Saved President Ellis' life, saved War Machine-"

"Actually at the time he was Iron Patriot."

"Still it is total BS you do all this and still they want to lock you up." Daisy said shaking her head.

"I guess that is their way of saying 'Thanks'." Three laughed, for a moment the two were quiet then Daisy sighed.

"How is Tessi and Bucky?"

"They are doing good, better than I thought given how things panned out. Bucky and Tess they get along so well, it is just amazing." Three sighed knowing this was difficult for Daisy she had just lost Lincoln she did not want to hear about how great things were on Three's end. "I am so sorry about Lincoln."

"I miss him," Daisy said after a moment, then released a shaky breath, "Does it ever get easier?"

"I have heard others say it gets better with time. That time heals all wounds." Three said trying to answer honestly, "I do not know if that it true. I know for me I never forget Daisy, so for me no. It has never gotten easier, I just try not to live with the pain. I try to push it down and focus on what I have to do, but at times the memories come back and so does the pain. It is like reliving that painful moment over and over again. I just hope it is not the case with you, I really want it to be as people say: Time heals all wounds. Because you are a good person and a good friend and I don't want you to suffer like that."

Again it became silent as Daisy seemed lost in her own painful memories, and Three made a snap decision. "Come here to where I am. I am at a medical facility, there is no reason for you to be so far away."

"Coulson said-"

"I will talk with Coulson and see about getting you sent here. You need friends and those near and dear to you not some facility where there is neither." Three pointed out.

"I really shouldn't Yo-yo is here too and it would feel wrong leaving her." Daisy pointed out. Three had been told about the Inhuman who had been dubbed 'Yo-yo' by Mack since she never met her. The poor woman had been shot protecting Mack and had to have the wound cauterized to stop her from bleeding out.

"How about both of you come here? Is she well enough to travel?"

"She is moving about, but still tender from her injuries. I am sure if I mention it to her she will want to make the trip. She really likes Mack." The last Daisy whispered as if it were a conspiracy.

"Then I'll talk to Coulson about both of you coming here."

After a moment Daisy sighed, "Alright I will go tell Yo-yo and pack a bag while you okay it with Coulson."

With that the communications ended and Three headed into the mess hall to ask Coulson to allow for her and Yo-yo to transfer. It did not take much convincing on the Director's part before he agreed to it. After all the SHIELD team was worried about both agents, and despite the near constant contact they had with Daisy and Yo-yo it was just not the same as having them there. Thus is was quickly agreed that they would be coming to the Wakanda Medical facility the next day.

* * *

 **September 1st, 2016**

 **Wakanda Medical Facility**

The Quinjet landed on the platform the very next day as Three stood by Bucky and Coulson's team. Tess was with Myra mainly because of the situation. Neither Daisy or the woman with her looked at one-hundred percent. The night before Three gently explained that Lincoln had gone to heaven and Tess could not see him again. As always the little girl surprised Three by being very mature about it. While sad and crying a little she understood more than most children her age. However rather then upset her further by seeing Daisy so weak and lathargic, it was agreed that Myra would keep her busy.

Soon Three saw the familiar dark haired hacker step down the ramp and was still shocked to see her like this. Next to her was another beautiful Colombian woman with long dark brown hair holding her stomach. Once they moved closer, Three came forward and hugged Daisy. "It's good to see you."

"Yeah you too, Kat." Daisy replied as the two seperated and both looked to the other woman, "This is Elena Rodriguez also known as-"

"Yo-yo, Mack will not stop talking about you." Three said to the woman now smiling at her. Then Three leaned in closer to whisper. "I think he likes you, he will not stop thinking about you either."

"You must be Galadriel." Yo-yo replied laughing a little at what Three said then shaking her hand.

"Yep Mack loves his nicknames." Three said.

"Speaking of nicknames... Guardian Avenger?" Daisy asked with a smirk as they neared the others.

"Ugh don't remind me. It sounds silly." Three said as they joined the others.

"Actually I thought it sounded pretty cool." Coulson said, then looked at Daisy and Yo-yo. "How are you both doing?"

"Better..." Daisy said unconvincingly.

"Still tender," Yo-yo added, "Getting shot sucks!"

"Yeah, but arc reactor blasts hurt like a bitch too." Three pointed out.

"I had to have the wound cauterized."

"My suit was melted to my skin and had to be peeled off."

"Still you are looking good, how is that possible?" Daisy asked, as they started moving into the Medical facility.

"Wakanda Medical advances. I woke up completely healed. Only downside was the mystery coma I was in for three weeks." Three said.

"Wow." Daisy said, then looked around at the white walls of the facility and those walking with them, "Where's Tess?"

"With Myra, we told her last night about Lincoln. We also thought her seeing you not at one-hundred percent would be... upsetting." Bucky was the one to answer the question. The hacker smiled at finally meeting James Barnes in person.

"I understand, I am not looking my hottest." Daisy joked, "It's nice to finally meet you, James Barnes."

"Just Bucky is fine." As they moved Mack stuck close to Yo-yo in case she had any further complications. They eventually got both new arrivals settled in and some of the medical staff wanted to look at Yo-yo's wound to see if they could further the healing process. Mack went with her not wanting to be far away, while Three and Daisy chatted about their latest missions. Of course they avoided the mission where they lost Lincoln, and instead the pair went about touring the facility. Bucky stuck close as well not really wanting Three out of his sight, while Coulson kept watch over Daisy at a distance. Eventually they entered the mess lounge and cafeteria area, where Sharon and Steve were chatting.

As they got closer Three crossed her arms. "That does not count as a date Steve."

Sharon was the one to get up and say. "Very funny Lil—Kat." Then looked at Daisy. "Hi I'm Sharon."

"Daisy." The hacker said, then pointed at Steve, "And I already know who you are." Shortly after meeting them and the other Avengers at the facility, Daisy said she was going to retire to her room wanting some down time.

"You okay?" Three asked.

"Yeah just jet lag and stuff." Daisy replied, then smiled. "I will catch up with you later."

"Okay." Three said as the fellow hacker headed off to her room. However Three watched her leave with a worried look, the events of her run-in with Hive had done a lot of damage. Throughout the conversations and attempts at jokes Three could not help but hear Daisy's thoughts. Which focused and featured Lincoln. While Daisy was happy Three had found Bucky, them being together was a painful reminder of what was now lost. It was unintential but now Three felt bad for Bucky sticking so close. Perhaps she should have asked to speak privately with Daisy then, but she didn't want to push the SHIELD agent.

"Hey you okay?" Someone called, but Three was still looking in the direction Daisy had gone. Maybe she could speak to Daisy tonight? After she had settled in and was comfortable. Yes, the idea sounded good the longer Three thought about it. What pulled her out of her thoughts was the hand on her arm tugging her into a warm body. She immediately turned and looked up at a concerned Bucky.

"Hey, what is it?"

"Nothing it is just... she is going through a lot." Three said trying to downplay what she heard from Daisy mentally. However Bucky looked at her more carefully not believing her for a minute. "Really it is nothing. I will talk to her tonight privately maybe she will open-"

"You can't..."

"Sure I can she will talk to me."

"No I mean not tonight." Bucky said a little worried and nervous.

"Why not?"

"Because..." He trailed off and seemed to get even more nervous.

"Because tonight Bucky wanted to take you out to dinner." Steve said giving Bucky an apologetic look when he looked at Steve. "He has already arranged to go out to a privately owned restaurant King T'Challa recommended. It was suppose to be a surprise."

"Oh, well even being a surprise I would need to know to dress up." Three said looking at Bucky who blushed a little. Three sighed annoyed, "I literally have nothing to wear..."

"Got you covered. We have gone shopping together before Lil." Sharon said, "And Aida was thorough. She texted me your size."

"So you both were in on this conspiracy." Three said giving Sharon a look as the blonde smiled back unashamed by her involvment. Thinking she shrugged guessing she could give Daisy more time to adjust before talking privately with the hacker. "Well I guess I can talk to her tomorrow. Give her more time to rest and adjust to this facility. You guys aren't plotting a spa day for me or anything right?"

When she got various no answers she looked at Bucky wondering why he looked worried. "Bucky? Is something wrong?"

"No nothing, and no mind reading either." Bucky said not wanting her to know what he was thinking.

"O—kay..." Three replied as Bucky quickly moved off, then she looked to Sharon and the others confused. Sadly no one was forthcoming with why Bucky was acting the way he was and it made her nervous. Looking at her watch, Three headed for her own room and to ready for tonight. She took a lengthy shower and Sharon came by with Tess, May, and Myra bringing with them the dress and accessories.

It was in the room that Tess sat on the bed, Myra had left to go to the lounge, and both May and Sharon sat not far away. "So Sharon wanna tell me why there is this big conspiracy to get me out to dinner with Bucky?"

"No conspiracy, Lil. It is just after everything that has happened Bucky wanted an evening alone with you. Can you blame him? If not for the advances of Wakandan medicine you would be... in heaven." Sharon whispered the last but still Tess heard it.

"No I suppose not, it is just rather sudden. Also Bucky seemed so nervous... it's making me nervious." Three admitted as she thought over it she wondered did Bucky want to end things between them? Was their having a daughter scaring him off? Sure she was thinking the worse, but why else would he be worried? Also what was with him trying to keep this all a big top secret operation?

"Relax Lil. You have nothing to worry about." Sharon added, then pointed to the dress, "I am sure you will like the dress." Three looked at the dress draped over the bed by Tess and smiled. Sharon always seemed to know exactly what she liked. The slip dress was purple with a black lacy floral design over it which just screamed Three. What it came with was a short black lace covered jacket and matching high heels.

"Wow Sharon, you always know what I like." Three finally admitted, making the blonde smile. However another concern came to mind as Three looked to Tess. "Wait, we can't. Who will watch Tess-"

"Relax you have half the Avengers and a SHIELD team plotting to hang out with Tess. A lot of them will have to fight Steve and I for her attention." Sharon pointed out.

"Meet you on the mats?" May asked Sharon as if willing to fight the blonde for some time with Tess.

Three rolled her eyes as she picked up the dress and went into the bathroom to slip the dress on. "Right I am going to need a list of all the people that Tess has wrapped around her little fingers."

Immediately Aida's voice came almost making Three jump. "Well starting with myself and not including her parents. There is Myra, Sharon, Steve, May, Coulson, Mack, Fitz, Simmons, Daisy, Sam, Scott, Natasha, Wanda, King T'Challa, Shuri-"

"I was kidding Aida." Three replied. She came out now dressed in the dress as Tess giggled, and Three pointed at her daughter, "You are a trouble maker, you know that?"

"No she is adorable and besides I know you will be worried about leaving Tess but we are owed time with Tess too." Sharon said as Three sat at a vanity desk and was brushing her hair.

"Owed time? What? Why is that?"

"Because you disappeared on me, and I would have loved to have met this cutie much sooner." Sharon pointed out, "I am owed Aunt time."

"One I did that for yours and Peggy's protection, and two Aunt time?" Three asked as she pinned up her hair.

"Yes Aunt time. I have declared myself as Tess' aunt and am owed Aunt time. Just as Steve Rogers will require Uncle time."

"Woah! Wait a minute when was this decided?" Three asked turning in the chair to look at Sharon while May wore one of her rare smiles.

"Well as one of your best friends... Aida and I are allowed the title of Aunt. Just as Steve being Bucky's best friend means he is entitled to being Tess' Uncle." Sharon said smugely.

"I don't recall that being in the best friend clause..." Three said thinking it entirely made up by the AI and Carter lady.

"It is there now." Aida added.

"I am willing to bet it was recently made up." Three pointed out, but now finding it more funny than anything. In truth she found it rather cute that Steve and Sharon wanted to be the uncle and aunt to Tess.

"Well regardless Aida says it is written so it shall be." Sharon said, and Three smiled as she turned away to put on her make-up. _'Great my AI best friend, and SHIELD best friend are tag-teaming.'_ However it was finally Tess that spoke as she saw what her mother was doing.

"Mommy? What are you doing?"

"Putting on make-up for tonight." Three answered, then decided to explain, "It is to look prettier."

For a moment Tess tilted her head studying her mother, then said. "You already look beautiful, Mommy. And you never wore make-up before."

"You're right, normally I never bother." Three admitted, as she looked at her work in the vanity desk mirror. The mascara brought out her green eyes, she did not bother with much blush as Bucky had a tendency to make her blush easily. Applying a light coat of lipstick she turned back to Sharon and May. "How do I look?"

"Looking good." May replied.

"When did you learn to apply make-up if you never wear it?" Sharon asked shaking her head, and Three looked down ashamed.

"Youtube, I had to learn it for when you wanted to go to a club." Three said pointing at Sharon, then sighed. "I also had to wear it at Mace's funeral."

"That was the last time you wore make-up?" May asked surprised.

"No... I also wore it at Peggy's." Three said softly as she turned away. It was kind of embarrassing to admit that she could literally count the times she wore make-up on one hand. Then a pair of arms hugged her from behind as blonde hair ran over her shoulder.

"You should not have kept away. She missed you too." Sharon whispered.

"I know, she told me she did." Three replied thinking back to the strange dream she had while in a coma. She naturally told Sharon about it and the blonde seemed to think it more than a dream.

* * *

 _She had woken on a blanket in a meadow. Getting to her feet Three did a one-hundred and eighty degree turn. Behind her were trees and it looked like a scene out of the book the Time Traveller's Wife. It reminded her of before when she dreamt of Four, only this felt more solid and real. As she moved forward she saw others... at first just the forms of people hidden in the fog. The closer she got to the fog the clearer the figures became. People long since taken from her... The other test subjects,Takai, Amaya, and Chen. Even obscure individuals she had only met briefly or heard about including Caroline Monroe, and Antioine Tripplet. No sooner would she get close to one than they would disappear into the mist. Howver two amongst the dead worried her far more because last time she checked... they were still alive! First she saw Andrew Garner, then Lincoln Campbell. The two did not belong in this weird dream, that much Three knew._

" _Lincoln?! Doctor Garner?!" Three called out and both looked at her. Both gave her a sad regretful look as she rushed forward, then like all the others they too disappeared._

 _What was this place? Heaven? Hell? Moving forward again Three tried to make sense of why she was there and what happened to her injuries. She had been injured right? Why was she not in pain? Where was Bucky? Then bits came back in painful flashes. Iron Man was about to kill him! This dream was far more focused than previous ones._

" _Bucky?!" Three called out looking around frantically, but she was alone as she looked back where she had woken, "Oh no! This cannot be happening... BUCKY!"_

" _Easy there, Lilith. You need to calm down." The voice came from behind her and she whirled around to find a young woman with reddish brown hair, and very familiar eyes watching her. The woman was dressed in a suit dress that looked like something worn out of the 1940s. Her red lips formed a familiar smile. Then it clicked she had seen this woman before in pictures the actual woman was much much older._

" _Peggy?" Three asked shocked to see one of the founders of SHIELD._

" _It is so good to see you Lil." Peggy replied smiling at her, but then she sighed as sadness replaced her expression. "I have missed you so much."_

" _I know. I am sorry. I had hoped once HYDRA was completely destroyed to return, but I guess I ran out of time." Three said softly._

" _We are both running out of time. You will have to wake soon." Peggy said sounding regretful._

" _Yeah I remember being here before." Three replied thinking back to when she dreamt of Four. It felt like a different life when she leapt from the Nanjing Bridge, and now here she was facing Peggy._

" _Yes Four told me as much."_

" _You met him?" Three asked stunned._

" _I met him, the other test subjects, your family, everyone." Peggy replied._

" _And Lincoln? Doctor Garner? Have you seen them?" Three asked._

 _Peggy sighed saddened and nodded. "I am sorry Three."_

 _The way she said it made Three look down defeated. Something just told her this even as the words slipped out. "They are already dead, aren't they?"_

 _Peggy did not need to answer as she watched Three. Instinctively Three looked around trying to find them again until Peggy spoke, "You can't see them... not yet."_

" _Why not?"_

" _Because you are not meant to."_

" _But I am seeing you?" Three asked confused by what was happening._

" _Yes, I wanted to see you ever since you gave me the serum. I missed you Lil. You saved my memories but then you left." Peggy said hurt by what Three had done._

" _I know, but if HYDRA had found out that I gave you that injection they-"_

" _They would have killed Sharon and I. Not to mention anyone close to us." Peggy interrupted understanding the situation. "I understand why you felt it needed to be this way, but now I am going to ask that you never hideaway again."_

 _The request stunned Three as Peggy continued. "You have revealed everything about Project Mastermind and yourself. You have come out of the shadows, but you are used to hiding in those shadows. Given half a chance you would hide in them again. You would disappear on Sharon, and anyone you feel is getting too close. It is what you do... The Shadow Network, Coulson's Team, and now given the chance the Avengers. So I am asking you not to. Please don't disappear on Sharon or anyone that wants you in their lives."_

 _It was a big request considering Three would most likely be a wanted criminal. Sure she would have to hide from the world to avoid being arrested, but the Avengers? Sharon? In all likelihood she would have to help hide them. Yes she would be hiding, but this time not from those she cared about. Three nodded. "No more hiding from Sharon or those close."_

 _Peggy smiled then looked back at something as if hearing someone call her name. When she looked back at Three she sighed. "It's time for you to go."_

" _What now? No I..I didn't get the chance to say goodbye before..."_

" _I know, but our time is up." Peggy said, then sighed. "Now don't go making a fuss. We will see each other again...someday. Until then just keep your word." With that everything went white as Three awoke from her coma._

Sighing Three opened her eyes not wanting to linger in the memory. She was soon released from the hug and finished getting ready for tonight.

* * *

 **Author's Notes:**

 **First off thank you all for the lovely reviews.**

 **As for this chapter, it is more of a fluffy chapter. But considering all the hard-core chapters written fluffy sounds good before Three is forced to deal with some other issue. I thought it would be cute to see how the other Avengers act around a child. We got a brief image of how Scott acts around his own daughter, and how Natasha acts around Clint's children. We also know Clint being a family man means some of the Avengers are more used to children than others. Still those not so used to children can still become big softies. Steve and Sharon would naturally become attached to Tess knowing she is the daughter of their best friends. Aside from that the other Avengers can't resist the cute little girl, it is just not possible.**

 **The other thing is Three is awake! Not only is she awake and reunited with Bucky, but she meets Shuri! I think I have mentioned this before, but I love the character Shuri. Yes her scenes are brief, but as soon as the Black Panther movie is on DVD I can start writing more because then I will watch that movie again and be reminded of her personality. For now though I hope you enjoy this chapter.**

 **Please let me know what you thought of this chapter by leaving a review.**

 **Lesliezin**


	50. Sunshine and Rainbows

**Hello everyone,**

 **Here is Chapter 50, enjoy.**

* * *

 **September 1** **st** **, 2016**

 **Wakanda Medical Facility**

It felt odd leaving Tess with Sharon, half of the Avengers, and Coulson's team for an evening alone with Bucky. Something kept telling her that something was off about this situation and she was starting to dread going out. As it was she felt like she was imposing on King T'Challa, there were a lot of people at his hidden medical facility. Given half the chance those from the Shadow Network might have showed up if not for the fact that they had bought stolen Vibrainium in the past. Had the leaders of the Shadow Network shown though it would have made the facility even more crowded. While the King hardly seemed to mind, Three did not want to take advantage of his kindness. It would soon be time to leave before their welcome wore thin. Also Bucky being nervous and not wanting her to read his mind worried Three. As much as she tried to remain positive she also knew one horrible fact. When everything is sunshine and rainbows for her, that is when everything goes horribly wrong. Something bad was bound to happen, right?

 _'Think positive! Think positive! Think positive!'_ Three chanted in her head, as she headed outside the facility to meet Bucky. That was when she saw him, he was dressed nice in a black suit minus the tie. He was also wearing a black glove to hide the shiny metal of his hand. Her mental chant quickly changed from 'Think positive' to 'Don't drool!' He looked freaking gorgeous! Her moving forward slowed down to a dawdle until she stopped and was just staring at him. He must have heard her or something for he turned and looked at her. He moved towards her looking her over carefully and smiling at seeing her dressed up. "You look beautiful, doll."

Immediately she was blushing and looking down as she bit her bottom lip nervously. Soundlessly Bucky came to stand in front of her, and caught her chin. Tilting her head up he leaned in pressing his lips to hers. Being kissed by Bucky served to help her relax as the negative thoughts and fears took a hike to the back of her mind. Right then this was perfect, Bucky wanted her and Tess, they were together, and safe. Pressing against Bucky she enjoyed being pulled tightly to him as one metal arm and one flesh tightened around her. Eventually Bucky released her lips and smiled at her. "Come on. I got a surprise for you..."

He took her hand and led her away from the Medical Facility. It was in all honesty the first time she had ventured beyond the grounds. The facility itself laid on the borders of Wakanda, but was not so far removed as one would think. To the outside world Wakanda was a third world country with not much to offer, but that was because the outside world was on a need-to-know basis. Besides history showed that the outside world had no right to know, especially when history could so easily repeat itself. Those claiming to be more 'civilised' had no problem acting as barbarians and taking what was not theirs. Hundreds of years ago 'civilised society' thought nothing of kidnapping people for slavery and taking what they wanted, and still having the nerve to call themselves civilised. Thus Three understood why even now Wakanda was still hidden from the world, so many would try to take this people's resources. Greedy selfish people were in abundance, and that was what Three worried about as she saw the advanced city they were entering the outskirts of.

It was certainly beautiful, and so eye opening to behold. She let Bucky lead her to their destination as she took in the tall buildings and unique features. Outside one of the buildings was an all glass looking elevator they took, giving Three an even more spectacular view of the city. It was a breathtaking sight as Three smiled at the amazing sight. However once they reached their floor, Three turned away and went with Bucky into a lovely restaurant only they were the only two there.

"Good evening, you must be Mr. Barnes?" The hostess asked.

"Yes I am." Bucky replied.

"Good, right this way." Immediately the hostess led them off to the right. They went past a curtain to a private table where she gestured for them to sit. Three took a seat as did Bucky as the hostess opened a bottle of wine, and poured some into their glasses. "I will give you both a few minutes."

Then the hostess disappeared, finally Three smile at Bucky. "Wow Bucky, when you said quiet romantic dinner I didn't think you would go... this far."

"King T'Challa recommended this place..." Bucky trailed off embarrassed and still nervous.

"Bucky? Is something wrong?" Three asked.

"Wrong? Why would anything be wrong? You're not mind reading me are you?" Bucky asked.

"No of course not, it is just you are acting nervous-"

"I am not nervous-" Bucky said.

"Then what is it? You can tell me." Three asked worried, then Bucky sighed. She waited several moments as he no doubt gathered his thoughts.

"I for so long thought I would never see you again after Russia. I thought about you, dreamt about you, and kept hoping for the day you would be in my life again." Bucky said, "Then when I thought my life could not get any worse, you are there with Steve. Nothing else really mattered... I had my girl back."

The words made Three smile. "And both Tess and I have you back too."

That was when she noticed Bucky get more nervous and an uneasy feeling settled into her stomach. "Yeah... both my girls."

The uneasy feeling grew with Three wanting to hear his thoughts but refraining from eavesdropping on them. "I was suddenly a father of a ten month old just after nearly losing you. It was a lot to take in, and I have been debating what to do a lot lately about this... Part of me is still saying leave."

Okay uneasy feeling was now stomach flipping in sheer horror as Three choked out. "What?" He looked up at her stunned, and so she could not wait for his answer as she added. "You would just leave us?!"

"What? No-"

"After a year of looking for you, telling Tess about you, and you would just walk away-"

"I didn't mean it that way." Bucky tried to explain as Three felt like she was suffocating she needed air. "I want you in my life, Vi. But-"

"But what?! Not Tess?!" Three asked as she stood, and turned to leave. _'When everything is going perfect, this is where it goes wrong!'_ The same worrying thought chimed in as she started walking away and added. "We're a package deal Bucky. You cannot have me without her!"

Before she could make it to the curtains a strong hand grabbed her wrist and yanked her back. In the high heels she stumbled as she fell into Bucky's strong chest. Immediately she was held there despite her trying to push away from him. However when she glared up at him his lips crushed down on her fiercely kissing her. This time she was too angry to just let this go as she tried to squirm loose. Still Bucky held her as the kiss deepened until they were forced to stop and breath. Regaining her oxygen, Three tried to squirm loose again as Bucky's grip tightened. "Listen to me."

Listen to him?! Was he serious? Why should she listen to him when he talked about leaving her and Tess? When she kept trying to get loose Bucky's grip tightened and he gave her a firm shake. "Listen, alright?! I want you both! I am trying to ask you to marry me!"

The words made her freeze as Three stared up at Bucky. "What?"

"I was trying to explain, then you..." Bucky groaned as he still held her upper arms and looked down. "There are thousands of reasons for you to say no. All of them are very good reasons including my not being there when our daughter was born, not being part of Tess' life. You nearly getting killed because of me. I kept thinking of all these reasons and thought it would be best if I left. You and Tess would be safer, but I can't. Despite all the reasons to say no, I want you to say yes."

Three stood there stunned as Bucky slowly dropped down to one knee. "Marry me, Vi. Please."

Three was still stunned as she realised that this was what Bucky was nervous about. This was why he didn't want her reading his mind. All the signs that told her something bad would happen were off by a mile and now she was blushing out of embarrassment with Bucky looking up at her hopeful but also worried. Finally she found her voice. "You speak of a thousand reasons to say no," Three paused smiling a little as Bucky held his breath, "But I can only think of a thousand reasons to say... yes."

"Does that mean yes?"

"Is that a serious question Bucky? In what universe would I say no?" Three asked as Bucky smiled at her as relief showed and Three noticed he had been sweating bullets. Apparently he thought she would say no, however that changed as he stood and wrapped his arms around her waist. Being so much stronger she was lifted off her feet and the pair spun around in a circle. Once set back on her feet and the laughing stopped Three straightened then smacked Bucky in his flesh arm. "That was for making me worry. For a moment there I thought you were going to..."

Three trailed off for a moment thinking, then sighed. "Usually when everything is going good that is when everything goes wrong."

Pulled into Bucky's arms she rested her head on his chest. "Nothing is going to go wrong doll, I promise."

For a moment they stayed that way until Three heard the curtain move and the voice of the hostess. "Need a few more minutes?"

"Yes please." Bucky said then Three looked up at him as he pulled away and led her back to the table. By then they were starving and looked over the menu's before deciding on what to eat.

* * *

 **September 2** **nd** **, 2016**

 **Wakanda Medical Facility**

It didn't take long for the others to learn that Bucky had proposed to Three and that she had said yes. A certain AI had a nasty habit of eavesdropping via cell phones and other electronics, making it impossible to keep a secret when she was around. Still when they came back to the facility that night the group tried to act surprised by the news, if only they hid their thoughts better. Three just pretended not to hear the overexcited thoughts and let Aida enjoy tipping everyone off rather then tell her friend off. In truth she was just too excited and happy to be mad at the AI. Besides Tess was overjoyed at the news the next morning. Sadly when they got back that night Tess was already asleep thanks to her sitters wearing her out. The little girl fell asleep watching Mulan with Sharon, May, Simmons, and Natasha. Tess only stirred a little when Bucky picked her up and took her to her room to sleep. It left the rest of the night open for them to inform the Avengers and Coulson's team of their engagement... for the second time.

The next morning however they got to tell Tess who was excited and thinking it would be like one of those Disney movies where the prince and princess married. As the groups sat around eating breakfast, Tess and Sharon sat around Three with May, Simmons, Natasha, Yo-yo, and Daisy lining the long table. Like with Tess: Daisy, and Yo-yo were told that morning.

"So what's the plan?" Nat asked.

"Uh plan?" Three asked confused.

"She means wedding plan." May added, seeming to know Nat's mind really well.

"I...I just said yes last night. We—I don't know what the 'plan' is." Three said looking to Sharon for help.

"Well usually there is a bachelorette part-" Sharon started to say.

"Tessi I think your dad called you." Three said which got Tess to get up and go over to her dad. With the little girl out of ear shot, Three leaned in looking at Sharon. "No!"

"What?" Sharon asked confused.

"Not a bachelorette party, I still am traumatised from the last one."

"Oh c'mon it was not that bad, so Slave Traffickers party crashed it..."

"And a penis cake! The answer is no!" Three countered.

"Penis cake?" The question came from Shuri who they failed to notice and said it a bit louder so that Bucky's table heard it. "I hope that no one was harmed to make this cake."

"No no no! It... Dammit." Three sighed embarrassed, "Sharon once dragged me to a bachelorette party where they had an actual cake in the shape of..." Three looked back at Bucky and Tess. "Bucky cover Tess' ears."

"Daddy what's a penis cake?" Tess asked, confused.

"Too late!" Sam called out.

Looking to Tess Three sighed. "It is a top-secret, dangerous HYDRA weapon we never speak of it. Especially little girls, so never utter those words again. Top secret. Veerry dangerous." After receiving a nod Three looked back at Shuri and the others barely able to keep from laughing as she straightened. "It was very traumatising to see a cake shaped like that, and it put me off of eating cake for a very long long long time."

"C'mon it was not that bad." Sharon said.

"And the karaoke? No, I would rather fight those human traffickers again than have to sing."

"And I would rather fight human traffickers than listen to it." May added stone-faced, then thought to Three, _"_ _Or have to sing myself."_

Daisy gave a faint smile and added, "In which case we should make you two do a duet."

May and Three gave Daisy matching glares, but it was nice to see Daisy cracking jokes.

"I promise no.. oddly shaped cakes or karaoke." Sharon added after a moment, "Also no nude cards or grow a love-"

"My god who's bachelorette party did you go to?" Nat finally asked.

"Anna Pelanski's some years back."

"March 8th, 2013. Worst. Night. Ever! Until the Slave traffickers party crashed it." Three added.

"Are you sure this was a bachelorette party?" Jemma asked.

"Sounds like a wild one, then again Anna was always the wild type." Nat added with a shrug, then asked. "Were there strippers?"

"Yes and that made it worse!" Three added.

"Daddy what's a stripper?" Tess asked and Three had to wonder why her daughter had super hearing too.

"An evil HYDRA agent, avoid them at all costs." Bucky replied.

" _Myra can you take my daughter to watch cartoons before she hears anything else."_ Three mentally asked the red-head. Who wordlessly got up and called to Tess.

"Hey Tess, I think they had a Discovery Channel special on Raccoons. Wanna go see?" Oddly Tess loved learning about new animals so Tess got up saying yes and following the former agent out. Once the little girl was out of them room Three turned to the ladies.

"No, no, and double no. No wild bachelorette parties with penis cakes, strippers, karaoke, or porno cards."

"Okay what about just a bachelorette party?" Nat asked.

"No." What followed was multiple complaints from both female Avengers and Coulson's team alike. Not to mention a certain princess voicing her opinion.

"C'mon Lil." Sharon started.

"We promise nothing too wild." Jemma added.

"We could just go to a night club for a few-"

"Oh hell no!" Three said grabbing her tray of food and getting up to leave the table.

"Oh c'mon what is wrong with just getting a few drinks?" Daisy asked.

"You said the evil words: night club! I would rather commit seppuku!" Three said now able to speak more freely without Tess being in the room.

"What is Sepp—whatever that was." Sam asked as Three looked over at the table Sam was at with Steve, Bucky, Coulson, Mack and Fitz.

"Uh you really do not want to know what it means." Mack said having already learned the meaning long ago thanks to Three.

"Ritual disembowelment. Japanese Samurai committed it when dishonoured." May replied calmly as if talking about the weather.

"Man there goes my appetite." Mack said dropping his fork.

"You would rather do _that_? Then go to a night club?" Scott asked confused.

"You forget Kat does not like crowds of people." The voice of Aida was a relief at least the AI would side with her on this, "The last night club Sharon dragged her to all vitals jumped as she drew dangerously close to a panic attack."

"Yes, thank you Aida. See? The AI gets it." Three said.

"You still get panic attacks?" Daisy asked surprised.

"Uhh lets see... room full of Avengers and Coulson's team. Hey Wanda what am I thinking right now?" The fellow telepath watched her for a moment then asked.

"What language is that?"

"That is me counting down in Mandarin. May wanna explain why I do that?" Three asked turning away and going to the counter to set her tray down to get another cup of coffee.

May sighed. "She counts down from ten to one as a way of calming down when around large groups of people."

As May explained Three got a cup of coffee and looked back at the group then shrugged when they looked at her before stirring in sugar. "In short you could not get me to go to a night club if the world was ending."

For a moment the group went quiet until Sharon asked. "So Lil, who is going to be your maid of honour?"

"What's that?" Three asked pouring in some more milk.

"You know Maid of Honour often a close friend or relative of the Bride. Traditionally they help prepare the bride for her wedding day. So... who is it gonna be?"

"Well that would be you wouldn't it?" Three asked confused and worried about having to pick since Daisy, May, and Simmons might be hurt.

"Well it is whoever you ask. I mean you can have multiple bridesmaids, but usually there is a maid of honour."

Three peeked back wishing to not be asked this so soon or to have to decide things so soon. She had only just said yes to Bucky why was she being pestered about it. Sighing Three guessed there would be no easy way about it and sighed. "Sharon, do you want to be my maid of honour?"

"Yes." Sharon answered smiling way too much for it to be anything good.

"Good that also means Daisy, Jemma, May you're also it as Bridesmaids." Three said as she picked up her tray to leave and find a quieter place to eat.

"Hold on there Lil," Sharon said still smiling, "My first act as your maid of honour is to plan your bachelorette party." Three stood there stunned for a moment then gave a glare.

"You are a terrible friend." Three said flatly then looked to Bucky for help but he was trying to keep from laughing as was Steve. Shaking her head, Three left the cafeteria calling back. "Being an advisor to SHIELD and an Avenger sucks!"

Once Three had left Jemma frowned and felt she had to point this out. "As much as a bachelorette party sounds fun, maybe Kat will just want to get married. Tess' birthday is coming up."

"When?" The question came from Bucky as he dropped his fork and was now looking at the SHIELD agent.

"October first." Daisy answered, then Bucky quickly got up and left following after Three and leaving the two tables guessing what was going to happen. Steve however was frowning as he watched Bucky disappear down the hall and around the corner.

"Steve?" Sam asked noticing the frown, so Steve looked at those around him before looking down.

"Buck is old fashioned like me. I can tell he hated leaving Kat alone and pregnant, not to mention missing out on Tess being born."

"Yes but he couldn't help that, Cap." Coulson added.

"Still he will feel obligated to marry her as soon as possible." Steve said, which left little room to discuss any kind of Bachelor or bachelorette party. Meanwhile Bucky found Three eating her breakfast outside on one of the balconies where few ate. Sliding the glass door, he stepped out and Three looked up at him.

"You know you could have backed me up back there." Three pointed out.

"Yeah, but Steve and I were trying not to laugh at the previous bachelorette party you attended." Bucky smiled at her then grew serious. "Tess will be one soon."

"It is good you are going to be there for her first birthday." Three smiled pleased, but Bucky looked down ashamed.

"I should have been there for a lot more, and asked you to marry me long beforehand. Which is why I don't want to wait. I want to do right by you."

"Bucky, you don't have to do that. We can get married in our own time." Three said not really concerned.

"Please Vi, I haven't done any of this right. I should have courted you, taken you out dancing. Showed you how special you are to me, and after a long courtship asked you to marry me."

"Bucky, this isn't the nineteen-forties." Three said.

"Regardless the point is I did this backwards. I should have married you then we would have a lovely house with a white picket fence and you..." Bucky trailed off as he brushed her hair back as she looked up at him. "Having my children."

The last three words made Three suck in a surprised breath. "I want to do this right, Vi."

"So married before Tess celebrates her first birthday?" Three asked after a moment.

"Yes." Bucky said leaning in to kiss her.

"And then the cosy house with a white picket fence?" Three continued making Bucky grin.

"Some place remote and isolated...peaceful to raise more kids."

"I think Tess is enough for now..." Three replied pressing against Bucky, "I am not ready to give up coffee again so soon. Aida wouldn't let me near the stuff, said it wasn't good for pregnant women."

"But you will look so beautiful pregnant..." Bucky argued as he pulled her close and kissed her deeply. Her kissing him back and enjoying the kiss made Bucky smile as he released her lips. "Is that a yes to once we're married my getting you pregnant?"

"You get me pregnant Sergeant Barnes, and I kick your ass." Three replied not ready to have more children yet. Later perhaps when they could settle down some place far from those that would try to stop them or harm them. Right now the future never felt so... uncertain. Both would be wanted by the authorities for a very long time, and if Tess were to be discovered she would be in constant danger. Both of them needed to be fully prepared for anything, and being pregnant would hinder them.

Seeing the hurt look on Bucky's face however made her sigh. "Bucky right now is not the time to get me pregnant again. Marriage yes, but getting pregnant? We are both wanted criminals, HYDRA may not be after us but the rest of the world is. Also if they find out about Tess, she will be hunted down too. We need to be ready for anything. Besides for the first ten months of Tess' life she has been without you. Focus on her for a bit, then later we can talk about more children."

After a moment Bucky sighed, "Alright doll, but I do want to have more children with you."

"Later, hopefully much later when I feel I can survive seven months without coffee." Three replied gaining a frown from Bucky.

"Seven? Pregnancies last nine."

"Normal pregnancies last nine. My pregnancy with Tess was anything but normal. I blame your super sperm." Three teased as Bucky smiled at her. Thinking a moment Three knew Bucky was still hurt by her desire to wait on more children so she could at least make him happy by marrying him sooner rather then later. In all honesty, why wait? They have suffered apart. This way they would be bound together, and nothing could pull them apart again. "So when would you like to get married?"

Bucky sighed disheartened. "I want to marry you before Tess' first birthday, but not sure how we could even begin to pull it off. Who would legally marry us? Where would we marry? I can't afford some beautiful wedding or-"

"Bucky a simple wedding is fine. I don't want anything big or extravagant, you know I hate crowds. The smaller the better, so don't worry. Besides all I want is to marry you." Three said smiling up at Bucky and helping him to relax. She was about to lean in and kiss him when a throat cleared and both turned to a smiling King T'Challa.

"King T'Challa." Three said giving a slight bow.

"Please no need to do that, Miss Kat." T'Challa said still smiling, "However I could not help overhearing. If you wish to marry, it would be my honour and first act as king." Both were stunned until Three recovered.

"We couldn't ask that of you. As it is I feel like we are imposing—" King T'Challa held up a hand still smiling.

"You are not, you are welcomed guests here. Once not long ago I ignored the evidence you brought to us, and tried to kill Sergeant Barnes. You nearly died as a result of it. Recently I have had time to do some 'light reading' and learned that both of you have suffered a great deal. If I can bring joy to your lives by performing this act, then I will."

Both smiled at the King of Wakanda, and thanked him. "Good then make your preparations, and when you wish to be married simply ask."

Left alone again Three looked to Bucky. "Well now we just need to pick a date."

* * *

 **September 12** **th** **, 2016**

 **Wakanda**

With the approval of King T'Challa, Bucky and Three decided on September 30th. The day before Tess' first birthday. This way they had at least a little time to make some preparations. For Tess it would be an early birthday present. Three was not into big splashy weddings or lots of people, so she was not as clued up about what to do or how to do it. Normally a bride made these decisions for her big day down to the last flower. Sharon and company were lucky if Three even cared about flowers, however Sharon also had a better understanding of what Three would like. So mostly it was kept simple with not much time to celebrate with a bachelor or bachelorette party.

Sadly there were some things Three would rather have done without. For instance Bucky trying to do everything right. He had insisted they remain in separate rooms until their wedding night which was driving her nuts. What was also a little unnerving was Tess was enjoying the attention of those around her and often bunked with Sharon, Daisy, Jemma, May, Nat, and Wanda. Leaving Three alone which really bothered her since most of her life she had been alone. As usual Three awoke alone on this morning. She had not slept much because now she did not like being alone. Annoyed and grumpy she got up, showered, and dressed before leaving her room. She expected that once she reached the cafeteria to be harassed over wedding details, instead she heard voices.

The familiar tone of someone speaking Mandarin made Three stop and frown. Aside from May, she was the only one she knew of that spoke the language. What was more surprising was the voice... she knew this male voice. Moving quickly forward she entered and went wide eyed. There in the middle of the cafeteria room stood the remaining leaders of the Shadow Network. Cutter, Shado, Doc, Mei, and even Yuma. Around them stood the Avengers and Coulson's team with May no doubt translating. Immediately Three fell back into speaking Mandarin as she approached them and Cutter grinned at her.

" _What are you guys doing here?"_ Three asked

" _What do you think? We came to see you. What no wedding invitation?"_ Cutter replied, coming up and hugging her.

" _Yes what is the big idea? You Skype with us and show us Tess, but can't be bothered to tell us you are getting married."_ Shado added coming up and hugging Three next. When they parted Three tried to explain.

" _I didn't want to risk you guys. How did you know where to find me?"_

" _Aida, she kept us up to date on your situation. Also your new friends asked for our help."_ Cutter continued as Doc, Mei, and Yuma came up and hugged her.

" _Help? With what?"_ Three asked completely confused, then Cutter looked to May to translate as he asked her and she repeated it in English for those not speaking Mandarin.

"He wants to know if he can give it to her now." Three looked around confused as the other Avengers looked to Steve.

"Sure." Steve said then looked to Coulson.

"I got no problem with it. Go ahead." May turned and nodded to Cutter before saying simply 'Yes.' This left Cutter to pull out a large yellow envelope and hand it to Three.

" _An early wedding present from the Avengers, SHIELD team, and us at the Shadow Network."_ Three smiled as she carefully opened one end and slipped her hand in to pull out... a birth certificate? Looking more closely at it. It showed Nanjing China as her place of birth. She looked at the name and smiled then at the birthday which made her smile grow. "Katrina Sakura Violet. Born February 1st, 1984."

" _You needed a real name, and several suggestions were made so we combined them. Then we checked with the Avengers and SHIELD team for their approval."_ Shado explained.

" _However that is also so that on your wedding certificate you don't have to put 'Three'."_ Doc pointed out.

"But it is only temporary..." The soft voice of Bucky whispered behind Three making her spin around to look at him. Realising there was more in the envelope made her pull out a New York Driver's license and US passport. Looking at both, she saw her own picture with no colour clip to hide her true hair colour. Again she looked at the name and read it aloud. "Katrina Sakura Barnes."

Three smiled down at the documents until Sharon added. "I still reserve the right to call you Lil."

This made Three smile even more at her friend.

"Do you like your new permanent name?" Daisy asked cautiously.

"Yes, I love it!" Three said thinking and rolling the names around in her head to get used to them. 'Katrina Violet, Katrina Barnes, both seemed to fit so well, and they kept Sakura as her middle name.

"It's a lot better than Three, and it suits you." Shuri's voice came from behind them having come in to overhear the conversation. "Congratulations Katrina."

"Thank you princess." Three replied.

"Just Shuri is fine." Shuri said, but she did not stick around long as she was on her way to some place else.

"Plus the other upside is now we are calling you Kat for another reason than a codename." Coulson pointed out with a shrug. Which was true Katrina could be shortened to Kat, and so Three felt even more comfortable with the name. It also felt nice to have an actual name, she had not had one since her father and sister. Peeking back at Bucky, Three saw him smiling at her.

"And you Bucky? Won't you miss calling me Violet?"

"Not really, I am going to enjoy your last name being Barnes too much." Bucky said as he came up behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist pulling her closer so her back was against his well muscled chest. He leaned down to rest his chin on her shoulder and look at the documents as Three returned to admiring them. She had held many fake IDs and passports over the years, but in this case it was not a fake or alternate name, but the one given to her. It made these documents far more important then any forged ID or passport.

* * *

 **September 15** **th** **, 2016**

 **Wakanda**

As the Shadow Network was now in Wakanda, Katrina let it sink in that she now had an actual name and was getting married. It still took some getting used to having the Avengers, Coulson's team, and the leaders of the Shadow Network in the same place. Sadly it meant she was being pulled in several directions as the big day approached, and she still had not gotten the chance to actually talk to Daisy in private. Nor would she, it seemed partially because Kat sensed Daisy was avoiding her. While the SHIELD agent smiled and was happy for Kat, the pain this whole situation caused Daisy was barely concealed. Perhaps she was asking too much of her fellow hacker by asking her to be a bridesmaid. Her simply attending would be enough, right?

It was the afternoon when Kat managed to sneak away from the others and headed for Daisy's room. She needed to get to the SHIELD agent before being pulled away for some reason or another. Luckily Bucky was watching Tess, which meant she was alone for the moment as she knocked on Daisy's door. The soft footfalls told Kat, Daisy was coming as the door opened and she appeared. "Kat? What is it?"

"Hey Daisy, can I come in?"

"Sure," Daisy said opening the door fully with her sanding behind it to let Kat in. Quickly she entered and Daisy shut the door. For a moment Kat was unsure how to begin as she took in the room, then sighed as she looked back at Daisy.

"We have not had a chance to speak on our own since you arrived, and given how everything is going... I may not get another chance." Kat paused trying to figure out what she should say next, then the words flowed out, "I am sorry about Lincoln and not being there for you guys as you dealt with Hive."

"Kat you really don't have to. You were busy with the whole situation with Zemo, and Hive might have swayed you too." Daisy replied.

"I know, but Lincoln-"

"Would not want you to blame yourself, and neither do I. This one is on me..."

"On you? How are you to blame for what happened? You were under Hive's sway." Kat pointed out.

"I was suppose to die, Kat." Daisy sat down on the couch resting her elbows on her knees as she told Kat about a man named Hinton who when he would touch someone they would both see someone else die in the future. When she went to rescue Hinton she received one last vision where a SHIELD agent died in a Quinjet in the outer atmosphere. That agent had Yo-yo's cross, and towards the end Daisy was certain she was meant to be the one to die in the vision. Instead Lincoln stole the cross and stole her intended death. "He took my place Kat. I was suppose to die..."

Kat took a seat next to Daisy thinking over what Daisy had told her before deciding on how to answer, "No I don't believe that, and obviously neither did Lincoln. He loved you Daisy, he took your place because he knew what would happen if he didn't."

"I didn't want him to take my place after what I did."

"You were under Hive's sway no one is blaming-"

"I wanted to go back under his sway. I went back to Hive asking him to take me back. I didn't care all I wanted was that sense of belonging, that connection." Daisy said ashamed. Kat remained rooted to the spot stunned by the admonition, and for a second she tried to think of what to say.

"I was told he had a drugging effect meaning it wasn't real Daisy. Whatever you felt with Hive was not a connection or sense of belonging. The real sense of belonging was long ago established with SHIELD not with some HYDRA beast. He twisted that, but you already know that."

"No, no you are not listening Kat."

"Oh I am listening, I am just refusing to believe it. This... guilt, shame, anger at yourself it will pass." Kat said trying to comfort Daisy by coming to kneel down in front of her and put a comforting hand on her shoulder, but she shook her head.

"Like the pain would fade with time?" Daisy asked bitterly as she blinked away tears, "You were wrong it isn't fading, it's getting worse. Everyday the pain gets worse. Everyday I am reminded he is gone, and it gets even more unbearable."

It was then Daisy rose to her feet and stepped away. "I know you thought Bucky was dead for a time, but this... it is one thing to think him dead and another to actually witness him die. I saw it...the Quinjet Lincoln was on exploded. I talked to him until the communication cut... then he was gone. It will never fade."

Daisy was now wiping away tears as Kat realised she had no idea what Daisy was truly going through. When she thought Bucky was dead, it paled in comparison to this, and Three preyed she never had to suffer as Daisy was. Sadly it just brought Kat's fears to the surface as she looked down. "I am sorry, I had hoped it would..."

"Sorry I—you are getting married soon, you don't want to hear this." Daisy said as Kat rose to her feet.

"Regardless I came to see how you are doing, and now..." Kat trailed off ashamed as she looked away. However the worried look made Daisy frown.

"What is it?"

"Nothing important just...some worries." Kat said.

"Are you—you are getting cold feet aren't you?" Daisy asked stunned.

"No! I want to marry Bucky, I just-" Kat sighed shakily as she considered how to explain, "When everything is going good and is sunshine and rainbows, that is when it all falls apart. Every instinct is telling me a monster is waiting around the corner to destroy everything and take Bucky and Tess away! I can feel it! I just I am afraid, my track record is brief moments of happiness before some asshole rips it apart. I don't want it to be ripped apart."

"There is no monster waiting, and even if there is do you really think the Avengers or Coulson would allow them near you guys?"

"Iron Man would. He had no problem trying to kill Bucky, and almost killed me." Kat pointed out.

"And he would be going against Captain America, and half the Avengers including Coulson, the SHIELD team and me! No one is taking Bucky or Tess away from you." Daisy pointed out, but seeing Kat's doubtful expression she asked. "Do you honestly think Stark would stand a chance against me? His Iron onesie would be a tin can."

"It is... just it is what has always happened, Daisy." Kat pointed out biting her bottom lip. "I can't help thinking that something bad will happen."

Daisy moved around to stand in front of Kat. "Okay listen to me Katrina. I promise nothing bad is going to happen. You are owed this after all the horrible things that have happened. You have a room full of heroes and criminals that will fight to protect you, Bucky, and Tess. So anyone wants to take them away... bring them on. They will lose badly. So don't worry, you two are meant to be together, just focus on getting married."

Kat nodded after a moment then sighed. "I was suppose to come here to see how you are doing, not the other way around."

"I'm terrible," Daisy answered honestly, "But I still want to see you two get married, and will be a Bridesmaid. Just... umm, no ruffles on the dress."

"Actually you can choose what you want to wear. I am not about to ask for matching Bridesmaid's dresses. Seems silly." Kat teased.

"Oh cool! I like the way you think." Daisy said surprised as she considered what dress would be appropriate, then looked to Kat. "That will take a load off of my mind. Anyway just relax and focus on the wedding. No more stressing about the monsters around the corner."

Eventually Kat left Daisy's room – feeling better. She had been worried Daisy would not want to attend her wedding. Instead Daisy helped to ease a lingering concern Kat had. Still even with all the reassurances in the world the fear lingered at the very back of her mind.

* * *

 **Author's Notes:**

 **As always thank you all for the lovely reviews. By the way you guys are way too good at guessing what is going to happen next. LOL. Regardless you guys totally called it.**

 **Well as for this chapter, we did not just get the proposal from Bucky. We got the Shadow Network showing up too. Before anyone asks it was naturally okayed with King T'Challa they did not show up unannounced or anything. Though as for the Shadow Networks past 'business deals' well that is for another time. Most importantly though is Three finally has a real name that she will be going by. If you notice before being given those documents the narrative was written with 'Three'. After she gets the documents though she begins going by Kat and is referred to by her new first name. Aside from that we got some funny interactions and call backs to earlier chapters were Bachelorette parties are mentioned.**

 **Anyway let me know what you thought of this chapter by leaving a review.**

 **Lesliezin**


	51. The Big Day

**Hello everyone,**

 **Here is Chapter 51, enjoy.**

* * *

 **September 30** **th** **, 2016**

 **Wakanda**

Time had not helped as the date had finally come. Katrina as she had come to accept as her new real name was still worried. A lifetime of expecting disaster to strike had meant that she was paranoid. Something was going to go wrong, right? Something always went wrong, so why hadn't anything gone wrong yet? Where was the monster that would come to destroy everything? Again Kat looked in the mirror at herself. She stood there in a beautiful Cheongsam wedding dress. Cheongsam was a type of wedding dress worn typically in China. It was a satin lace, slim-sheathed dress made by Yuma from the Shadow Network. The dress had the traditional Mandarin Collar with an opening in the front. The dress also had high side slits to avoid being too constricting even as it hugged the rest of her. Also it was ankle length and while going with the traditional European white the pattern on it was a red-gold Chinese dragon that ran up the left side of her dress and clung to the branch of a Cherry blossom tree. The cherry blossoms were primarily above the dragon's head but also cascaded down the dress. As if shook loose by the dragon, giving the dress a lovely floral pattern. Kat would have said Yuma outdid himself given that he had not even asked just merely handed it to her.

Considering the dress, Kat wore her hair up in a bun similar to how it would have been worn in China. Lastly she wore matching high heels. Sadly the number three on her bare arm was the most glaring reminder that everything could still go wrong.

Trying to ignore her worries, Kat focused on the person in the mirror staring back. Because she was already nervous and fearing a possible attack it made the high heels even more worrisome. Her black and purple hair was pinned up with some strands escaping, the clip holding her hair was a matching white red gemmed clip. Again she wore a modest amount of make-up with dark mascara to bring out her green eyes, and a slightly darker pink gloss to emphasize her lips. Aside from that only a light foundation and powder was used because she had no problem blushing when near Bucky.

Looking through the mirror behind her she smiled at the ladies dressed and ready standing there. Sharon, her maid of honour stood in a lovely navy blue dress that really brought out her blue eyes. Unlike Kat, Sharon had no problem wearing matching blue high heels. Since Kat urged them to dress how they liked, Sharon left her hair down. Next was Daisy who was wearing a cream coloured dress with a sequin pattern. The SHIELD agent wore her hair loosely pinned up with ringlets escaping, and chose cream-coloured ballet slippers. Looking past Daisy, there stood Jemma who wore her hair down and was dressed in a creamy pink dress and matching slippers.

If it was any indication Kat told them to choose what they wanted to instead of forcing them into matching dresses they would hate. In truth Kat had no previous knowledge to go on as far as weddings went, nor was she of a mind to care. People, even the Bridesmaids should be comfortable at a wedding, so why didn't she? Part of her was nervous because despite her desire for a small simple wedding there were still quite a few people there. However the other part kept telling her something would go wrong. "Mommy? Is something wrong?"

Kat turned to look left and at the bed where Tess sat. Her beautiful daughter was dressed in a lovely lilac coloured dress with a gold glitter trim, and a darker purple rose at the top of the dress. Tess' dark hair was held back by a matching headband that held a similar rose. Her slippers were also matching as was the white and lilac basket she held in her hands. Smiling at Tess, Kat tried to ignore her worries. "I am fine, just a little nervous is all."

"Why are you nervous?" Tess asked concerned, as Kat considered how to answer. There was simply no way she was going to tell her daughter she expected something to go wrong.

"I.. I think all brides get nervous on their wedding day sweetie." Kat said trying to downplay it.

"Don't worry." The simple command came from May. While May did not seem to like being roped in as a Bridesmaid she at least had the good grace not to complain about it. May was dressed in a glittering long silver dress and matching slippers. Naturally May wore her hair down and had that calm expression Kat had come to expect from May. "Just focus on the moment and everything else will work out."

Sound advice, Kat knew but still she was a little worried as she looked at herself in the mirror again. May was unusually quiet as she watched Kat then leaned in closer to speak privately to her. "Daisy told me about your discussion before."

Kat now looked at May surprised. "I know you are scared that something might go wrong, but nothing will. No one here will let it."

Kat might have replied but the door opened and in came Coulson dressed in a suit. "Ladies," He greeted.

"Looking good Coulson." May spoke up from where she stood next to Kat.

"Yeah, thanks. I had to ask for help with the tie. I can never get this hand to work a tie. Sadly I asked the groom for help then realised he was having the same problem." Coulson said making Kat smile since both Bucky and Coulson had prosthetic limbs.

"So who helped you?" Daisy asked noticing Coulson's tie looked good.

"Steve helped James with his, I had to ask Mack." Coulson replied, "After apologising to James." Right then Kat was trying to picture Coulson asking Bucky for help with his tie only to apologise. It was then Coulson looked May over. "You look beautiful May, like on that one mission to get the painting..."

"At least Kat is not making me wear heels." May said no doubt hating that mission.

Coulson merely shrugged then looked at Kat and Tess. "The Bride and flower girl look great."

"Thanks." Both of them said in unison, as Coulson looked to Kat. "You ready? It is time."

"Yeah..." Kat replied shakily as she and Coulson moved together to leave the room with the others including Tess following. Moving down the hall Kat walked beside Coulson as she fiddled with the bouquet Daisy handed her. Apparently Kat had almost forgot them in the room. "I really appreciate this Coulson. I wasn't sure who else to ask..."

"Don't worry about it. I am honoured you asked, and this is pretty cool." The hall looped around they soon reached some steps going down. By then Tess was on Kat's left while Coulson remained on her right. Together the three descended the steps with Sharon, Daisy, Jemma, and May following. Once at the bottom Tess was instructed to take the lead as they entered a large circular garden and Coulson interlocked their arms. "Now remember no getting nervous..."

Easier said then done in Kat's case, but as they entered the garden they went under a rose trellis. Past the trellis... were a lot more people than Kat expected. She vaguely heard soft music, but the large group made her nervous. On the right was half of the Avengers, and some of the royal family, while on the left was the SHIELD team and Shadow Network. At the opposite end stood King T'Challa, Bucky, and Steve. She must have looked nervous because Bucky seemed to be directing his thoughts towards her in the hopes she would hear him. " _Don't worry doll. I'm here just focus on me."_

The mental message helped as Kat focused on him and let Coulson lead them forward. Keeping her eyes on him she took in the suit he wore. He looked amazing, some might have wanted him to shave and get a hair cut; but she preferred him this way as he smiled at her. Eventually Coulson guided them down the aisle and to Bucky where he gave Kat to Bucky and stepped away. She was also vaguely aware that Sharon, Daisy, Jemma, and May came to be standing behind her with Tess. Then King T'Challa spoke.

"In Wakanda the union of marriage means that two spirits are bound together in this life and the next. It is a sacred bond made joining not just your lives but your souls as one. I have had time to consider and get to know you both in the brief time you have been here. James Buchanan Barnes. Katrina Sakura Violet. You both have suffered more hardships and heartbreak than any one person should, but in the chaos and through the pain you have also found each other. A kindred spirit. So it is my honour today as my first act as King to bind you together in marriage. I understand you have written your own vows?"

"Yes," Both answered awkwardly. Bucky nervously pulled out a paper as he smiled at her.

"My memory is not as good as yours." The comment earned him a few chuckles then he cleared his throat. "Katrina, while there are a lot of things I regret and wish I could change. Ultimately I wouldn't change any of it. I would be too afraid to change anything because then I wouldn't have met you. For a time before I met you, I focused on trying to make up for the things I did. Sadly at times I did not feel I deserved any kind of happiness or life after what I had done. Then at a airport in Russia in a moment of inattention you stopped me from walking into traffic. I had never met a woman like you, and you also kept surprising me at every turn. Even when you knew the worst things about me and what I had done, you forgave me. Which I still do not feel I deserve to be forgiven for, and that I don't deserve you. But you make me a better person, better than the kid I was back in Brooklyn, and better than I am now. Our journey together in Russia forced us apart, but even then we found each other. So I know no matter what is thrown at us, we will always find a way back to one another."

As Bucky folded up the paper and slipped it in his pocket, Kat smiled but did not move an inch. "As you said I have a very good memory." This earned her a few smiles and light chuckles, "I wasted eighteen pages trying to think of what I should say. A lot of it was scribbled out because it felt wrong. The only thing that stuck out in my mind was an old book my sister read," She recited the title in Mandarin, " _Ynyuán hóngxiàn_ or the Red thread of Fate. The belief was that _Yuè Xià Lorén_ the god of marriage would tie a red thread to the ankles of two individuals destined to be together. Of course in Japanese culture it is the pinky finger. The two people tied together are destined to be lovers despite place, time, or circumstance. The thread may stretch or tangle, but never break. When I was younger I did not believe it, but my sister insisted it was real. It always felt like fate was playing some cruel joke on me, and it was safer to be alone. Now as usual I cannot help but think my sister was right. The first couple of times I saw you were terrifying, but looking back I now think fate was trying to tell me I was meant for you. There is just too much evidence supporting it when it comes to us. Our brief encounters over the years leading up to Russia prove it. It felt like fate kept throwing us in each other's path. We are fated to be together, I now truly believe that and would have it no other way."

Nodding King T'Challa added. "Does anyone have any reason why these two should not be wed? Speak now or forever hold your peace."

"No one is going to speak out unless they want to be beaten up. Hurry up and have them kiss already!" Shuri called out, receiving an elbow from Romanda. However some of the people could barely keep from smiling or laughing.

"Well my sister does have a point... You may now exchange rings."

Looking back at Sharon, the blonde handed her the ring meant for Bucky. While Steve handed Bucky a matching ring. Facing each other again King T'Challa continued. "Repeat after me: With this ring I thee wed.'"

Bucky took Kat's hand gently and repeated the words as he slipped the ring on her finger. The same was asked of Kat as she slipped the ring on Bucky's right hand. Then T'Challa continued. "Of this union let no one tear asunder these two souls bound together forever. By the power vested in me as King of Wakanda I pronounce you husband and wife. You may now kiss the bride."

Pulled in close, Bucky wrapped his arms around her waist as she wrapped an arm around his broad shoulders and place her other hand over his heart. It helped confirm his racing thoughts, he was still nervous that she might have backed out at the last second. Luckily his heart was now pounding for another reason. She was his now, just as he was hers.

"Kiss her already white boy!" Shuri called out making Bucky look back at the Wakandan teen.

Unable to take it anymore, Kat reached up and tugged the tie getting Bucky to look back as she stood on her toes and kissed him. Now having his full attention he kissed her deeply as their friends smiled, laughed, and applauded.

* * *

The reception after the wedding was just as bad as the wedding. Kat still was not a fan of crowds, and with this many people she was getting more nervous. Somehow Bucky knew to read her reactions quite well and dominate her attention so she was not panicking. Sadly that only worked so much when others tried to get the bride's attention. The area where the reception was taking place was in a large spacious room with glass doors leading onto a blacony overlooking the gardeens. When entering the room the glass doors and balcony lined the left side of the wall. In front of that was a long table where the bride and groom were expected to sit. The room opened out more to the right revealing a bar along the wall as well as long tables with food. In the middle on entering was tables, and further in a dance floor and in the far right corner a certain AI was in control of the music judging by the setup. While everybody got into celebrating, Kat thought it was a perfect time to sneak away from the large crowd and calm down on the balcony. Looking out over the garden she breathed a sigh of relief. Not only had she not panicked over the large group, but no monster had been waiting to destroy everything. She placed her hands on the rails and looked down at the beautiful ring on her finger admiring it. She was now happily married to Bucky Barnes.

Soundlessly someone placed a hand over hers, which almost made her jump as a familiar voice asked. "Hiding from me already doll? We have only been married five minutes."

"Twelve minutes thirty-seven seconds." Kat corrected as she felt Bucky slip an arm around her waist and pull her close. "And I was not hiding, just came out here to calm down. I am still not used to so many people."

"Well sooner or later the others will notice us missing, but...I like having a moment alone with you." The last part was whispered in her ear as he left a trail of kisses.

"Well at least now we get to sleep in the same room. Being in seperate rooms was driving me crazy. Any longer and I would have picked the lock and joined you." Kat teased making Bucky chuckle.

"You have no idea how many times I wanted to go to your room and have my way with you. It took everything to stop myself." He groaned tugging her tightly to him as he whispered, "Even now I just want to take you to my room and have you."

"So why don't you?" Kat asked breathlessly. In the next second she was whirled around and his lips crushed down on hers fiercely kissing her. In that moment she could not help but see the image he painted in his head. _He was carrying her, and they entered his room. The door was slammed shut and he carried her to the bed where he laid her down. Bucky then moved back to the door and locked it, so they would remain undisturbed. Seeing the look in his eyes, Kat quickly kicked off her slippers and tried to undo her dress. Aside from that she didn't get to strip down because Bucky had moved quickly back. He yanked off his jacket and tie, then climbed over her. Soon her dress was pushed up which was made easier by the high side slits and he began unbuckling his trousers. A moment later he pushed aside her panties and his underwear and was pressing against her. "I need you now." He growled as he pushed inside her._

The mental image made her gasp as they broke the kiss and was stunned by the sheer strength of the mental connection between them. More to the point she wanted him to take her away and have her right then. Sadly that was when some of their friends noticed their absence.

"Hey Romeo, Juliet, no hiding!" Sam called out from the glass doors. Bucky glared back, but Sam just grinned at him. Apparently the two were friends, but they were the type of friends that just loved to agitate one another. "Besides a lot of gents here want to dance with the bride."

Instinctively Bucky's arms tightened around her showing how possessive he could be as his glare intensified, and Sam added. "Don't make me tell Steve."

When Bucky continued to glare at Sam the man sighed and turned back heading inside. "Alright... Hey Steve! Bucky is being mean."

Left alone for another second, Kat looked up at Bucky still recovering from the mental image he had. _"_ _I want you to take me to your room now."_ Kat said mentally making Bucky groan.

"Believe me I want to, but we will be missed."

Kat groaned, "What if I feign being tired?"

"At three o'clock in the afternoon?" Bucky asked sceptically with a raised brow.

"I could claim I did not sleep well last night. Wedding jitters?" Kat tried weakly making Bucky smile.

"Relax doll we waited this long, we can wait till tonight."

"We only waited this long because you insisted we sleep in seperate rooms. I protested the decision—a lot!" Kat pouted making Bucky laugh.

"You know the saying 'absence makes the heart grow fonder'? Well tonight will be more memorable after weeks apart." Bucky pointed out.

"Really? I thought you were just torturing me." Kat replied annoyed that he just had to do everything the old fashioned way.

"No doll this... is torture." He whispered as he carefully pulled her hair back making her tilt her head and exposing her neck. She gasped as he nibbled on the shell of her ear, then slowly kissed his way down her neck tickling her with his five o'clock shadow. He kept up the attention knowing it was teasing her. Until a throat cleared and Kat looked over at a smiling Steve and Sharon and blushed. Immediately Bucky straightened also embarrassed at being caught.

"He started it." Kat said first making Sharon shake her head.

"Yeah sure he did, just like when the nurse caught us in Peggy's room eating cinnamon buns. You pointed at me and said 'her fault'."

"No really, he started it this time." Kat tried to defend herself as Sharon rolled her eyes, came forward and took Kat's hand. Now being pulled along back into the room, Kat continued. "Really Sharon he did start it."

"Yeah sure I believe you." They were followed by Steve and Bucky back into the room where music was playing. By now everyone was seated at tables conversing. It was a mash up of the SHIELD agents, Shadow Network, Avengers, and some of the Wakandan Royal family. It didn't help being in a room with so many people, so mid-way into the room Kat stopped. This made Sharon stop, and caused Bucky to bump into her and place his hands on her arms.

"Doll? You okay?"

"Um yeah..." Kat replied looking around nervously. At this point Steve stepped around to get a better look at her. "It's just a lot of people."

Steve and Sharon looked around the room surprised. They did not see what the big deal was, but they knew she didn't like crowds. Finally Sharon looked back at her friend. "It is just for today, Lil'. How did you cope when I dragged you to that club?"

"Counted down from ten to one in Mandarin in my head between taking deep breaths." Kat replied.

"Okay well let's start with that then." Sharon said, "Close your eyes." Kat immediately closed her eyes. "Now take a deep breath, and start counting down." Slowly Kat counted down from ten to one between deep breaths until finally she opened her eyes.

"Better?" Steve asked concerned that this might be too much for her.

"Yeah," Kat answered.

"Good, just stop and do that whenever it feels like it is getting to be too much. As I said it is only for one day." Sharon added, "We'll just take it one step at a time."

The group headed for their designated seats at a long table, and Kat tried not to fidget. Fortunately it would be a nice meal first making her glad to have the attention off of her. Instead she looked down the table to spot Tess seated between Sharon, and Daisy. The little girl looked past Sharon at her mother and waved at her to which Kat waved back. Before the meal some wine was served to everyone with Tess getting some cherry flavoured water. Then came a speech from the best man. Steve rose to his feet as he smiled at the group. "Well never thought I would see this happening, and no, not for the reasons one might think. You're a good man and a good friend, Buck. I have always known that, from the day I met you. I first met Bucky when we were at school, and I was this scrawny kid no one wanted to bother with. The girls all looked at me like I had a disease, and the boys just wanted to take my lunch money or pick on me. I had kind of gotten used to that and expected no different, then one afternoon these three boys cornered me on the playground. As always I refused to back down even if it meant I got beat up. I was expecting a beating until Bucky stepped in. I remembered he took some bad hits for me, and gave as good as he got. After that day I knew Bucky would always have my back, and I would always have his. Which is why I must tell Katrina something important." That was when Steve looked at Kat and both her and Bucky tensed, "Katrina, on the day Bucky asked you to marry him. He was sweating bullets."

The got Kat to relax a little having feared something darker being revealed. "He was terrified to ask, and this is a man that has taken on men twice his size. He kept saying: 'I don't deserve her,' and kept giving excuse after excuse. Finally I said to him: 'Buck, there is no doubt in my mind that she will say yes. You need only ask, because regardless of what you believe she wants you.' The other shocking secret is... he kept dreading you waking up and realising what you were about to do."

Another series of chuckles was heard before Steve continued. "He kept thinking one day you would wake up and realise you were about to marry him. Silly I know, and I had to keep reminding him that you risked everything to find and be with him. That you and Buck have a beautiful daughter, and that you would do anything for both." Then Steve looked back at Bucky, "In short... See? I told you so. Now you can stop worrying about it because your married now, and both of you make the other better. To Bucky and Katrina."

Raising their glasses, Kat took a drink then looked to Bucky and whispered. "Were you really that worried?"

Bucky cleared his throat nervously. " So what do you think of the wine?"

"I will take that as a yes." Kat giggled, then thought to him, _"_ _After tonight I'll make sure those fears are laid to rest. Thought of advice don't get drunk you are going to have a long night ahead of you."_ She heard the distinct choke as Bucky had been taking another drink when he heard those thoughts, and she giggled again. However before he could say anything Sharon rose to give a speech as the maid of honour.

"Outdoing the best man's speech will be hard, but I'll give it a try. When I first met you, Katrina I know you were pretending to be a nurse. But as you once said to me not all of it was an act. I remembered when I first saw Katrina at the Spring Grove Care Home. She were dealing with a dangerous situation. Our long suffering friend Mason Frederick was confused and holding another nurse hostage angling a needle at her throat. He had believed himself back in Nazi Germany, and that his food was poisoned. The other orderlies were making the situation worse, until Kat stepped in. She may have been posing as a nurse, but her concern and compassion was genuine. I watched as she was given a tray of food and ate some of it to prove it was safe though not the most tasty choices. She urged Mace to let the other nurse go, and even joined him as he ate his meal. She merely sat there listening to his stories as he ate. Mace had obviously been starved for company, but now looking back on it both of them must have longed for company. I remember Aunt Peggy and I being both stunned and impressed, so much so that the next day Kat brought in pizzas to avoid Mace and Aunt Peggy having to eat the care home food."

Sharon paused then continued. "I had honestly not expected her to come back that day, anyone else would have promised to buy pizzas just to get through the day, but not Kat. As promised she came in and again we sat down, ate, and just listened to each other's stories. Having found a genuine caring person I asked Kat to go to a club with me and some friends from work. Knowing how Kat is with large crowds I now know that what I asked of her was difficult perhaps even painful. Yet she showed up, and did more for me than any other friend I had before. I remember her going to get us some drinks and that this guy wanted to drag me onto the dance floor. Any other of my friends would have left me to it, but Kat appeared with a glass of ice water, pretended to trip, and spilt it all over him. It certainly got him to leave, and surprised me. When I told Kat most would have left the creep to harass me she said: 'When you want the guy's attention sure your friends should scatter, but it was obvious you did not want him around. In that case your friends should come to your rescue.' That day it occurred to me my friends were not doing their job. Besides clubs weren't really my thing, and seeing how uncomfortable Kat was in the club it felt good to just up and leave. My other friends would drag me to club after club, but going for Chinese with just Kat turned out to be a lot more fun than any club."

"What I am trying to say is, you may have posed as a nurse Katrina; but you are a better more real friend than any others I have had. You're kind, gentle, compassionate, and protective which has never been a act. It is for that reason you and Bucky are so perfect together. You both have good qualities and you both make each other better and happier. Congratulations, to Lil-" Sharon caught herself automatically calling her by her fake name, "Dang it, I was doing so well too. That will take some getting used to." Sharon cleared her throat to try again. "To Katrina and Bucky."

From there food was served, and Kat once again enjoyed the focus being taken off of her and Bucky. She was carefully eating some soup since she did not want it ending up on her dress. She peeked to her right at Bucky as he laughed with Steve who was on Bucky's right. Seeing the two friends laughing and joking around was rare and a novelty considering the events that led them here. Eventually people finished eating and were moving about to talk to others.

As Kat looked out over the various groups it was still scary to be surrounded by some many people, but also nice because they were people she worked alongside. The Shadow Network leaders tried using the broken English they knew to converse with others. Cutter and Shado were talking to Coulson and May who could also translate if there was problems. Yuma was talking with Fitz and Shuri about suits and how he intended to improve Kat's later. His English was surprisingly better as Fitz, and Shuri gave suggestions and the three were giving each other tips. Doc, Simmons, and some others held conversations on medical practices. Meanwhile Mack told Sam, Scott, and Clint about his shotgun-axe. Yo-yo was explaining how she got her nickname due to her powers to Natasha, Mei, and Wanda. Tess and Myra were wandering around with the little girl getting a lot of attention. For a second Kat thought Tess might get into trouble because she started copying the General of the Dora Milaje, Okoye. However instead she saw Okoye eventually crack a smile at the little girl impersonating her.

Lastly there was Sharon and Steve talking off to the side after Steve left Bucky's side, and Kat noticed Sharon go shy. Immediately Kat thought to Steve. ' _Steve, Sharon is very shy so don't go shy yourself. I already saw you make a move before, so make progress. No regressing.'_ Steve looked at her as he said something to Sharon which got them both looking at her, so Kat smiled and waved at them.

"Embarrassing Sharon?" Bucky whispered in her ear making Kat turn to look at him. "No just helping things progress. They just need a little push."

"You're telling me." Bucky laughed, then one of the coordinators came up and whispered something in Bucky's ear. "Alright."

"What is it?" Kat asked concerned, and Bucky smiled at her.

"Oh nothing just some things you won't like because it means the attention is back on us."

"Take me to our room now, please." Kat immediately replied wanting to avoid whatever it was and making Bucky chuckle.

"Sorry doll," Bucky said then grew serious when he saw her getting nervous, "It is just for today, and I am here okay?"

"Okay." Kat groaned as Bucky stood and offered her his hand which she took. The pair were taken to a table and asked to cut the first slice of cake which Kat found to be an odd tradition. Still it was not so bad as Kat had originally imagined. However the next thing they had to do was much worse. Just because Kat could learn skills easily and quickly did not mean she went out to learn every single skill she could. So when told they would be performing the first dance, Kat was already shaking her head no. Bucky found it amusing thinking it was because others would be watching that she was so nervous. Pulling her towards the dance floor, Kat finally said it. "I don't know how to dance, Bucky."

This got him to stop, turn, and look at her fully. "You're serious?"

"Yes, I just never bothered to learn."

Bucky looked around then leaned in. "It will be okay, just follow my lead and listen to my thoughts."

Led onto the dance floor, he slipped his metal arm about her waist and took her left hand in his right. He thought to her instructing her to put her right hand on his shoulder. Soon the music started which was Leann Rimes: 'I need you.' Aida must have gotten it off of Kat's music list because she distinctly remembered being asked about music and telling both Sharon and Aida to 'Pick something, just not Meghan Trainer'. Aida loved to torment Kat with that music. Still at least it was a good one, and Bucky seemed to like it. Through Bucky's mental instructions, Kat was able to follow his lead without incident, until she got more comfortable. "So never learned to dance huh?"

"It was not on the 'to do' list..." Kat blushed.

"Hey I am not complaining it is refreshing to know something you don't is all." Bucky replied, her being the perpetual know-it-all must get tiring for many. However that was the other reason Kat never bothered to learn all she could. She did not want to learn everything no matter how fast she learned a skill. Besides she had enough skills to make a master assassin and a physicist look like a couple of amateurs. Dancing was just one of those skills not required to take down HYDRA so it was in with a bunch of other useless skills. Well it was in a list of useless skills now she was learning to dance on her first dance as a married woman no less.

Gradually others joined them on the dance floor. As they moved around Kat took peeks and found different couple dancing including: Coulson and May, Cutter and Shado, Mack and Yo-yo, Steve and Sharon amongst others. However there were distinct ones missing most likely not wanting to dance. Of those not dancing were Daisy, Natasha, and Wanda. For Daisy the reason was glaringly obvious, and Kat was glad no one pressured her into it. With Wanda and Natasha, Kat guessed it was because their better halves were simply not there. Nat was thinking of someone with dark curly hair wearing glasses, which Kat realised from papers was Bruce Banner. While Wanda's thoughts lingered on the strangely painted man from the airport in Germany. Either way at least no one bugged them about dancing and perhaps that was for the best. Meanwhile Kat heard a distinct giggle as Scott was dancing with Tess and telling the little girl about his own daughter Cassie. This begged the question where was Myra? Then she spotted the familiar copper haired woman dancing with Sam answering the question for her.

"You doing okay doll?" Bucky asked worried that the group around them might be a bit much.

"Oddly yeah, I am fine." Kat replied pressing to him and relaxed against his strong chest. In all honesty she never knew she would be able to relax around this many people, but then again she never knew that a year ago she would meet Bucky in Russia, nor that a month later she would join Coulson's team, become Inhuman, and find herself pregnant. She had certainly never expected that over a month ago she would step out into the spotlight to get Bucky back and become known as 'the Guardian Avenger'. Yet here she was surrounded by half the Avengers, SHIELD agents, and the Shadow Network. And now? She was not panicking. Instead she was relaxed and enjoying being with Bucky at long last.

To top it off the next song was an upbeat one that Sharon had been warned against. 'Dear Future Husband' by Meghan Trainer. The music system was controlled by Aida, so the AI knew this song was one Kat hated. Sadly the AI read somewhere playfully teasing friends was healthy. Hearing the song got Kat swearing under her breath. "Damn that AI," Kat grumbled before calling out, "Aida!"

"It was requested." The AI replied innocently making Kat roll her eyes.

"Sure it was requested by you."

"Correct." Aida replied as if it were already obvious. However Bucky merely pulled her back to him chuckling at the AI's antics.

"It isn't funny, she plays this song at the most annoying tim-" Bucky pulled her close kissing her deeply and making her forget all about the dreadful song playing.

"Easy Romeo, you'll turn her to jelly." Sam called out as a few different ones whistled at the couple making Kat blush. Eventually Bucky released her lips and the pair continued dancing for a bit longer. The couple eventually left the dance floor to allow other couples on, but surprisingly King T'Challa asked to dance with Kat while Bucky was dancing with Tess. It gave her the chance to thank the king of Wakanda for everything he had done. Unfortunately she was asked to dance with a number of others before she escaped the dance floor. She found Bucky carrying a sleepy Tess and the pair took her back to her room with Myra following at a distance.

"You know you can return to the party if you like Myra." Kat whispered, but the red head shook her head.

"No I better not. Otherwise Sam will try to get me dancing and working the charm. This time I might actually give in and give him my number. I am trying to resist temptation."

"How many times has he asked?"

"Five, with him giving that very charming smile." Myra replied.

"Persistent isn't he?" Kat noted.

"Very." They took Tess to her room and got her changed into her pyjamas with Myra agreeing to stay rather then risk the charms of Sam. With that Bucky and Kat entered the hall and started moving down it back towards the now dying party. Many were already moving onto their quarters as the pair got back to see only a select few couples sitting at tables or dancing. At least they were not party animals, as Kat neared Sharon and Steve at a table laughing and joking.

"Still not considered a date, Rogers," Kat pointed out making Steve and Sharon blush, "Where is the romantic restaurant, and flowers? I expect you to go full on Casanova on my friend."

Sharon now blushed as she looked down at the table. "Actually he already asked me out just before you arrived."

"Finally." Both Bucky and Kat breathed making Steve and Sharon look at them. Both sat down next to Steve and Sharon and continued chatting with them until Sam came up.

"Hey have you seen where Myra went?"

"Scared her away did you?" Steve teased, while Kat smiled at Bucky.

"I think she went out for some fresh air." Bucky spoke up and Kat coughed to hide her laugh at her husband sending Sam on a wild goose chase.

"Okay, great thanks." Sam then rushed off to find her as Kat sent her thoughts to Bucky.

" _That was very naughty, Bucky. Poor Sam will be hunting for her all night."_ Bucky smirked knowing what he had done. Either way the group continued talking until the end.

"Well it is getting late," Steve said rising from his chair and offering Sharon his hand, "Walk you to your room?"

"Sure, I would love that." Sharon said taking Steve's hand.

" _She will more than love that. Don't forget to kiss her goodnight she will turn to putty!"_ Kat thought to Steve making him blush more and chuckle embarrassed. Which made Sharon smack Kat's arm.

"Whatever you are thinking to Steve. Stop it."

"What? I didn't do anything I swear." Kat replied innocently.

"Sure you didn't." Sharon said as they moved off together.

"Have a good night you two. Don't forget the goodnight smooch." Bucky called out.

"Goodnight Mr and Mrs Barnes." Steve called back with Sharon simply calling back. "Goodnight you two."

At long last this day was finally over. Bucky and Kat retired to the room that they would now share instead of their old rooms. Their bags were already there along with some gifts their friends bought them. Kat was just opening the door and stepping into the room when Bucky grabbed her and pulled her back. "Oh no you don't. We are doing this right."

With that he scooped her up making her gasp and then giggle. "Bucky!"

Being carried into the room, Kat wrapped her arms around Bucky as he kicked the door shut and easily carried her to the bed. Being laid on the bed, Kat watched him go back to the door and turn the lock so no one could enter. _"_ _Alone at last. Now I get you all to myself."_

The thought from Bucky made Kat blush as she sat up and watched Bucky undo his tie, then remove his jacket. Already she was reminded of the mental image Bucky had shown her earlier, and kicked off her heels. As she unclipped her hair she went to set the clip on the night table by the bed only to spot a velvet black box. The card on top of it read: _**'To Katrina, For your wedding night. ~Ramanda.'**_

T'Challa's mother left this for them. Curious now, Kat opened the box and found it contained some silver tablets. The card inside was a bit more forthcoming as to what these pills were for. _**'Katrina, these are a more advanced form of birth control than the pills found in the United States, and without any nasty side effects. I heard the pill in the States causes mood swings and weight gain. The other benefit of these is it does not need to be taken daily, but once a month. The effects are immediate, so if you were to take one now you would not need to fear unplanned pregnancy. I got you these because then you and James can decide when you both wish to have more children. Until then congratulations on your wedding. ~Ramanda.'**_

Kat smiled down at the card thankful for Ramanda's gift, then looked down at the pills shocked. There was close to one-hundred of these little silver pills! _'Wow! Talk about thinking ahead. Queen Ramanda certainly knows her stuff.'_

The chuckle next to her told her Bucky was looking at the card. "So you going to take one?"

"Well yes I think I will at least then we won't go through boxes of condoms." Kat teased as she took out the top left corner pill and put it in her mouth. Swallowing the pill slid down easily as she closed the box. Hearing Bucky's thoughts easily of ravishing her, Kat realised she was still in her wedding dress, "Wait."

"Why?" Bucky asked leaning over her.

"Because I need a moment, please?" Kat asked making Bucky groan as he straightened.

"You have five minutes."

"Yes sir." Kat teased then grabbed her bag and went into the bathroom. As quickly and as carefully as she could she got out of her wedding dress and under garments. Going through her bag she found what she was looking for an off white satin chemise with lacy edging and thigh slits. Over that was a matching sheer kimono robe with lace edges. Looking at herself in the mirror, Kat finally opened the door to see Bucky waiting right there leaning against the door frame. Seeing him stripped down to his waist made her breath catch as he looked her over. When he continued to stare at her stunned she decided it was well past time to tease him for making her sleep in a separate room from his. "Well I can see you don't like this, so I will just get changed."

She was about to close the door on him when he caught the door and opened it. "Don't you think about it, doll. You are coming to bed now."

Pulling her to him, Kat was touching his bare chest as she continued. "Nope, I don't think so... you made me wait for weeks, so turns about fair play that I make _you wait._ "

"Oh really?" Bucky asked a smile slowly spreading which told Kat he was merely humouring her for this moment.

"Yes really. You made me wait now it is my turn to make you wait."

That was when Bucky leaned in. "That is what you think, doll."

A second later a surprised shriek followed by Kat giggling came from the bathroom as Bucky emerged carrying Kat over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes. He moved straight for the bed where he dropped Kat onto it and she bounced a little. She tried to look up at Bucky angry, but he merely smirked at her. He knew she was not really mad as he pushed her back to lay flat on the bed. Then he climbed over her and pushed her legs apart. The super soldier had waited long enough, and now seeing her dressed as she was his restraint had now snapped like a twig. Kat's heart started to pound in her chest as Bucky continued to admire her as if taking in every last detail. His flesh hand's fingertips reached down running over her ankle and tickling her a little, then slowly tortuously his fingers and hand slid upwards heading for her knee, sending light shivers to run through her.

Kat bit her bottom lip as his hand made it to her knee, then he reached behind her knee to pull her leg up. With her foot flat on the bed, Bucky slid his hand further up her thigh and beneath the hem of her chemise simply enjoying touching her. As his hand wandered, Bucky leaned in pressing soft kisses along her neck working his way down. His metal arm rested by Kat's head to keep his full weight off of her. Then his flesh hand stopped at her hip, and he almost growled out. "No panties tonight Mrs Barnes?"

Kat gasped as his fingers changed directions and slid between her legs where his fingertips pressed. "I—I didn't think I would need them tonight."

The breathless response made Bucky chuckle as he continued to kiss downwards, and he pushed a finger inside her. "No you're right you will not need panties for a very long time."

The promise was followed by him sliding the sheer robe and strap aside as he neared her breast and his fingers pushed a little more. Kat gripped Bucky's flesh arm and shoulder as she tilted her head back. Everything Bucky did made Kat hyper-sensitive as it felt like the slightest touch made her skin tingle. His stubble as he kissed his way down to her breast scrapped against her skin making her tremble as it left little red marks. Two of his rough fingers pushed inside her as his thumb ran over the over-sensitive bundle of nerves making her grip him tighter. She could barely think straight. Then his mouth closed over her breast as he pushed another digit inside her.

That did it as she gasped out shakily. "Oh god, Bucky! Please! I need you!"

Bucky released her breast as he chuckled and replied. "I know, you are very wet."

He continued to pump his fingers in and out of her, as Kat realised he was teasing her. "James Buchanan Barnes if you continue to tease me, so help me I'll-"

His fingers immediately left her, before she fully registered what was happening. He pushed his trousers down and underwear aside. Then he grabbed her thighs and pulled her against him where she felt his hard erection. Finally a second later he roughly pushed inside her making her cry out as he filled her. For a moment they were frozen together until Bucky's rough commanding voice growled out. "Look at me."

Kat had not even realised she had closed her eyes when he had thrust into her, but now she forced her eyes to open. Looking up at Bucky, that was when he began to move in and out slowly at first. They watched each other as he started thrusting faster and harder making her gasp and moan. Then he leaned in kissing her deeply. Instinct wanted her to close her eyes and just feel, but she kept them locked with Bucky's. When the kiss eventually broke that was when Bucky really began thrusting hard and faster.

In response, Kat kept a firm grip on his flesh arm while her other hand reached around to pull him close. As he kept going she ran her nails down his back and wrapped her legs around his waist. Next to her head she could hear the gears in his metal hand as he gripped the covers. Hearing his thoughts made it even better as she adjusted her hips making him groan. "You know that is cheating doll."

"Not to me," She moaned, "Besides what kind of wife would I be if I didn't try to please you?"

Bucky groaned as he kept thrusting as hard and as fast as he could. Thanks to her mind reading, both felt the pleasure build until Kat cried out in pleasure. A moment later Bucky jerked and she felt him pumping his hot seed inside her. Normally she would have worried about feeling him cum, but with the gift from Ramanda she could relax. Bucky gave several hard jerks before both relaxed trying to catch their breaths. Kat would never admit that the long wait made it feel even better, but it did feel amazing to at long last be together. Bucky was still above her as he kept some of his weight on his metal arm. His breath fanned Kat's face as they looked at each other.

"How was that doll?"

"Perfect, I had wanted to do this for weeks." Kat smiled up at him.

"Well this time I did it the right way. Marriage first, now that you're my wife I will join you every night."

"Good because you have a couple weeks worth of making up to do." Kat said making Bucky laugh. As he finished laughing he let his flesh hand brush her hair back and caress her cheek.

"Oh doll, you and me both have been waiting for this. We are far from done." That promise sent a pleasant shiver through Kat as Bucky once again leaned in kissing her deeply.

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 **Author's Notes:**

 **First off thank you all for the lovely reviews, I really enjoy hearing from you all. Also sorry for missing last week out. Since it was a Bank Holiday last Monday my husband and I were out that weekend. But hopefully the wait was worth it because here is chapter 51.**

 **As for this Chapter Kat's wedding dress was one of those things I considered quite heavily when I wrote this chapter. I ended up with this idea when I found a picture online and thought it perfect for Kat. The link for said picture is below. Please note fanfiction will not post the link as it is so you will have to remove the spaces making it a complete link. I think this is done to protect those here from dangerous links or something. I double checked the rules and they do not mention posting links, so I think it is safe to put it up this way. If not I am sure someone at fanfiction will let me know. Otherwise the description of what Kat's dress looked like will just have to do.**

 **htt ps. / / www. pinterest . co . uk . /pin/ 368450813243890898/**

 **Aside from that I hope you enjoyed their wedding and some of the amusing things that happened leading up to and during said wedding. Please let me know what you think of this chapter by leaving a review.**

 **Thanks,**

 **Lesliezin**


	52. Parties before Parting Ways

**Hello everyone,**

 **Here is Chapter 52, enjoy.**

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 **October 1** **st** **, 2016**

 **Wakanda Facility**

Kat awoke that morning pressed against Bucky, his strong chest was still radiating heat as she rested her head. She heard the steady strong beat of his heart and smiled as she ran her hand over his chest. Her fingertips moved steadily downwards to his toned stomach. The sharp intake of breath made her stop as Bucky grumbled out. "That tickles."

"Awe the super soldier is ticklish." Kat giggled as she reminisced about the previous night. She moaned softly when she moved feeling the ache of her body. Seven times Bucky took her. Now that they were husband and wife, he showed less restraint about their bedroom activities. Before in Russia the situation had been different. Both were heading into a dangerous situation making it all seem more urgent, more dire. Now there was no dangerous or dire situation, just them. According to Bucky's thoughts he had felt he had done some crime against her and Tess, and was trying to do right by them. To Kat he was merely being ruled by the age-old customs of the nineteen-forties, and while she did not mind the decisions that led to her being in that bed with him. She did not want him to feel obligated to do anything. He had not done anything wrong, and there was no resentment from her or Tess about the situation. At least now he could relax they were married and whatever obligation he felt he needed to fulfil had been met.

She shivered with a pleasant smile as he gently ran his metal hand up and down her back. His flesh hand came up to brush her hair from her face. Peeking at the small clock on Bucky's side of the bed, Kat saw that it was still early in the morning, so they had a couple of hours before they would have to get up. As it was Tess' first birthday, the couple were faced with yet another big day. Sadly after that it would be time for many to say goodbye and go their separate ways.

The Avengers that sided with Steve had recently been offered deals to return to their families if they turned themselves in. It meant going into house arrest and being monitored, but of the group only Clint and Scott had decided to take the deal for their families. Kat could not really blame them being parted from Tess was excruciating, no doubt both men missed their children. The Shadow Network leaders also would be heading back to China to continue much as they always had, but with Sharon taking a new job with them she too would be wanted. Coulson's team felt it was time to head home and get back to work. The Accords were still happening regardless, and so that meant the SHIELD team would have to adhere to the new rules. Steve and the other Avengers were going into hiding, but since there was six untouchable HYDRA heads still in play the group decided to take them out of play. It would certainly be a lengthy mission, but Steve, Nat, Sam, and Wanda seemed up to the task.

Still if Kat could get away with it she would be helping them since this group was unlikely to surrender. After all, they were not called 'Untouchables' for nothing, they had paid off seventy-two countries to get their way in the Accords. Kat learned early on that those in power always viewed themselves as above everyone else. That their wielding enough power and influence to never need fear consequences. Of her job destroying HYDRA, Kat loved most proving those powerful individuals wrong. That they could be touched and more importantly harmed. Still she doubted those six individuals would surrender just because four Avengers showed up and said: 'You're under arrest.'

Either way it did not matter in the moment that was an issue for later. Today she had a little girl turning one that appeared about two to three years old. Also she was suppose to be enjoying this particular morning that was simply perfect. For the first time in years Kat at long last could relax and simply be happy. HYDRA was the furthest thing from her mind, instead she could focus on the super soldier next to her. Said soldier chuckled getting Kat's attention, she was just about to ask him what was so funny when he rolled over on top of her and felt the press of his hard-on against her stomach.

"Do I still have make-up sex to do?" He asked teasing her.

"Yes lots of making up to do." Kat replied getting excited by the thought of him touching her again.

"Well then... it is a good thing we have a few hours before we have to be up." Bucky teased, a moment later Kat cried out as she felt him push into her. At this point it was both pleasure and pain, but the pain was so worth it. Would she be sore later? Yes, but it would be welcome. As he began thrusting into her, Kat held onto him adjusting to him to make it even more pleasurable for both of them. As Bucky kissed her lips, face, neck, and worked his way down to her chest. Mid-way through this latest session, Bucky growled and picked her up into his lap. It forced another cry from Kat as she felt like she was impaled on his large member.

From there Bucky gripped her hips as he thrust up, and Kat instinctively moved with him feeling him deeper than before. It felt like he would thrust into her womb, as she gasped and moaned. _'Holy fuck! He always feels too big for me.'_

Again Kat forgot herself as Bucky chuckled, she had sent her thoughts to him by accident. Oddly her powers seemed to be used naturally when it came to Bucky. Perhaps it was some kind of stronger mental connection forming because they were lovers? Either way Bucky enjoyed the thought as he smirked at her. "It is nice to know what you think doll," He then sighed, "But if I am hurting you, you need to say something."

"Precisely why I am not saying a damn thing. You would stop." Kat said as she moved her hips urging him to keep going. It was enough to get him thrusting again, and this time he didn't stop as she moved with him. Like the previous times, Kat felt the pleasure building up inside her and knew Bucky was close by his thoughts and how he quickened his pace. He grabbed her butt in two powerful hands one cold metal the other hot flesh as he thrust wildly into her. She became dizzy with pleasure as she threw back her head and screamed. "Oh Bucky!"

A second later Bucky jerked hard again spurting his seed deep inside her. What followed was a series of jerking thrusts until Bucky pumped out the last of his warm seed, filling her, fulfilling her. Both held onto each other trying to catch their breaths. Finally Bucky broke the silence. "You have no idea how much I love you and am blessed that you are my wife."

"I don't know I think I love you more." Kat said still a little breathless, "I also feel like I am either dreaming or in heaven being married to you, Mr. Barnes."

He chuckled as he reached up and brushed her hair out of her face. "Well you are neither in heaven nor dreaming. You are my wife now, Mrs. Barnes."

Bucky calling her that name sent a happy shiver down her spine. "I love it when you call me that, please say it again."

"Mrs. Barnes. Mrs. Katrina Sakura Barnes. Katrina Barnes." Bucky whispered as he kissed her neck making her giggle as his stubble tickled the sensitive part of her neck. They might have continued that way for much longer, but they would need to shower and prepare to celebrate Teresa Barnes' first birthday. No doubt the one year old would be spoiled by those here, and happy to have both her parents on this special day. Kat was going to take a shower, but Bucky insisted on joining her making for an interesting shower that took a lot longer than intended.

* * *

Eventually Bucky and Kat emerged from their room ready to face the day. They came to the same room the reception was held in where Steve and Sharon were already setting up for Tess' birthday party. Quietly the pair joined to help set up. If they hoped to go unnoticed they were about to be disappointed as Sam and Mack came in.

"There they are, Romeo and Juliet finally joining us?" Sam teased.

"Let them be." Steve said knowing that the pair would be teased endlessly if he let Sam continue. A second later Coulson came in setting down some bowls of snacks on the long table.

"There they are. We got the snacks together, and will be bringing the cake out soon too. Aida says she is setting up some Disney music, so we are good here."

"Also there was a slight issue we wanted to discuss..." Sharon added.

"Oh what is it?" Kat asked.

"Well you see we had this surprise, but May has flat out refused to go along with it." Coulson added.

"I am not doing it!" May replied arms folded across her chest her calm as ever but with an annoyed glare.

"Doing what?" Bucky asked.

Coulson sighed. "Tess' favourite Disney princess is still Mulan right?"

"Yee—aahh, why?" Kat asked confused as the glare May gave darkened.

"Come on May, it is just for a few hours." Coulson urged, as Kat read their minds then burst out laughing.

"That is why I am not doing it." May said as Kat could not stop imagining May dressed up in a kimono like Mulan. Between long bouts of laughter Kat asked barely able to get the words out.

"You want...May to dress like MULAN?!" Kat asked bursting up laughing once more as May glared even more at the idea. Now Bucky was also imagining it and with May glaring he was trying very hard not to burst out laughing as he pretended to cough. The others also focused more on what they were doing to avoid being caught laughing. Now that they were imagining it, it sounded less like a good idea. Aside from that Kat already knew May would not take this one for the team. Once finally done laughing about it, Kat straightened. "Guys Tess is turning one. There will be plenty of other birthdays where a Disney princess can be present."

"Yeah you're right. Besides Tess might be a little overwhelmed by all of us here anyway." Coulson agreed, and May relaxed glad she would not be talked into this.

"Besides May is not drunk enough to agree to do it. We are talking a strong bottle of alcohol and a recorded agreement that she would dress up as Mulan." Kat added trying to lighten the mood, as May gave another glare.

"I am never drinking with you again." The conversation might have continued, but as the group finished preparing the room it was time to go get Tess. Kat and Bucky left to go to Tess' room, as usual Myra who slept in the bed across from Tess' was up and dressed.

"How was she?" Kat whispered to Myra.

"Very good, she was worn out after last night and slept straight through." Myra whispered back as Kat came over to the bed and knelt down by Tess. The little girl was clutching her cat-backpack Sake to her. For a few minutes Kat just watched her sleep, then reached up and brushed some dark strands of hair back. The little girl stirred, but remained asleep as Bucky knelt down beside Kat also watching Tess. Meanwhile Myra quietly excused herself to go to where the party would be held and give them some time alone with Tess.

"It seems such a shame to wake her. She's sleeping so peacefully and just looks so beautiful." Kat whispered.

"Well both my girls are beautiful." Bucky whispered making Kat look at him. He was smiling at her before looking back at Tess. He leaned in kissing the top of Tess' head and gently brushing back her dark hair. It was past time to get her up and ready for her birthday party.

"Tess sweetie, come on time to get up." Bucky said gently nudging her. The little girl groaned as she opened her eyes, then rubbed them as she yawned. Now awake she still hugged Sake as she sat up a little propped on her elbow.

"Mommy? Daddy? What is it?"

"It's time to get up and get ready for a certain someone's first birthday." Kat replied.

"You do remember it's your birthday, right?" Bucky added, and Tess nodded, "Well then we best get you ready for your party."

Tess got up and Kat took her to have a quick bath, then they let the little girl pick out a cute pink and purple dress that made her look like a princess. It was decorated with little roses and bows, and she wore matching shoes. Once they had her ready, Tess grabbed Sake and Bucky gave her a piggy back ride to the room for the party. Already Disney songs were playing from various films, and the other attendees were there. So that Tess was not completely surrounded by just adults some of the extended royal family brought their children. Some of them were older and others were too young, but seeing Tess they found her exotic and were naturally curious. Mostly Kat and Bucky sat not too far away just watching Tess play with the other children. Even with the language barrier, the children seemed to enjoy playing. When they got tired they went to small tables set up and would start drawing. Tess drew three or four pictures, then folded them up neatly and resumed playing when she had enough energy to continue.

Meanwhile Jemma came up and handed Kat something. "What's this?"

"You'll see open it." Jemma replied, as Kat opened it up to find a chart? She looked up at the SHIELD agent with a raised brow.

"It's a chart," Jemma explained.

"I can see that, but for what?"

"Tess' age progression. I know early on there was concern regarding Tess' ageing process. I have since been able to map it out and figure out the progression of how Tess will continue to age."

"Oh okay," Three said looking at the chart as Jemma sat down next to Kat while Bucky sat on her other side looking at the chart curious.

"You see since you rapidly transitioned through the pregnancy and Tess aged faster then a normal child. Tess now has the physical appearance of a two to three year old while only being the age of one. Her mental processing will always exceed her current age that cannot be helped due to the Mastermind serum. However judging by my calculations Tess' rapid growth spurt is already slowing down to a normal range. Once she hits two years old she will appear about the age of a four to five year old, but after that..." Jemma pointed to the flow chart showing a red line going back down to a black line marked normal range. "She will begin ageing normally again all the way up to here."

Again Jemma pointed out something further down the chart which showed Tess' when she would enter her teens. There another blue line spiked upwards on the chart. "Here she will stop ageing physically all together as her natural age catches up to match her physical age. I call this the levelling process where everything synchronises back up to accuracy. By the time Tess hits thirteen to sixteen years old she will stop ageing for approximately five years. Once her actual age catches up she will naturally resume ageing at a normal pace."

This was kind of good news if a little unnerving. Every parent wanted a normal child, and wanted the best for that child. It was good to hear that Jemma was able to map all this out, and spare both Kat and Bucky future worries. At first it sounded scary to hear it, but after a few moments looking over the chart Kat relaxed. It was not as bad as some parents would think it to be.

"Thank you Jemma. This is brings us some much needed piece of mind."

"No problem at all. It also helps to indicate what to expect should you and James wish to have more children." Jemma pointed out. The idea made Kat internally cringe as she wished to not go through that so soon. Folding up the chart, Jemma left them to enjoy the party as she went back to Fitz. While Bucky watched as Kat put the chart away.

"Well now we know what to expect when we want more children." Then he was thinking of how many more children to have with her.

"Bucky!" Kat gasped and smacked his arm making him laugh as he pulled her close and leaned in to whisper in her ear.

"I am thinking I would want a son next. Or maybe three more kids.. two girls two boys? How about one a year, the old-fashioned way? Prophylatics be damned!"

"Bucky!" Kat gasped shocked as Bucky chuckled.

"I want to have lots of babies with you, doll." That whisper sent a shiver down Kat's spine. Right then more children was the last thing they needed right now. Especially later when they would have to leave Wakanda and go on the run and into hiding. It was just not the right environment to raise children in let alone have more in. Besides if anyone discovered Tess they would try to take her away from them, protecting her was more of a priority then having more children. Bucky must have noticed the worried expression that crossed her features because he gave an annoyed sigh then caught her chin. Turning her head to face him he said. "Relax doll I have not forgotten our earlier discussion on the matter. Just keep in mind later we will have another discussion about it."

Then he kissed her lips ensuring she could not argue about it. Later on one way or another the discussion of more children would come up again. Kat could not see that conversation going well, but let the worry slip from her mind as Bucky kissed her. Once he released her lips, Kat shivered as she realised that if Bucky asked right then to have another baby she would have said yes in a heartbeat. The fact that all he needed to do was kiss her senseless and she would agree to anything made her shiver even more. God help her if Bucky ever found out that type of power he had over her. He chuckled at her and she wondered if she had accidentally sent her thoughts to him. Either way it hardly mattered as Tess ran up getting their attention.

"Mommy, Daddy... I drew these!" Tess said holding a bunch of drawings. The first was of a man in black and red. Next to it in Tess' child-like handwriting was the large then small print saying: 'Cassie Your dad is kool!' "This one is of Ant Man, it's for Cassie. Do you think she will like it?"

"Yes I am sure she will." Kat said imagining Tess having a pen pal in the near future. Next was a picture of a man in black with long pointy ears and claws. The pointy ears were overly long and next to him was a drawing of a dark haired girl smiling which was no doubt Tess.

"This one is King Twalla and me." The way Tess said T'Challa's name almost got Kat laughing as Bucky's jaw dropped. Hopefully Tess had not called T'Challa by name, it would be unclear how the King of Wakanda would react. Sadly above the two figures it said 'King Twalla and me.'

Trying not to laugh or get worried about who the picture was shown to, Kat leaned forward. "They are beautiful pictures sweetie. Umm who told you King T'Challa's name was spelt this way?"

"I wrote it the way it sounded." Tess answered innocently as Bucky had to cover his mouth to keep from laughing as he shook slightly. _'Oh dear god, how do I explain she spelt the king's name wrong?'_ Kat thought as she didn't want to upset Tess or the king. As she thought of how to correct the error, Tess showed her the next drawing. This one was a bald woman in red and gold holding a staff. Again it had Tess next to the woman smiling, but this time holding a matching staff. The awkward writing showed up again above the figures said 'Okkoya and me'. "This is of Okkoya and me."

Again Bucky was covering his mouth and trying hard to keep from laughing at the butchered names. _'Great my daughter is going anger both the King of Wakanda and the Dora Milaje general.'_ Kat internally groaned, but had to ask another question. "Why are you holding a staff like Okoye?"

"Because she is." Tess replied and Kat had to bite her tongue as she remembered Myra mentioning Tess mimicking Okoye. The general did not seem to mind being copied by Tess, but she might mind the slaughtering of her name. The last picture both Bucky and Kat had to cover their mouths to keep from bursting out laughing. It was a picture of a blonde man in red, white, and blue. Next to the man was a blonde woman in black trousers and a white blouse. They had little hearts all around them and a in a bigger heart above them it said: 'Steve and Sharon'. With the end part of Sharon's name almost escaping the heart.

Bucky couldn't help it he started laughing, and Kat giggled a little. Finally Bucky said, "That is beautiful princess. Your Uncle Steve and Aunt Sharon will love that. You should go give it to them."

"Okay Daddy." Tess smiled happily then rushed off to do just that taking all her drawings with her. The pair watched Tess run up to Steve and Sharon holding up the picture to them. Steve knelt down in front of Tess with Sharon doing the same as she handed them the picture. Both blondes blushed at the picture, but seemed to simply thank her and give her a hug. Then Tess spotted Scott and ran over to him apparently wanting to give him her drawing to pass onto Cassie. However Kat and Bucky continued to watch Steve and Sharon as both stood still admiring the picture, and seemed to be laughing about it. Then Steve leaned in kissing Sharon as Kat pulled out her phone and turned on the camera setting. She quickly snapped a picture of the pair, then both seemed to realise they were being watched as both looked at Kat and Bucky who were grinning. Again the two blondes blushed, however now Kat looked to see what Tess was doing. She was no longer by Scott for he was smiling down at the drawing she had given him.

Scanning the room Kat frowned not finding the pink and purple dress. She turned in her seat to look back towards the entrance to the room to find her in front of King T'Challa, Shuri, Ramanda, and Okoye. She had just handed the drawing to T'Challa who had knelt down to accept it. Shuri looked at it too and laughed before urging Tess to give her a high five. The King was not mad in the least as he smiled at the picture then at Tess before giving her a hug. Then Tess turned to Okoye who was standing there still as a statue. The woman looked down confused as Tess stood up on her tip toes to give her the picture. Okoye first looked to T'Challa for advice on what to do then took the offered drawing. Again Shuri was laughing as she stole a peak at the drawing and saw the butchered name. A slow smile spread across the Dora Milaje's face before she knelt down and hugged Tess. Then Tess came back to the table excitedly reporting. "Mommy, Daddy. They loved my drawings!"

"That is wonderful princess." Kat replied partly relieved T'Challa and Okoye did not take offence to their names being misspelled. After that Tess ran off to play with the other children some more before doing some more drawings. Eventually the lights were dimmed and Tess was sat at a larger table. The cake was brought up holding the number one candle. The cake itself had 'Teresa' In pink icing in the top left part of the cake. While the rest of the cake showed an image of Mulan dressed in her pink and purple kimono holding the number one. The group sang happy birthday to Tess before urging her to make a wish and blow out the candle. From there the party goers ate food, snacks, and cake while Aida moved through the electronics and put on different Disney cartoons to entertain the children.

It was a fun way to spend the day for a little girl's first birthday. Towards the end Tess also got to open presents and cards which she enjoyed doing. Some was cute clothes for her to wear, a few others were some toys, learning/colouring books, a crayon set, and some gifts that held a bit more significance. One was a tribal bracelet from Okoye it was braided leathers with a special metal plate over it. At first no one really understood what the pretty bracelet signified until Okoye began to explain it to Tess after the little girl hugged Okoye thanking her for the gift.

"It is more than a mere bracelet, it actually holds great importance. See these colours..." Okoye pointed out the red, gold, and black braid. "This signifies the colours of the Dora Milaje, and this..." Okoye pointed to the slim metal plate over it. "This image here is the royal emblem. A Panther head in a circle. And these bars on either side of the Royal emblem signify the protection of the Dora Milaje. The Royal guard."

Tess looked at the bracelet stunned as Okoye helped put it on her. "Young girls from all the tribes in Wakanda often seek to join the Dora Milaje, but it is a rare honour gifted to few. This bracelet marks you as one specifically noticed, and later when a little older you can seek training to become a Dora Milaje too."

Tess' eyes went wide as she looked at the bracelet Okoye had given her. It was a break with tradition Tess was not of any tribe here, but perhaps Okoye had taken a bigger liking to Tess than Kat originally thought. However before Tess could reply Okoye added. "But whatever you do, do not lose it. As I said only a select few are offered such a invitation."

"I won't I promise." Tess said then hugged Okoye again for good measure. While Kat was in no hurry for Tess to be trained to fight, she guessed there was no harm in the bracelet itself. After all she could not see them remaining in Wakanda for much longer. Most likely Tess would not be trained by the Dora Milaje at all in this case. Maybe Okoye knew this and still wanted Tess to have something important to show that Okoye had a soft spot for her. With King T'Challa, Shuri, and Ramanda they gave her a set of Kimoyo beads. To help Shuri explained that one bead contained Tess' information such as personal and medical. Naturally she reassured Kat and Bucky that no one outside Wakanda could access this information. Another bead was GPS, so that Tess could be tracked or if lost track others. A third bead acted much like a holographic cell phone allowing Tess to contact Okoye, the Royal family, or anyone else she knew that held the same tech. Lastly there was an AV bead connecting to the Wakandan internet. There was two more beads that later on Tess could activate to perform other functions, but for now she had those and the bracelet was a little big for her as it was. T'Challa explained that as she grew up she would grow into the bracelet, and when she gets older it would expand so that she didn't grow out of it.

The Kimoyo beads was another gift that had Kat wondering why they gave Tess that if they were not staying much longer. Again the King urged Tess not to lose them as they were important too. In truth to Kat they seemed off gifts to give an advanced one year old, but perhaps she was just reading too much into it. The gifts were still appreciated regardless, and Tess seemed to love them.

Eventually it was getting later in the evening and many of the children were leaving to go home and go to bed. Tess was also getting sleepy after a day of playing, drawing, watching cartoons and eating the party's food and cake. As Bucky sat in a chair Tess came up and climbed into his lap where she hugged him.

"Getting tired princess?" Bucky asked brushing her hair back. There was a slight nod followed by: "Uh-huh."

Bucky chuckled as he held Tess for a few minutes then carefully picked her up. He was about to take her to her room when she pointed back. "Wait... Sake."

Turning back Bucky spotted the cat-backpack in a chair, and Kat picked it up as she came over handing it to Tess. "There we go sweetie. Don't want to forget about Sake she will be mad if forgotten."

The sleepy girl hugged the toy cat as they took her back to her room. Getting her changed into her pyjamas and going through the nightly procedure they eventually laid her down and she was fast asleep. Carefully Kat laid the Kimoyo beads and tribal bracelet on the dresser nearby to avoid Tess hurting herself. Lastly because Myra was not back and had gotten caught up talking to Sam, the couple asked Aida to monitor Tess and let them know if she woke. Leaving the room Kat and Bucky returned to help clean up after the party. Then the group relaxed in the mess hall just talking about what the next couple of days would bring. After all, all good things had to end eventually.

* * *

 **October 3** **rd** **, 2016**

 **Wakanda**

Sadly the day all good things had to end came. Many would be heading off their separate ways, and would regrettably be missed. But it was not like they could all stick around anyway. Clint Barton and Scott Lang were finally taking that deal so they could return to their families. They had already been gone for close to a month and both men just wanted to go home and be with their families. As promised Scott told Tess he would give the drawing to Cassie, but was worried his daughter would not be able to reply. So Shado gave him a card with instructions that if the drawing was sent to an address the Shadow Network would get the reply to Tess and vice versa. It was the same for Clint who was later given a similar drawing to Scott's for his kids.

Meanwhile the Shadow Network were going to be heading back to Shanghai China, but they did keep an 'open door' policy for those Avengers on the run offering to hide them and help in any way they could. With Sharon they were giving her a job, not doing anything illegal or morally unjust. Mostly she would be doing much like she had for the CIA and SHIELD only more covertly. Yeah she was now wanted, but with the Shadow Network they would protect her too. They knew she was important to Kat, and Kat knew to trust them. If nothing else Sharon should feel right at home amongst the Shadow Network. In fact Sharon was working on learning Mandarin so that the language barrier would not be an issue.

While on the other hand Coulson and his team were heading back state side, with the Accords things were going to start changing and if SHIELD was to ever be rebuilt then they would have to play ball with the Accords. Sooner or later President Ellis would be sending someone to ensure SHIELD was playing by the Accords new rules. As it was before Hive was defeated General Talbot had been by to ensure that the Accords' mandate was going to be followed. Coulson knew with Talbot staying off the grid was no good. The general might think Coulson was trying to hide something, and in this case Talbot would be right. Coulson knowing the location of Captain America and several other criminals but not reporting it was technically illegal. It was partly why Coulson wanted to get back before Talbot overreacted. In this regard, Kat would have to step away from SHIELD as their 'advisor' with both sides keeping their distance.

On this particular day two Quinjets were being fuelled and prepared to leave. It was outside on the landing platforms that Kat stood with Tess, Bucky, and the remaining Avengers. It was Sam that finally spoke up. "I still can't believe you and Barton are turning yourselves in, Tic-Tac. What if they renege on this deal?"

"Mr. Lang and Mr. Barton are covered," Coulson replied, "I have already informed General Talbot that they have turned themselves in to us and have accepted the deal that was offered. Talbot is already making the arrangements, so technically there is no backing out. I have also made it clear that General Thaddeus Ross is to have no say on the matter."

"I bet General Ross was not pleased to hear that." Natasha said smirking a little.

"I'll admit I wish I was there to see two Generals go head-to-head. Talbot made it sound like they nearly came to blows over it." Coulson said smiling a little.

"So that means you bring them in and the deal still stands?" Steve asked sceptically.

"Pretty much. Don't worry Cap, if it were anyone else than yeah I would be concerned too. Especially with General Ross, Fury mentioned once that that idiot should never have been made a General to begin with."

"Oh why is that?" Scott asked.

"You know that destruction in New York between the Hulk and an uglier version of the hulk?" Coulson asked.

"Yeah..." Scott replied.

"You can thank General Ross for creating that nightmare version, and for the lives lost. He should have been kicked out of the army for that." Coulson said apparently hating to have to deal with Ross. It was then Kat saw the memory that came to Coulson's mind.

 _It was in an office somewhere. Due to the situation there were three military generals, Fury, Hill, Coulson, and Pierce. They were seated at a long table with General Thaddeus Ross seated in the middle. The men were arguing over the incident in New York involving the Hulk and this meaner version called Abomination. Finally Nick Fury's sharp voice cut above the argument. "Then explain to us why SHIELD was called in after two giant monsters tore through down town New York!"_

 _That shut up the Generals, it was then Pierce spoke. "The fact that you cannot see where you went wrong and admit you made a mistake says it all. General Ross illegally experimented on a U.S soldier to combat the Hulk. He got innocent people killed including fellow soldiers and civilians, yet you're still arguing the point."_

It always amazed Kat how her father could 'act' the good guy when he was pure evil, but she focused on the memory Coulson was thinking about in that moment. _Pierce now looked at General Ross. "You are lucky you were invited at all to this discussion and are still allowed to be wearing those stars marking you as a General. If it were up to me you would be stripped of your rank and thrown out of the army. You would also be facing prison time, so consider yourself fortunate."_

 _Ross looked like a sulking child told off by his parents for trying to take a cookie out of the jar. It was then Fury looked to Hill who cam forward with two folders. The first Fury slapped down on the table. "Take a good hard look."_

 _The file contained gruesome pictures and a list of those injured and killed in the rampage caused by the Abomination thanks to Thaddeus. "This is the report on what my people led by Agent Phil Coulson found after your little experiment tore through New York."_

 _Giving them a moment to see the damage caused, Fury continued. "You have two options, Generals. Option one..."_

 _Fury laid down the second folder, opened it, and pushed it towards Ross. "You sign on the dotted line relinquishing all claims to anymore super soldier serums, and cease any further attempts to create a super soldier. Furthermore the second document you will sign is an agreement that Doctor Bruce Banner also known as the Hulk is under SHIELD's protection. Meaning General you will not even attempt to look for Banner again. Unless of course you want option two..."_

" _And what is option two?"_

" _The public is made aware of the U.S government's involvement in this incident, and more importantly your involvement. To which the U.S army will most likely strip you of your rank and boot your dumb ass out of the army, or sink with you. I doubt they will want to sink with you. In short your military career will be over, and you'll be looking at spending some years in jail." They literally had Ross by the balls on this one as Thaddeus did not look happy about the agreement, but was left with little choice but to sign the documents in the end. Eventually the Generals left after signing the agreement, and Fury sat by in his chair._

" _That idiot got off light." Pierce grumbled._

" _I completely agree with Secretary Director Pierce Sir." Coulson added._

" _I know, that man should never have been made a General in the first place." Fury sighed as he looked at the document signed by Ross. "At least now the U.S Army can't go near Doctor Banner. It may just prevent another incident and save lives."_

Kat shook her head as the memory ended then looked back at the SHIELD director as he continued talking to the group. "I will also be monitoring the situation as will the Shadow Network, and Aida. They will be under house arrest, that can't be helped. Anything more than that... Well I am sure Aida and the Shadow Network will have something to say about it."

"What about SHIELD?" Nat asked concerned that Coulson would not do anything if Clint or Scott were thrown in jail.

"Well in this situation by law I would be required to report a potential jail break." Coulson said trying to keep a straight face then smiled, "But SHIELD is quite busy. Lots of missions, reports, updates from other agents. I am very busy, so my reporting it to the proper authorities? Might be a little or a lot late."

Nat smiled then knowing Coulson would help if Clint or Scott were arrested by delaying giving a heads up. This would allow Aida, and the Shadow Network time to extract both men.

"I got you didn't I?" Coulson asked, "You almost believed me, Nat." The Avenger simply smiled before coming up to hug Coulson unwilling to say if he did almost trick her. Knowing both Barton and Lang would be ensured the deal helped the group to relax. If the authorities reneged on the deal three distinct groups would have no problem pulling them out of the situation.

Kat smiled wishing she would not have to say goodbye to the Agents of SHIELD, she would miss these amusing moments with Coulson, Daisy, and the rest of the team. Hopefully they would not et into too much trouble without her. As it was she felt she would be missing out since she only just met Yo-yo. The two seemed to get along rather well with Yo-yo also calling Kat 'Galadriel' just as Mack seemed to love to do. The SHIELD agents were saying goodbye to the remaining Avengers when Coulson finally turned to Kat.

"Well looks like you will be hanging out with Cap and co for the foreseeable future. Not sure when we'll see you again."

"You going to get all teary-eyed on me Director?" Kat teased.

"Nah, but we will notice a certain HYDRA hunting Advisor missing from the base." Coulson pointed out. "Guess that means I need to take you off of speed dial when things go south."

"Actually keep me on speed dial just in case. You guys have a knack for getting into trouble, besides if Darth Vader shows up to take over the world you might need backup." Kat said making Coulson smile, then she added. "Just make sure it is your private phone. I don't want to get SHIELD in trouble for contacting a known criminal."

Coulson came up giving her a hug. It was strange she always imagined having to walk away from SHIELD, but she had never gotten to say goodbye like this before. It didn't seem as final as before. On some level she knew she would see them again and it was not permanent. Whereas with others she never got to say goodbye or if she did she knew she could never go back to them. In the past she had to force herself to walk away before HYDRA could move in, but now there was no need to do that. As Coulson released Kat from the hug and turned to Tess, May came up hugging Kat next. "Take care Kat."

"You too May."

Next came Daisy up with the SHIELD agent saying. "We will miss you Kat," The two hackers hugged each other, then Daisy whispered, "Just remember what I said before. There is no monster waiting around the corner to take Bucky or Tess from you. Even if there is you know we will come to help you kick it's butt."

Kat smiled as she hugged Daisy. "I know you will. Take care Daisy, and if you need me call me."

Pulling away Daisy gave her attention to Tess as Fitz and Jemma came up next.

"We will miss you." Fitz said hugging her tightly, and Kat sensed he would miss her a lot since he was part of the reason Kat went after the Mastermind serum. She had always been protective of him and that formed a strong unshakable friendship.

"Hey c'mon Fitz, you know where I will be. I am not disappearing on you guys, and if you need me you need only call me." Kat said as Fitz nodded then a moment later let her go, then came Jemma.

"It is just we don't know when we will see you again, and you have become part of our little family." Kat smiled having never expected to be welcomed in by the SHIELD team in such a way. Like with Fitz Jemma was getting a little tearful as she hugged Kat.

"Awe Jemma don't worry. We will see each other again." Kat said.

"Of course," Jemma replied then went to say goodbye to Tess. Next was Mack and Yo-yo. The big guy as always towered over Kat as he smiled and leaned in to hug her.

"Good luck Galadriel. Don't forget to check in once in a while."

"You too Mack." Kat then whispered, "Also don't forget to take Yo-yo out to dinner. She really likes you." She felt more than heard Mack's chuckle before he pulled away. Then lastly Yo-yo came up speaking Spanish to which Kat easily understood what Yo-yo was saying.

" _I heard that Galadriel."_

" _Well he needed a kick in the butt."_ Kat replied and both women laughed as they peaked at Mack.

" _Yeah he is slow like a turtle."_

" _Big guys are often slow,"_ Kat shrugged then dropped back into speaking English. "It was a pleasure to meet you Yo-yo."

"You too Galadriel." Yo-yo replied before the two gave a brief hug, and Kat handed her a off network phone.

"To keep in touch," Kat said then said in Spanish, _"_ _Especially if Mack refuses to leave turtle mode."_

"Thank you." Yo-yo said, and moved to say goodbye to Tess. That was when the other group leaving appeared seemingly out of nowhere with Cutter, Shado, Doc, Mei, and Yuma coming up to give her a big group hug.

" _Guys come on one at a time."_ Kat automatically said in Mandarin only for them to continue hugging her, and speaking in Mandarin themselves.

" _We will miss you sooo much!"_ Cutter pointed out.

" _You must keep in better contact."_ Shado and Mei stated simultaneously.

" _Otherwise we will be back,"_ Yuma added trying to sound like the Terminator even though it sounded funny in Mandarin.

" _Alright I promise."_ Kat replied as the group hug continued for a moment, then she was released to allow them to each give her an individual hug before moving on to hug and say goodbye to the others. Since the various groups made friends with like minded individuals you had certain ones exchanging cards and numbers to keep in touch. The Shadow Network was the main ones giving out their business cards in case anyone needed their help. But ones like Yuma, Fitz, and Shuri exchanged contact information due to matching interests, as did Doc, and Simmons.

After some lengthy goodbyes the Shado Network leaders got on one of the Quinjets to head home. While the Agents of SHIELD, Scott Lang, and Clint Barton got on the other to head back to the States. From the platform Kat, Bucky, and Tess along with Sharon and the remaining Avengers watched as their friends flew off. Seeing the Quinjets disappear into small dots then nothing, Kat sighed. Even though she knew she would see them again, in a lot of ways it was still hard to say goodbye. However feeling eyes on her, Kat looked to see Bucky watching her and smiled. While one chapter of her life had closed, another began. Some would call her a criminal, but many were already calling her an Avenger even if she was not officially one. Either way she could no longer hide in the shadows like she had before, and her world was turned on it's axis by James Barnes.

One thing was for certain her world had changed, and that was only the beginning...

* * *

 **Author's Notes:**

 **First off thank you all for the lovely reviews. I really appreciate it and am sorry I meant to post this yesterday but real life got hectic.**

 **As for this chapter, I've gradually made them more and more light-hearted since it is between movies and even heroes need time to unwind and do normal things. Tess is fantastic for bringing a sense of normalcy to the gathered group of heroes. With a lot of fun and laughter to boot.**

 **The birthday was especially fun to right in regards to funny ideas. Like some of the heroes wanting May to dress up like Mulan, and Tess drawing pictures and misspelling T'Challa, and Okoye's names.**

 **Of course later in the chapter we see the Agents of SHIELD and Shadow Network heading for home. Also we see like in the movies Clint and Scott take the deal to be with their families. Though I thought it was a nice touch to have Coulson be the one to bring them in and ensure the deal goes through. Thaddeus Ross is cut out of that deal, Heehee.**

 **Also one more thing, the next chapter 53 is the last of the pre-written story. What I mean is back when I very first posted the first chapter I said in the Author's Notes that I had written most of the story out before hand. 600 plus pages were written before any of this story was even posted, and chapter 53 is the last pre-written story. After 53 it's me writing it as it comes, which also means an eventual dreaded hiatus. There are still some chapters yet before that happens, but it is on the horizon. Luckily today here in the UK I just got the DVD of Black Panther so that will help in future chapters.**

 **For now though I do hope you enjoyed the latest chapter. Please let me know what you thought by leaving a review.**

 **Lesliezin**


	53. A Heartbreaking Decision

**Hello everyone,**

 **Here is Chapter 53, enjoy.**

* * *

 **October 8** **th** **, 2016**

 **Wakanda**

It was hard to believe that merely five days ago the facility had a lot more people. Kat found the quietness of the building unnerving. They would soon be leaving the facility – not wanting to overstay their welcome with King T'Challa. As it was the Wakandan king was still mourning the loss of his father. It was custom to have a six month mourning period for the family before the next in line was officially appointed to take over. It would give the people and royal family time to adjust. King T'Challa had not wanted to rule so soon, but sadly Helmut Zemo had taken his father from him in one cruel, savage, act. Thus the facility was even quieter as T'Challa was preparing for the day he would have to step into that role fully. Yes he was King in name since his father's death, but there were laws and traditions for taking those final steps into said role. Kat understood well enough each culture and people had their own traditions and ways of doing things.

Still the Avengers wanted to get out from underfoot, and avoid causing T'Challa further trouble. As it was, if discovered, the other nations would not look kindly on the Wakandan King hiding fugitives in his lands. Kat had already given a list of hideout locations to Steve that the various Avengers could hide out in. There were some promising locations to be sure. One thing Kat was grateful for was that both Sharon and Myra decided they would be sticking with them when they left Wakanda. The former HYDRA agent Myra Bicks had lived out a relative normal life while in hiding, but she found that now she wanted to be doing more. With HYDRA now becoming a distant memory, Myra felt she could do more for Katrina then just return home. While Sharon Carter was not ready to part ways with Kat, and her budding relationship with Steve Rogers was growing.

As it was Steve finally asked Sharon out on this night. One of the last nights in Wakanda when they were dining out. It was later that night and Tess was already in bed with Aida monitoring her. In the mess hall the others sat down to relax. It left Sam trying to flirt with Myra who continuously tried to playfully evade his flirting attempts. While Wanda was texting someone, Kat did not tell the others but she knew her fellow telepath was messaging Vision. Instead Kat leaned into Bucky's side as he wrapped his metal arm around her keeping her close. Lastly Natasha sat in one of the single chairs drinking a beer like the rest of them. The group was watching the ever silly Pride, Prejudice, and Zombies movie. It had recently come out on streaming and DVD.

Finally Sam groaned when he saw a zombie mother and baby. "Okay who's idea was it to watch this?"

"Someone has a weak stomach." Nat teased.

"I gotta admit, I prefer this version to previous Pride and Prejudice movies and shows." Kat added as she peeked at Natasha who smiled.

"Really? How many versions did they make?" Bucky asked.

"Like three or four..." Wanda added looking up from her phone.

"Actually there was an old BBC television miniseries. Then there was the 2005 movie release staring Keira Knightly, and I think this is the latest version. I like this Elizabeth Bennett best, she kicks butt." Kat replied casually.

"There is something wrong with you." Sam pointed out, and Kat stuck her tongue out at him.

"Actually I am with Katrina on this one I prefer this Bennett." Nat added. Again the group quietened down watching the movie with only Wanda's phone chiming once in a while. Then the silence broke when Sam stretched his arms out on the back of the couch. His right arm was now behind Myra, as he tried an 'old school' method of getting closer to her. All the while Kat tried not to laugh as she heard Sam giving himself the 'make a move' speech. Finally she directed her thoughts to him. _"_ _it's not going to work Sam. She is onto you."_

The directed thought had Sam start to jump before catching himself. The jolt had Myra now looking at him funny. "Sorry fly..."

A moment later Myra continued watching the screen as Sam glared past her at Kat mouthing the words: 'Cut it out!'. Just then Myra looked again at Sam having caught the movement and he smiled at her. "Soooo Myra I was thinking-"

"Careful Sam you might get a migraine and need a Tylenol." Nat interrupted, and Kat almost laughed out loud. Sam shot her a look, then before he could say another word Myra decided to beat him to it. She blew out a sigh as if she knew she had to put a stop to this.

"Sam look you're a nice guy, but you're making a mistake." Myra said leaning forward to put her beer on the coffee table, then turned to face Sam. "For a long time I was not the good girl, I was the bad one. I was raised to believe the whole HYDRA BS, and for that I paid the price. Now I changed sides and have done good obviously, but before that I freely and willingly did a lot of terrible things for HYDRA. So as much as I try to be the good girl—I am not. In short my word of advice is: pick someone that is good from the beginning."

From there Myra got up and left the room and a stunned Sam. Part of Kat had known this conversation would happen sooner or later due to Myra's thoughts but to see it go down was quite shocking. She turned and looked back over her shoulder to see Myra disappear around the corner, then heard Sam flop back against the couch.

"Damn, I was already thinking of a summer wedding and what to name the kids." Sam said forcing a smile on his face, but she could tell he was hurt by the rejection.

"Sam-" Kat started to talk, but Sam shook his head.

"It's okay Kat. I get it..." For a moment they were quiet, as Kat sighed. She knew it wasn't her place to meddle like this, but Myra was a good person now. She deserved more credit than she was giving herself.

"Sam I think part of the reason Myra said those things is to let you off more gently. A Summer wedding sounds great, but after Kovach... there is no having children. The other part is she knew what she was and what she is now. There is a big difference, but what she was sticks with her." Kat paused letting the information sink in, "If you can accept that than all you need to do is convince her."

For a few minutes silence returned then Sam got up and left the room with Kat, Bucky, and Nat watching him leave.

"Has he gone to sulk?" Bucky asked.

"Judging by his thoughts he is going to have a nice long chat with Myra." Kat replied trying to keep from smiling.

"They actually make a cute couple." Nat pointed out, while Bucky watched Kat closely.

"You meddled."

"I did no such thing I just pointed out the facts and posed a challenge to him." Kat replied.

"Otherwise known as meddling." Nat added.

"Oh look a fight scene." Kat said trying to distract them with what was happening in the movie. As the movie progressed neither Sam nor Myra returned to the mess hall that night. Instead Wanda soon left to go back to her room as she continued to text Vision. When the movie ended Steve and Sharon still were not back yet, but Nat decided to turn in as well. This left Bucky and Kat alone, the pair turned off the television and lights before heading to their own room. As they past Sam's room though Kat was not really paying attention to the thoughts, but the distinct mental voices of two people in Sam's room told her all she needed to know. Instead Kat outright ignored the mental voices even though a thud came from Sam's room followed by hushed voices.

"Sam? You okay?" Bucky asked.

"Huh? Oh yeah I uhhh bumped a table." This was followed by a soft giggle.

"O-kay." Bucky replied then thought. _"_ _I wonder how many other things will get bumped tonight."_

Kat gave a soft laugh but did not reply as they went to their own room. Once the door was closed, Bucky caught her waist and pulled her against him. "I also wonder how many things we will bump tonight."

The husky voice in her ear as his mouth and rough stubble ran over her neck made Kat gasp. His rough flesh and metal hands reached around and up to her front cupping her breasts through her button up shirt and bra. His thoughts and desires made her moan as she pressed her tight jeans covered butt to his groin. Even beneath his own tight jeans she felt his erection, and brushed herself against him. The action made him growl as she shoved himself against her, so that she felt his bulging erection. She knew what would follow and with trembling hands undid her belt and jeans. If she didn't get her clothes off fast enough Bucky would tear them off. As it was she reached up to unbutton her shirt, but before she could the buttons popped off as her shirt was yanked open.

"Bucky!" Kat gasped annoyed, if this kept up she would not have any clothes to wear. However Bucky ignore her protest in favour of his flesh hand sliding down and dipping into her panties while his metal hand squeezed her breast. His rough fingers delving inside her which made her gasp as she pressed herself against him. Then she decided two could play at this game as she reached behind her to unbuckle his belt and undo his jeans. From there her own hand slipped inside his clothes and found the hard thick object she was looking for. She heard him gasp and groan as she began stroking him.

Then suddenly it was as if something snapped. She was roughly pushed onto the bed on her stomach, where her shoes, jeans and panties were practically torn off. Before she could react to his quick movements, two powerful hands yanked her back by her hips onto her hands and knees. Kat was a little surprised by the sheer fierceness Bucky was displaying, and so she barely had time to register what was happening before the rough thrust that made her give a surprised scream. He was inside her fully and for a few moments he remained still as Kat overcame her surprise. She wasn't upset, far from it; just more along the lines of pleasantly surprised.

By now she was used to Bucky either being the slow gentle lover or the fast rough one. When this was the case she felt two distinct personalities almost at odds with one another. Both wanting her and trying to overwhelm the other to get to her inside Bucky's mind. Was it scary? At times, but she also knew neither side would hurt her. Usually Bucky was the slow gentle lover, but when he was fast and rough with her, Kat felt that this was more of the Winter Soldier taking over. She was not sure what triggered these two personalities, but she merely accepted him as he was. Sort of like accepting a change in the weather. Right then she read his mind and found that the Winter soldier personality was currently in charge. The thoughts were in the same mental voice but the soldier tended to be... colder? Less emotion with purely a raw desire.

The raw desire was he wanted her pure and simple. Beyond that Kat was not given any more time to think or anything before he started pulling out then slamming back into her eliciting another cry. Then he was roughly thrusting away fast and hard, and Kat let her rational mind drift away as she enjoyed this particular hard love-making session. Each strong fast thrust felt like it kept going deeper and deeper as he took her from behind. Until he grunted and began going as fast and as hard as he could making her body tremble as her own orgasm quickly approached. With her arms about to give out she stretched them out before her and rested on her forearms leaving her butt in the air. She bit her bottom lip as she moaned and heard the hard slap of their bodies connecting.

Within moments Kat could take no more as she felt the rush of pleasure, and screamed. "Oh Bucky!"

Her inner walls clenched around him causing him to jerk violently inside her spilling his seed. Then came several more fierce jerks as he pumped the last of his seed inside her. Both were left frozen in that position trying to catch their breaths and recover from what they had just done. "Damn Bucky had I known you wanted me so badly I would have raced you to the bed room."

Her teasing was met with silence so she looked back at Bucky just as he started moving in and out of her again. The look of desire in his eyes made her wet all over again, however she also knew by looking at him he was far from done. The sharp yank of her hips as he filled her completely made her grip the covers as she looked ahead. Then he began roughly pumping inside her as round two began. However the rough love-making did not end there it went on for another six rounds. By then Kat was both pleasured but also very sore as she whimpered as he jerked hard pumping yet another glob of his seed inside her.

Kat knew she could not take another round, so before Bucky could start again she spoke first. "No, Bucky please. I can't...no more."

As always whenever she said no or asked him not to the Soldier receded back and Bucky became himself. He didn't release her, but he slid out of her before lowering her to the bed fully. "Are you alright? I didn't hurt you did I?"

"No of course not Bucky, but eight times will wear any girl out. We can't all have super soldier stamina." Kat teased as Bucky laid beside her and brushed her hair from her sweaty forehead.

"Of course doll. I sometimes forget that and just want to have you." Bucky said smiling at her. Often Kat guessed he was unaware of the shifts in his personality, so rather than worry him she merely kissed him before saying she was going to take a shower. There was simply no way she could sleep covered in sweat after their bedroom exercises.

* * *

In darkness, Kat awoke groggily as she lay in bed. She had not been asleep long, her hair was still damp from when she took a shower. In her sleepy state she stretched and moaned softly as the familiar dull ache returned. She smiled contentedly at the ache inside knowing Bucky had caused it, kind of like he had branded himself on her. She looked forward to the long future they would have together, knowing each night he would brand her as his.

However as she woke a little more she frowned. What had woken her? She looked to the night stand where a little baby monitor was but the screen merely showed a sleeping Tess. Okay so it was not Tess, nor would it have been Aida. She reached over to check her phone and winced as it lit up the room with an eerie blue light. No notifications, Kat put her phone back and lied back. She was too tired for this, Bucky had worn her out. She had closed her eyes and was just falling back asleep when she heard it. "No! Stop!"

The rough voice was Bucky's, again Kat groggily opened her eyes. Sadly she had no time to react before a metal hand gripped her throat. Waking fully, Kat gasped as the air was being squeezed out of her. She looked up at Bucky who was awake, but not seeing her. Easily she saw into his mind the familiar Russian HYDRA facility they had attacked. _A long corridor before him filled with HYDRA guards that he was fighting as they rushed him. However another at the opposite end of the corridor stepped out. He wore a long white lab coat, and called out in Russian literally the last thing Bucky wanted to hear. The activation code words used to turn Bucky back into the Winter Soldier! While the doctor did not have the red book like Zemo, he certainly remembered the code words. It was then Bucky realised what would happen if he completed the list of words. He thought of Kat somewhere in the facility and the dread that he might be used against her. So he tore through the HYDRA guards in a mad dash to get to the doctor before the last code word could be uttered._

" _Longing," The first man fell, "Rusted, furnace, daybreak," Two more fell, "Seventeen, benign, nine," Bucky moved faster desperate to stop the doctor, "Homecoming, one."_

 _The last man between him and the doctor fell, and he rushed the doctor as he started to speak. "Freight-"_

 _He had the man by the throat and was crushing the life out of him._ Kat found it even harder to breath as she struggled and gasped for air. Right then Bucky did not see her, but the doctor from the dream. "Bucky-"

She realised Bucky was trying to prevent the person from talking and that unfortunately meant her. By the time she thought to send her thoughts at Bucky she was seeing spots and everything was going black. She reached up to send an image of herself or anything to get Bucky to let go, but everything faded to black as she lost consciousness. In that split second before Kat lost consciousness Bucky saw the brief image of Kat that seemed to wake him from the nightmare only to find he had strangled his wife. Immediately Bucky released her throat horrified at what he had done. "Katrina!"

When she didn't answer he scooped her limp body up, and rushed from the room. "Someone help!"

Him screaming woke the other Avengers and some of the medical staff. Soon the hall was crowded with people all wanting to know what happened.

* * *

 **October 9** **th** **, 2016**

 **Wakanda**

Six hours later, Bucky sat in the waiting room with Steve, Sharon, and the other Avengers. Myra was with Tess keeping the little girl distracted, while they waited for news on Kat's condition. At some point King T'Challa and Shuri had shown up having been informed of what happened. Regardless Bucky was trying to ignore the looks directed at him. It did not take much for any of them to guess who was responsible for Kat's latest injury. She had a nasty hand print bruise on her throat for god's sake! After being asked by Steve and Sharon he finally told them about the nightmare he had.

"I swear I didn't mean to hurt her. I never would hurt her," Bucky replied as he rested his face in his hands as he rested his elbows on his knees in the chair.

"I know you wouldn't Buck." Steve said softly.

"I just I didn't see her, I saw the goddamn doctor saying those words. I just wanted to stop him before I hurt anyone, and..." Bucky trailed off because in the end he hurt Kat. Hearing footsteps from the hall, Bucky looked up to see Shuri returning. Immediately he rose to his feet as she approached.

"It's alright Sergeant Barnes, Katrina is alright. She will have a bruise and have to stay for observation. Aside from that she might have trouble talking for a couple of days." The word were a relief to Bucky, but now he questioned if he should stay again. He nearly killed her, and next time he might not stop until he does!

"Is she awake?" Steve asked.

"Not at the moment, she slips in and out of consciousness." Shuri replied.

"Can we see her?" Sharon asked still worried.

"Of course," Sharon immediately moved for the room as did Nat, Sam, and Wanda. However Steve noticed Bucky not move.

"Bucky?" Steve asked.

"I shouldn't," Bucky replied backing away.

"Bucky when she wakes up she will want to see you."

"I nearly killed her Steve!" Bucky snapped. Steve looked to the others that had stopped and said to them to go on ahead. Once the others left Steve turned back to Bucky.

"Bucky we already know that it wasn't your fault."

"That's a comfort," Bucky replied sarcastically as he sat back down defeated.

"Look it will just take time is all. Next time-" Steve started to say.

"Next time I could end up killing her!" Bucky said then sighed. His friend was only trying to help, but sugar coating things would not help. The cold hard fact was he is a danger to Kat and Tess. Even now he would always have to live in fear of those damn code words. He was foolish to think he could have a life with Kat and his daughter. It was then that he was considering his options because as it was he was too dangerous to be around his wife and daughter. "I should just go. Both Kat and Tess would be safer without me."

"No Buck, running away will solve nothing. We'll figure something out."

Before Bucky could respond to Steve, the next words out of Shuri's mouth offered a solution. "Captain Rogers is correct. Besides I know another way."

Now everyone was looking at her including her brother who smiled with approval. "As you know our medical advances are far greater and able to deal with your unique problem, Sergeant Barnes. I believe I can successfully undo HYDRA's programming on your mind."

The confidence Shuri showed made him hopeful that he could be cured of those codewords. However there was a distinct 'but' about to be mentioned that left Bucky holding his breath. "However it will take time, and possibly multiple attempts."

Bucky didn't care if it took years and thousands of attempts as he asked without hesitation. "What do I have to do?"

Shuri sighed knowing many would not like this. "We would have to place you back in cryo freeze, just until we can undo the programming."

Bucky nodded as he considered what this would mean. Based off of his memories Cryo freeze was not so bad, actually he preferred it to what HYDRA had him do. Besides if Shuri could do as she said than Kat and Tess would be all the more safer. He nodded before answering. "Okay, when?"

Shuri looked a bit stunned then looked to her brother before facing him. "We can put you under as soon as you like."

"Okay, I am ready." Bucky replied standing.

"What? Now? Sergeant Barnes are you-"

"Bucky Kat needs you." Steve protested. Obviously his friend was upset over what he had done, but to go immediately into Cryo was not the way to deal with the situation. Neither Kat nor Tess would understand, and Steve could only guess how much this would hurt Kat.

"I need her and Tess safe even from me, Steve." Bucky said then looked down ashamed, "And after what I did...I can't face her yet."

Before anyone could say more a little brunette followed by a red head entered the waiting room. Immediately Tess ran up to her dad. "Daddy!"

The brunette wrapped her small arms around Bucky's waist and hugged him before continuing. "Myra said there was an accident. Is Mommy okay?"

"I will go make the preparations, Sergeant Barnes." Shuri said softly before her and her brother left the waiting area. Steven and Myra instinctively moved away to allow Bucky to speak privately to his daughter. Bucky again sat down and pulled Tess into his lap.

"Your mother if fine, just resting. It was my fault, I accidentally hurt her." Bucky admitted again feeling shame and expecting Tess to be angry. Instead the little girl hugged him.

"It's okay Daddy. You didn't mean to. Mommy will understand too." Bucky hugged her back tightly relieved to have such an understanding little girl. However now knowing he would have to be put back in Cryo sleep for who knew how long was suddenly unbearable. He would not be able to see his own daughter again for even longer. He had already missed so much of her life, and now he would miss even more. He had to remind himself that he was doing this for her. Otherwise next time he could also end up hurting Tess. Taking a breath he straightened and hardened his resolved.

"Tess, listen to me okay? I need to insure that accidents like this never happen again. I never want to hurt you or your mother, but I... you know HYDRA right?" Bucky asked trying to find a gentle way of telling his daughter what he needed to do. Tess merely nodded waiting for him to continue. "Well they put some bad things in my head. Certain words that are said make me forget who I am, and I hurt people."

Tess sat in his lap watching him with wide curious eyes. She didn't interrupt because she knew there was more to be said, so he continued. "Last night I was dreaming of a bad man saying those words, and was scared I would hurt you or your mom. That was when I accidentally hurt your mother."

Bucky waited for Tess to pull away, but instead she hugged him and repeated. "It was an accident, Daddy. You didn't mean it."

"Even though I didn't mean to, doesn't change that fact that I did it, princess. Which is why I need this bad stuff taken out of my head." Bucky said softly.

"Okay how do we get it out?" Tess asked wanting to help, and making Bucky smile.

"I have to go to sleep for a while."

"How long?"

"Hopefully just a couple of months, while Shuri removes the bad stuff." Bucky replied, but seeing the look on Tess' face he quickly added, "Then it'll be safer, no more bad stuff. I want to make sure you and your mother are safe, okay?"

Tess looked down upset with this plan. "Please Tess, right now I am scared of this bad stuff in my head. I just want it gone and to keep you both safe, and this is the only way I know I can protect you both."

"But Mommy and I will miss you." Tess pointed out.

"I know, and I hate the thought of leaving you both. But I would do anything to protect my girls, even this. You know I love you and your mom more than anything. So please understand that I need to do this... for both of you." For a one year old she understood and had her moments as she hugged Bucky, and sniffled. He knew she was crying and upset, but even still she nodded in understanding. For the next ten minutes or however long it took Bucky merely held his daughter, then Shuri returned with King T'Challa to inform him the Cryo chamber was ready.

"Are you sure you wish to do this now? We can wait if you like." Shuri added as she noticed Tess did not really want to let go of her father.

"No, later I might change my mind..." Bucky said shakily as he looked to Myra, "Take Tess to her mother."

The red head nodded silently as she came up. "Come on Tess."

The little girl took Myra's hand and started to be led away only for Tess to stop and give her dad another hug and a wet kiss on the cheek before whispering. "I love you Daddy."

"I love you too, princess." With that Tess was led down the hall to her mother's room often looking back at her dad before being led around the corner. Once Tess was out of sight he rose to his feet just wanting to be put under before he had the chance to change his mind. He would have gone to see Kat and make sure she was okay, but he also knew with her it would not take much to change his mind. Also shame at what he had done to her kept him away. His wife should not have to fear him harming her because he would never have done it. So instead he turned to Shuri telling her he was ready. The Wakandan princess silently nodded and led him further into the facility.

Steve followed knowing that he had to at least try to talk Bucky out of his latest decisions. He already knew Kat would not understand when she woke why her husband was not by her side. Bucky should at least see her before he made such a decision. As they walked Steve moved beside Bucky. "Buck please reconsider this, I knew you are trying to do what is best for Kat and Tess. But Kat will not understand, you need to think this through."

"I am thinking this through, Steve. I am thinking next time I might not stop myself in time."

"At least go see her. Talk to her, at least let her know what you intend to do." Steve urged.

"If I do she would talk me out of it. Say it's not my fault, that it wasn't me." Bucky said and he was right Kat would say that and more. She would forgive him even though he did not deserve it,

"And she is right." Steve said firmly as he grabbed Bucky's upper arm stopping him and forcing Bucky to face his best friend, "You and I both know, Kat won't forgive you if you do this."

Bucky knew Steve was right, but if he hurt her again or worse, then he would not be able to forgive himself. "Did you enjoy your evening with Sharon?"

"What?" Steve asked confused by the change of subject.

"Did you and Sharon have a lovely evening?"

"Yes," Steve answered after a moment still confused.

"Did you go dancing? Have a good meal?" Bucky asked.

"We went out for dinner and wandered around taking in the sights." Steve said still unsure why he wanted to talk about this.

"You like her?"

"Of course. Sharon is amazing, and smart. She is understanding, sweet, but also strong willed-"

"You love her." Bucky pointed out making his best friend blush and become embarrassed, "No need to go all shy Steve. I have known you all my life, you and she are perfect together."

Steve nodded as he thought about the date he had been on with Sharon. She had looked so beautiful, with her shy smile. Her immaculately coiffed blonde hair flowing down past her shoulders,while wearing a simple navy blue dress. Steve remembered taking her out to dinner and the pair talking and learning more about each other. Aside from both having best friends with shady pasts, both served in the military. Both always tended to look out for others, and both were shy. Once they opened up Steve learned that Sharon held similar likes and dislikes. Then there was the mutual attraction to one another that was undeniable.

After dinner the pair had walked around town and through a park where a festival had been happening. The people of Wakanda were very welcoming as they urged them to dance, and join the festivities. It was a lot of fun and at one point while dancing Sharon stumbled with Steve catching her. In that moment they were inches from each other when he started kissing her. They would have continued to kiss, but certain ones at the party started making 'Oooooh!' noises. They peaked back to see the audience they had. Amongst them an older woman came up speaking in the native tongue as she put a matching braided bracelets on each other their wrists. Another local came up when he saw that neither Steve nor Sharon understood and explained in English.

"They are lover's bracelets meant to show that you two are bound together." Both blondes blushed and thanked the man and older woman as the festival continued and eventually the pair continued on their way.

All in all the date had been wonderful, and Steve had been over the moon since. However reminiscing was not helping Bucky with his current dilemma. Steve was about to say something but Bucky beat him to it.

"So imagine if you hurt her. Imagine if you nearly killed Sharon, and felt helpless to stop it." Steve looked at Bucky honestly trying to put himself in his friend's shoes. He tried to imagine Sharon seriously hurt because of him, and felt a little sick. He never wanted to even think that he were capable of hurting Sharon. It was no different for Bucky who would never have willingly harmed Katrina. "Now you see why I have to do this. I do not want to risk hurting her again."

"I know Buck," Steve sighed, "but you have got to know that this decision will hurt her too." Steve watched his friend for a moment as he considered this before nodding and continuing to follow Shuri who had stopped to wait for them. Steve was in turmoil as he followed, not only did he not want his best friend to go back under, but he knew Kat would be angry with Bucky. Sadly he now understood nothing he said was going to change Bucky's mind.

* * *

"I just wonder what is taking him so long is all. He should be here." Was the first thing Kat heard as her mind slowly returned to consciousness. It was Sam's voice, and Kat was completely confused, then came Nat's voice.

"He is upset, just let Steve talk to him."

Who was upset? Kat wanted to ask, but as she swallowed her throat screamed at her in protest. Why did her- she did not even need to wonder for the memory came back like a lightening strike. Bucky had been having a nightmare, he thought she was a doctor saying those damn code words. She knew he didn't mean to hurt her, knew it was an accident. Perhaps if she had been more alert or used her powers sooner this all could have been avoided. For a moment she lay there thinking as she tried to ease the pain in her sore throat. However hearing the sniffle on her left, Kat felt her daughter sat by Myra. Picking up on her daughter's thoughts she knew her little girl was upset, so she directed her thoughts. _"_ _Hey princess shhh. It's alright, it was an accident. I am fine."_

"Mommy?" Tess called and Kat felt those in the room draw closer, as Kat finally opened her eyes and smiled at Tess. Again she swallowed but it hurt as Sam immediately got her a cup of water.

"Here Kat this'll help." Sharon helped her sit up as she drank the water. A lot of the soreness was washed away as she emptied the cup.

"Thanks Sam." Kat replied. Her throat sounded weak and raspy from her injury, but she could still talk at least a little. Kat looked around confused as she noticed two distinct individuals missing. Not only was Steve missing, but where was Bucky? "Whe-"

Kat winced as she touched her throat.

"Don't try to talk too much. Shuri said it will be hard to speak for a couple of days." Sharon said softly. Instead she directed her thoughts since her vocal chords hurt.

" _Where is Bucky?"_

"He was in the waiting room down the hall." Sharon said thinking back to where she last saw him. However Myra was the one to catch Kat's eye telling her to read her mind.

" _What is it Myra?"_

" _I think James is going to do something drastic. I was there when he was talking to Tess. He was talking about sleeping a couple of months while Shuri removes the HYDRA programming. That is why Tess is upset."_

" _Thank you Myra. Please watch Tess for me."_

" _Sure,"_ Myra replied, then Kat looked to Sharon mentally asking her for her clothes, and telling her what Myra had said. Any other time Sharon might have argued, but realising Bucky just might be stupid enough to do this had her fetch a change of clothes for Kat. Quickly getting changed she urged Tess not to worry and rushed off before the others could argue that she should stay in bed. After all they already knew something was wrong, Bucky had not come to see her.

For Kat it was easy to locate Bucky because she could follow him mentally. The closer she got the louder his mental voice got, if she moved away the fainter it got. Even still it felt like it was taking too damn long as Sharon run with her trying to help her get to Bucky.

* * *

Bucky sat in the white trousers and top they medical staff had given to him waiting for when the machine was ready. Several times Shuri looked up hesitant about this. If Bucky had to guess Shuri would have preferred him speak to Kat before agreeing to this. Sure she had brought the idea up, but that did not mean she wanted him to jump right in. After another doctor checked his vitals, Steve once again came up equally uncertain about this.

"You sure about this?" Steve asked warily, he considered reminding Bucky that Kat would be upset. But guessed it would do no good, so he did not mention how upset she would be.

"I can't trust my own mind," Bucky said looking at the machine. Did he want to leave Kat and Tess? No, but what would it cost him if he stayed? Would he accidentally hurt or kill his own wife or daughter?! It was not a chance he wanted to take. "So until they figure out how to get this stuff out of my head. I think going under is the best thing."

"For everybody." Bucky added as Steve looked about to argue.

"You know she will be angry, right?"

"I know, hopefully she will understand in time." Bucky said looking down, "Will you keep an eye on her and Tess for me?"

"Of course." Steve said softly as Shuri came forward.

"We're ready Sergeant Barnes." Bucky nodded and got up going to the cryo machine where he stepped inside and allowed them to strap him in. From there Shuri went over to the control and was starting the procedure as Steve watched his friend. It was then Steve heard Sharon's voice followed by running footsteps.

"Let her through dammit!" Sadly just as Kat rushed into the room the machine activated suspending Bucky in cryo sleep. The hiss of machine pumping the cryogenic mist into the machine was loud to Kat's ears. Already ice crystals formed on the glass as Kat ran up to the machine touched the cold glass.

"Bucky!" Kat cried out making her wince as it hurt her vocal chords. Steve stood there just as frozen as Bucky and the Wakandan medical team. He had known Kat would not respond well to Bucky simply going under, but seeing the hurt look on Kat's face told him just how much Bucky's actions stung. Sadly he also felt bad for Bucky seeing the horrid black and blue hand print bruise forming on her pale throat. It would have hurt Bucky a lot more seeing that and knowing it was because of him. However knowing Kat she would have forgiven Bucky in a heartbeat for her physical injuries. Oddly though the same could not be said about her forgiving Bucky for causing this latest emotional injury. Steve and Sharon watched as a wide range of emotions played across Kat's face. From a look of being lost and abandoned to devastated and hurt, all the way down to looking betrayed and heartbroken. Lastly she settled on anger, but did not lash out at anything as she glared at Bucky in cryo sleep. She backed away from the machine clenching her fists by her sides, and looked like she might either scream or burst into tears.

Then she turned and walked quickly from the room as if she just wanted away from him. Once she was gone Steve felt the sharp jabbing punch in his right arm and looked to Sharon surprised. The beautiful blonde glared up at him. "How could you let him do that?!"

"What was I suppose to do?" Steve asked after a second.

"Drag his dumb ass away until he at least spoke to Kat! You didn't even try!" Sharon replied angry before following after Kat. Steve looked back at the Cryo chamber wondering if he could have argued more or even tried to stop Bucky. Moving to the window Steve continued to think over what he could have done or said differently to convince Bucky to wait. Regardless it was too late now, and at some point they would just have to deal with the consequences.

" _Bucky when you wake up, Kat is going to want to kick your ass."_ Steve thought at last as he looked out at the mist beyond. Finally King T'Challa came forward after being informed of what happened by Shuri. As upsetting as the situation was Steve was still grateful for the Wakandan King's help. "Thank you for this."

"Katrina Barnes might not agree." T'Challa pointed out as he placed his hands behind his back.

"That will be Bucky's problem when he wakes."

"No doubt Katrina's wrath will be directed at Barnes." T'Challa said, still the King looked regretful that it had come to this. "But I also understand why he choose this. He wanted to protect them."

"I know, but she will not see it that way."

"This I also know," T'Challa said, then sighed. "Barnes did not want to be a victim anymore, and he did not want to risk Katrina or Teresa getting hurt. This will bring him peace and ensure their protection."

"You know we are leaving soon, and if they find out he is here. They will come for him." Steve said looking at the King. Immediately T'Challa knew who Steve meant and looked unconcerned as he looked out into the mist.

"Let them try." For a few minutes they watched the mist before T'Challa added. "I know you do not wish to cause me further trouble, but should you need it. You are welcome to return."

"Thank you. Kat might be angry, but she and Tess will want to check back on Bucky." Steve said then heard T'Challa chuckle.

"I would not think of parting them, Captain. Should they wish it, they may stay for as long as they wish. With my promise that they and Barnes will be protected." Thanking T'Challa again Steve took solace that Kat and Tess could stay in Wakanda. As planned though Steve intended to leave with the other fugitive Avengers. Hopefully one day Katrina would forgive Bucky for his brash decision, and Sharon would forgive him for not stopping Bucky. Either way things would be interesting for some time yet.

* * *

 **Author's Notes:**

 **First off thank you all for the lovely reviews. I really appreciate them and enjoying hearing from you all. Kudos to those that caught the whole Easter Egg reference about Mulan and the actress Ming-Na Wen. I honestly forgot entirely about that reference, but back when I was writing these chapters I was giggling about it. Ah well I guess with time I forgot about the mention and just posted the chapter.**

 **Well here is the latest chapter. At first everything is going great and we get to see the couple hanging out with some of the Avengers and also bits of romance blossoming between Steve and Sharon as well as Sam and Myra. Sadly after that everything gets turned topsy-turvy. In keeping with what happens in the MCU we have the post credit scene from Civil War taking place. Yes I try to stay true to the MCUs storyline and while Bucky did not immediately go into cryo like in the movie, it did eventually happen just for another reason.**

 **I kind of wrote it to where you the readers could choose a side of the argument too. I mean some would naturally say Bucky is only doing what he feels is right considering how he choked Kat. While others would probably side with Kat, saying Bucky acted too brashly and feel more for Kat in this situation. So a miniature debate between Bucky and Kat. Which poses a good question... Who's side are you on? Bucky's? Or Kat's? Or maybe you feel bad for Kat and feel Bucky acted too quickly, but in the end he made the right decision? Please let me know what you think.**

 **Anyway I hope you all enjoyed this chapter, and let me know what you thought by leaving a review.**

 **Lesliezin**


	54. Dealing with New Issues

**Hello everyone,**

 **Here is Chapter 54, enjoy.**

* * *

 **January 10** **th** **, 2017**

 **Four months later**

 **A Quinjet somewhere...**

The steady beat of the song Serial Killer by Lana Del Rey echoed inside the Quinjet as it cruised on auto pilot. Kat leaned back propping her feet up as she drank coffee from a travel mug and looked across the night sky. She was so glad she observed Mike Peterson piloting the Quinjet back when she was an Advisor to SHIELD. It was nice and peaceful up here, in between missions, even if it was rather lonely. Despite how nice and peaceful it was she also hated when she had time to think because her memories always came back to haunt her.

In the four months since Bucky went into Cryo-freeze, a lot changed. As planned Steve, Natasha, Sam, and Wanda took off from Wakanda making the facility even quieter. For a time Kat stayed there with Tess not wanting to leave Bucky, but his decision only hurt more over time. Both Sharon and Myra knew she just needed to get back out there and vent her anger. Her mood had not improved, as the months had passed and soon Sharon was called away to work for the Shadow network leaving Myra to urge Kat along. What was more was the fact that while she sat and sulked over in Wakanda, Coulson had to step down as Director of SHIELD. Daisy had disappeared to do her own missions as Quake shortly after returning to the States as well. While Steve and the others managed to stop two of the untouchable HYDRA heads.

All this simply made Kat more irritable as she was watching others around her continue on while she felt trapped. Wasn't she suppose to be with Bucky and Tess? _"_ _I would be, but apparently Bucky doesn't want to be with us."_ Came Kat's own bitter thoughts. As it was Kat refused to visit the room where Bucky's Cryo chamber was stored, and had she not been pushed out the door by Myra, Tess would have noticed her mother was not happy with Bucky. So she went back to work to vent her anger. Some had honestly thought she would lash out that day when she rushed into the room just in time to see Bucky frozen. She recalled that day perfectly as she closed her eyes reliving it.

 _Kat had ran down the hall as she drew closer picking up on Bucky's chain of thoughts, she knew what he intended to do. She even tried to commune with him mentally, but he did not respond. Instead she ran as fast as she could begging him mentally not do go through with it. Did he not understand just how much both Kat and Tess needed him? Some of the Dora Milaje saw her running for the room and were going to try to stop her as Sharon yelled ahead to let her through. Otherwise the Royal guards would not have enjoyed what Kat would have done to them. She got into the room in time to hear the hiss of the machine as the cryo mist froze Bucky and iced over the glass faceplate that showed him._

 _Before anyone could stop her she was in the cryo-chamber where she placed her hand on the glass. It was ice cold to the touch, and Bucky looked asleep. She remembered calling him by name, but using her voice right then hurt. However nothing hurt more than feeling abandoned. She had only just found him, he had only known his daughter for a month, and they had only been married a little over a week! Then he was gone again. To her it didn't matter what his reason for doing this was, no excuse was ever going to be good enough for what he did. In that moment she tried to reach him mentally, but while she could hear thoughts from a sleeping Bucky; she could not actually mentally communicate. In a way the thoughts of a dreaming person were different from an awake person. Dreaming people's thoughts were often disjointed and random, or hard to follow. They were not thinking of any particular thing, but several things. Often these random thoughts were of things that happened in the day prior. It was also why people had odd unexplainable dreams. Their minds would pick up or notice random things in the waking hours and carry it with them into their dreams._

 _Sadly in this moment when she wanted to ask why or how he could leave her and Tess, she would get no viable answer. What made it all worse was the fact that he never even came to see her or tell her what he had planned. She just awoke with him no where in sight. She was his wife for God's sake, and he never even uttered one damn word to her! According to many when you marry, you're suppose to make joint decisions and be a team. Apparently that was not true because she was never given a say in the matter. What did that say about their future? Was he always going to take the hard decisions and go it alone? Did her voice matter so little to him?_

 _Needless to say he did more than hurt her with his decision, he broke her heart. He had not physically left her, but the feeling of being abandoned was there. He never even gave her the chance to say 'Goodbye' or 'I'll see you when you wake up.' After feeling all this and wanting to punch him and scream at him, Kat had to back away from the chamber before she damaged it. She clenched her fists at her sides not wanting to hurt anyone else as she wanted to burst into tears. However what no one knew she did was the last thing she thought she would ever do. She sent the icy mental message: "I hate you!"_

 _Then she left the room too upset to stay. Later she regretted the mental message, but consoled herself by saying: 'He's asleep, he probably won't even get it.' Regardless she refused to visit the Cryo Chamber or see Bucky after that. She went back to the single bedroom rather than stay in the room she shared with Bucky. The biggest comfort was Sharon came and stuck close, that evening she spent it in her room crying as her best friend held her._

 _As time went on she learned that Sharon and Myra were on her side which put them at odds with their respective other half's. Both Steve and Sam agreed and had sided with Bucky, leaving Nat and Wanda to be the neutral parties that saw both sides of the arguments. In the end though all sides could agree that maybe if Bucky had handled what happened a bit better things would not be so volatile. As for Tess the little girl had at least been included in Bucky's decision, so there was a lot more understanding from the one year old who visited the Cryo Chamber everyday to see her dad. When Tess asked Kat to go with her to visit Bucky, Myra stepped in saying she would go with Tess since her mother was busy. Kat was always grateful Myra did that since Kat did not want to see him._

 _Aside from that Kat and Sharon visited the gym in the facility a lot more which allowed Kat to vent her anger into a punching bag. In the very early hours of the morning or late hours in the evening when Tess was asleep, Kat was often found there often accompanied by Sharon. Soon after Bucky went under Steve and the others left Wakanda, but both Steve and Sam managed to reconcile with Sharon and Myra before they left. For about a month it was just the three women and Tess, until Sharon was called away for missions for the Shadow Network. Then it was down to Myra who now encouraged Kat to take her anger out on the remaining four Untouchables rather then sulk. The ex-HYDRA agent would continue to watch over Tess, and they would stick close to Bucky in Wakanda. At first Kat said no, she would deal with her pain in her own way, but one evening when Myra was out and it was just her and Tess. Her daughter asked again to go visit Bucky with her. Regrettably the girl kept asking and pleading until Kat snapped at her telling Tess she did not want to see Bucky._

 _Upsetting her daughter was the last thing Kat had wanted to do as the little girl started crying. She held her daughter apologising to her and saying she just had a hard day rather than explain why she was angry with Bucky. It was at that point she realised she was holding onto a lot of anger and her twice a day exercising regime was not helping her. Finally she had to accept the truth, she needed away, not from Tess. She never wanted to be away from her daughter, but she did need to distance herself from Bucky and unleash hell on some douche-bag. So she took Myra up on her offer. In the mean time Coulson, who had heard about what happened before handing leadership over to a new Director; sent her a gift in the form of a Quinjet. Apparently he knew what she would need before she did. So after a lot of hugs and goodbyes for Tess and 'thank you's' for Myra, Kat left to continue her original mission. She stopped by her old New York hideout to collect some of her old belongings including the framed picture of herself, Peggy, Mace, and Sharon, as well as her father's katana, and that old worn book Four had once had._

 _After Coulson stepped down as Director all communication with SHIELD ceased, nevertheless Kat was still able to commune with Daisy and Yo-yo which she did not mind. The latter was quickly becoming a good friend, and was secretly helping Daisy out to take out a group called the Watch Dogs. While on the other end of the spectrum was Sharon who checked in on her via video and phone calls. Myra also sent little reports on what she and Tess were up to, and how they visited the Cryo Chamber often. The biggest report was they moved Bucky to a main facility further inside Wakanda with the location in the report. At the bigger facility, they also often visited Shuri as the little girl loved seeing what the Wakandan princess made, or how she planned to remove the HYDRA programming from Bucky._

 _In other reports Myra mentioned that Okoye had a soft spot for Tess who had been caught practising with a long stick near the Dora Milaje training grounds. The General seemed to be encouraging Tess by giving her a practice staff and showing her some stances. While teaching a little girl at such a young age was concerning, Kat had to remind herself that Tess appeared older than she actually was, and it was not like Tess was being taught anything advanced. As far as Myra mentioned it was merely beginner steps like stance, posture, and how to hold the staff. In fact Myra had even taken some pictures and Tess looked adorable imitating the General who could barely keep from smiling._

 _Lastly there were Steve, Sam, Natasha, and Wanda. Wanda often split off from the group to do her own thing, and Kat had no doubt that included Vision. This left the other three to often look into the Untouchable HYDRA heads. Often going after these individuals took months of surveillance to learn the person's patterns. Find the weak link or opportunity then go after them. Otherwise it was simply too dangerous even for them. Most recently Kat was teaming up with Steve and the others to take out these individuals, but she never stuck around them for any length of time because she did not want the issue of Bucky being drudged up_. _In fact they had just stopped the third Untouchable in Morocco before Kat wished them well and took off heading back to Wakanda to spend time with Tess and take a break._

Kat opened her eyes when she heard the beeping of an incoming message on the counsel and took her feet off the counsel sitting up. She looked at her watch noting the time as being too late for one of Myra's reports, and it could not have been Steve. Sure enough she clicked the button opening the screen to a very familiar and welcome face. There sat Cutter smiling at her. Easily Kat fell back into speaking Mandarin as she asked. "Evening Cutter, to what do I owe the pleasure?"

"You know I honestly wish I was just calling to check up on you and see how you are doing."

"What is it? Is Sharon okay?" Kat asked concerned.

"Sharon is fine. She is currently dismantling a slave trade operation in Burma," Cutter reassured her, "No this one is on us."

"On you? What do you mean?"

"You know how we take out other criminals and have the open door policy?" Cutter asked warily. Kat knew what he meant. The 'open door' policy was how the Shadow Network got so big literally over night. To start with they had taken out a Chinese Triad leader and took everything from him. More than that they offered jobs to his former employees with most happily signing on. As far as Kat knew the Shadow Network continued this policy. Topple real bad criminal organisations then take on those willing to join the Shadow Network. When she nodded that she knew what he meant, Cutter continued after blowing out a sigh. "We made a mistake."

"What do you mean?" Kat asked confused, this policy was a good one after all.

"Some years back we took out a drug ring in Zimbabwe, often the drugs killed more than anything. Those that survived were addicted and if they did not get their fix... their bodies shut down over a lengthy twenty-four hour period. Hospitals were filling up with addicts and no way to help them. Like with Yao the leader was some big shot that we took down as quickly as we could with the help of some of our heavy muscled people. Sadly this drug killed one-hundred and three people, and like we always do we offered those employed by this guy a better option. Some refused, but many agreed."

"So what is the problem?" Kat asked confused.

"The problem is one of the ones we took in. One of the chemists of this drug ring by the name Linda Dennis. A smart lady originally from America, we thought she had been kidnapped and forced to help make this drug. Hell she might have been, but she developed a taste for poisons. After taking her in and training her up, we realised our mistake." As Cutter spoke he sent the image to be printed out on the Quinjet and Kat looked over the image of a young African- American lady with her hair pinned up in a pretty bun. She certainly looked like a nice respectable woman, and so finally looked up at Cutter.

"Thus far I am not seeing a mistake, Cutter. You offered to help a young woman out of a nasty operation."

"True, but later on when we accepted her into our ranks we realised that we trusted too easily. Linda was there to help in taking out another drug ring. This time those making the drugs were slaves bought from the black market. Because of the precarious situation we wanted to get those forced to make the drugs out first. Linda and several others volunteered to sneak in and do just that. Through the surveillance set up by the drug dealers we watched as Linda poisoned some of the guards and got into the main office where she stole the money from the operation. The others that went in with her were trying to get those chained to the tables loose, but to cover her tracks and ensure she escaped... she set fire to the warehouse with our people and those slave inside."

"Jesus!" Kat said shocked that this happened.

"Yeah Shado and I could not believe it even as we saw it. We lost some good people that day. Naturally we responded by freezing her alias' and anonymously reporting her to the authorities. Sadly we taught her too well, she knows how to go off the grid. In the years since our people have been looking for her."

"Obviously something has changed and you have a lead."

"That we do. Ever since King T'Challa took you to Wakanda to treat your injuries and saved your life. We have been trying to make amends for our past." Cutter said looking sheepish, "We bought stolen Vibrainium from black market dealers. It was how we made your wrist daggers."

"Relax Cutter there is no doubt King T'Challa noticed but overlooked the transgression."

"Regardless we felt we owed him a huge debt. So we changed gears. When we returned from Wakanda we vowed to stop all sales of the metal. We have bought out the Vibrainium taken and redistributed it back into Wakanda via little presents. While also tipping off the authorities both within and without Wakanda to prevent further incidents."

"Wow, does King T'Challa know what you are doing?" Kat asked impressed.

Cutter chuckled but nodded, "We sent a letter of apology with the first returned Vibrainium shipment."

"Awe that's a sweet gesture. I am sure he was pleasantly surprised." Kat said confident that the Wakandan King forgave the Shadow Network.

"I hope so, if we visit I am worried we will be thrown in jail."

"Well I will speak to him the next time I am in Wakanda. Hopefully if he is still angry I can smooth things over."

"That might be sooner than you think." Cutter said growing serious again.

"Oh? How so?"

"Well the issue with illegal Vibrainium and our rogue agent Linda Dennis coincide." Cutter hit some keys and the lower part of the screen showed a surveillance recording of a woman inside what looked like a Museum Cafe working. Kat easily spotted Linda working behind the counter. Everything was fine until a woman in a suit dress approached to buy her own coffee. She looked like a museum curator, and as Kat leaned in she had to stop and go back a few seconds to re-watch a scene. Slowing it down and zooming in she spotted Linda slip some power into the woman's coffee, stir it, then put the lid on it before handing it to the woman with a smile. Cutter looked down ashamed again as Kat looked back at him.

"It was a concentrated dose of the drug being sold in Zimbabwe that we stopped. The museum was the Museum of Great Britain. The curator Samantha Wellington is suffering catastrophic organ failure as her body is slowly shutting down. Doctor's are stumped, and she is being given twenty hours left."

Kat sighed knowing the Shadow Network felt responsible for this, but how could they have known that helping a woman would lead to this?! "What was the end goal?"

"According to surveillance it was a distraction for the theft of an artifact being displayed in the Ancient West African Section. The item in question was a weapon from Benin, seventh century, from the Fula tribe." As Cutter spoke she watched through surveillance as the curator spoke to an man about two artefacts before moving to the one stolen. She answered the man's questions, but on the third he shook his head disagreeing with her. By then the woman looked to be suffering after drinking some of her coffee. Sadly there was no audio so whatever happened verbally was lost. It looked like a guard was going to have the man leave, when the curator collapsed to the ground in pain. Soon the guards were more concerned with the Curator than the man in question. Watching the multiple screens for a few minutes Kat watched two paramedics show up, and Linda leave the Cafe. Meanwhile said paramedics turned out to be men there to assist in the robbery as they shot the guards.

Kat frowned as she typed into the computer, all museum security cameras were watched by security, so why was no one responding to the situation? Cutter sighed before answering the question on Kat's mind. "Linda seized control using one of our programs to re-loop earlier footage. The security guard had no clue."

"But since we designed the program we are able to bypass it and see the underlying footage." Kat concluded once more looking at the screen of the two 'paramedics' and the first man. One of the paramedics simply touched the glass the weapon was in shattering it, then he took the weapon and it looked like he shook loose the rust to reveal the shiny under-surface of the metal. It looked too pristine to be any other metal than Vibrainium. After that the first man took a tribal mask and laid on a stretcher. From there they easily escaped the Museum with no one the wiser.

"Have we ID'd the three men Linda is working with?" Kat asked.

"Yes one is wanted by many government agencies including the Joint Terrorism Task force. He goes by the name Eric Killmonger. The other is a well known dealer in Vibrainium and other black market items Ulysses Klaue. The last is a hired mercenary that simply goes by the name Limbandi, he is tied to have worked with Klaue and Killmonger several times before, but aside from that he is small time."

"Ulysses Klaue," Kat said thinking as she started to look up the name, then Aida spoke up.

"Ulysses Klaue wanted for theft and murder in Wakanda. According to reports he was also the one to sell a large amount of Vibrainium to Ultron. This was used to help create Vision."

"Ah thanks Aida." Kat said as she looked back at Cutter. "Any other leads?"

"Yes, since we have 'discouraged' any buyers, we have closed off Klaue from selling the Vibrainium to most interested parties." Cutter said gaining at least this small satisfaction.

"No doubt Linda would have noticed this." Kat said and Cutter nodded.

"She has, sadly we could not discourage government agencies. To top off the insult a meeting has been set up to sell the Vibrainium at one of our more exclusive Casino clubs in Korea."

"A final insult from Linda. If the sale goes through and it is learned that it took place at a Shadow Network owned Casino..." Kat trailed off annoyed.

"Then the King of Wakanda will not be pleased with us." Cutter added grimly.

"So you need me to go in prevent the sale. Want me to gift wrap Klaue and send him to Wakanda? Another present from the Shadow Network?" Kat asked.

"That would be the icing on the cake," Cutter replied then grew serious, "However we want Linda stopped by any means. I am of the mindset to have her made an example of but Shado says that would be wrong."

"She is right, you guys are turning over a new leaf Cutter. Stooping to gutter level won't help that." Kat said.

"Tell that to the dying Curator." Cutter grumbled.

"Look we will do this right, but if it comes to that then one way or another Linda will be stopped."

"Fine." Cutter gave an annoyed sigh, "Sending you the details for the sale. Make sure to wear a dress."

"Seriously?!"

"Hey I said it was an Exclusive Casino Club, what did you think I meant? A sweat pants club?" Cutter teased.

Kat made dramatic eye roll, "Fine, just make sure it is something I can actually move in."

"Don't worry Yuma always thinks of that. Also just a warning... he has been talking shop with Shuri so..."

"Never put two creative genius' together in the same room." Kat grumbled as she took the Quinjet off of autopilot. "Heading for Korea now." Soon the call ended and the Quinjet turned heading for the location Cutter sent. "Aida contact Myra and Tess let them know I will be a couple more days."

"Will do. Happy hunting." Aida replied.

* * *

As Kat entered Korean air space, she was once again contacted this time by the Shadow Network team there. The group was led by an excited Yuma who sent her exact coordinates for landing in a large warehouse with a large roof that opened to allow her to land. Once landed the roof was once again closed to conceal the Quinjet, and Kat stepped off the jet to be met by Yuma and a couple other agents. Immediately the man came up and hugged Kat as he greeted her. "It is so good to see you Kat."

"It's good to see you too Yuma. I see your English is getting better."

"Yeah I chat with Shuri a lot, so to make things easier I have practised a lot more." Yuma said as they walked further into the warehouse to a table with briefcases on it. "I have some extra goodies by the way, and something... more appropriate to wear to the night club."

Yuma gestured for Kat to open the first case which held a lovely Cheongsam dress identical in style to her wedding dress, but was a dark purple, with a lovely gold embroidery showing a Chinese dragon that seemed to curl around the long dress and hug the wearer. At least it had the matching long side slit to allow Kat free range of movement. With it was a matching gold clip to help pin up her hair, and deep purple high heels. Lastly there was a matching purse. It was beautiful, but it also reminded her of her wedding to Bucky and seemed to dredge up the painful memory. The last thing Kat wanted was to be reminded of him right then, as she forced a smile on her face for Yuma.

"It's beautiful Yuma. Thank you." The man grinned.

"Just wait until you see what is next!" The man was practically bouncing as he opened a smaller case. Kat looked at what appeared to be two matching bangle bracelets. Before she could really look more carefully Yuma picked them up from the case. "Put them on, put them on!"

"Okay," Kat said smiling at Yuma's excitement as she slide her hands threw the bangles and he seemed to adjust them to fit without falling off. Looking more carefully at the jewellery. That was when Kat noticed the metal, and frowned. Vibrainium? Wait a minute they didn't get the metal illegally, did they? Before she could ask, Yuma continued.

"Okay, you know how you throw your hand out extending your wrist daggers?"

"Ye-ah..." Kat replied confused.

"Do that." Yuma said and Kat gave him a funny look, "C'mon, just act like you have your wrist daggers on right now." Sighing Kat did as asked, and immediately the bracelet tightened to fit comfortably around her wrist and extended into bracers? Yuma practically squealed like a schoolgirl. "Oh Fitz would be so jealous!"

Kat looked at the bracer wondering what it did when Yuma took a breath. "Okay, okay, now you know how you flick your wrist and out spin the daggers?"

"Yeah." Kat replied guessing where Yuma was going with this as he nodded at her. So she flicked her wrist and like when she was fully suited up and wearing her wrist daggers out spun matching blades. Like with her original wrist daggers she had full range of motion and could wield them effortlessly without dropping them. While Yuma was grinning like a child at Christmas, Kat looked more closely at her wrist amazed all this was concealed to look like a bracelet. Finally the creative genius recovered.

"Do you like it?!"

"Yes of course! They are amazing, Yuma. But how?"

"Cutter must have told you how I have been in contact with Shuri. Well back in September I told her about the specs for your old wrist daggers and she was impressed. So even after we returned to China we were bouncing ideas off of each other. From that we developed an improved version! I think I am in love."

"Yuma she is a teenager, you are a thirty-two year old man. Her brother will kill you." Kat said concerned, and Yuma looked up confused.

"What? Oh no no no! I meant your new daggers!" Yuma said waving off the idea.

"Oh right," Kat replied remembering Yuma loved coming up with new gear, and often he loved the items he created or helped create. Now there was the trick of getting the wrist daggers to return to bracelet form. "Sooo how do I get it to go back?"

"Like you do your old wrist daggers silly." When Kat turned the dagger so the blade faced her forearm she pushed the hilt and the blade disappeared back into the bracer, but the bracer remained. Looking back up at Yuma he added. "Now wave your hand like this."

Yuma waved his hand as if he were a Jedi Master performing a mind trick, so Kat just could not resist. As she copied the movement she said. "These aren't the droids you're looking for."

"Very funny." Yuma scoffed as the bracer returned to just a bangle on her wrist. However the amusement left as Kat was again reminded of the metal on her wrist.

"Yuma, please tell me because I really need this peace of mind. The Vibrainium-"

"Relax Kat, it wasn't stolen." Yuma stopped her.

"So they are on loan then." Kat guessed.

"Nope," Yuma replied then continued to explain, "After our one-hundred and eighty degree turn. We sent back some stolen Vibrainium we bought from some thieves back to Wakanda with the location of said thieves to the Wakandan authorities. Cutter also sent a note explaining why this was done and the promise of sending more presents."

"Cutter mentioned this already." Kat pointed out.

"Well that first shipment of Vibrainium sent back was used to make those." Yuma pointed to the bracelets.

"Okay why would they do this?" Kat asked confused.

"Cutter wondered that at first too. Here we were trying to thank King T'Challa for saving your life and also trying to make up for our past crime, and they use the first stolen Vibrainium returned to them to make those." Yuma gestured to the bracelets.

"And did you get an explanation?" Kat asked.

"Well I asked Shuri about it. Turns out they knew from the beginning we bought stolen Vibrainium in the past because as Shuri put it: 'It does not take a genius to know Kat's wrist daggers are Vibrainium'. From the way she spoke, the fact that we were honourable enough to own up to it spoke volumes."

"So when you guys came to see me back in September, they knew the whole time." Kat concluded.

"And did not throw us in jail then." Yuma added. This was unexpected, but then again perhaps ones like Ulysses Klaue were the ones that concerned the Wakandans more. After all the Shadow Network only bought the Vibrainium once illegally to make Kat's original wrist daggers. They certainly were not repeat offenders. Perhaps it was their way of calling for a truce or letting go of the past. Either way Kat was grateful for the gift, it would certainly help tonight when she would have to stop a sale inside the Shadow Network's own casino.

Offered a back room, Kat got changed into the lovely Cheongsam dress Yuma had made for her. Once dressed up she slipped the bangles on her wrists and came out, Naturally she had to wear the colour clip in her hair adjusted to black, the purple highlights were a dead giveaway otherwise. Coming out, Kat really wished she could just wear jeans and a t-shirt. As she came up Yuma added.

"Oh one more thing since tonight promises to be dangerous the dress has the same fibre weave as your suits so bullet proof. Just uhhh stay away from Arc-reactors, or if Iron Man shows up-"

"Thanks Yuma I remember what happened last time." Kat said not needing the reminder.

"Oh and uh one more thing..." Yuma added informing her of the clubs secret entrance and the agent there. Offered up keys to a car, Kat drove for the casino intending to arrive early and check out the area. However midway Kat received a phone call that Aida patched in, it was Shado.

"Kat we have a potential problem, or possibly a very messy one heading for the casino."

Knowing Shado struggled with English Kat replied in Mandarin to spare her. "What is it Shado?"

"We have unconfirmed reports that a guest of the Royal variety is heading for the Casino."

"Aida can you run confirmation?" Kat asked the AI while Shado was still on the phone.

"It seems the information is correct. King T'Challa, Okoye, and another lady left Wakanda at 2:33pm local time and have arrived little over two hours ago."

"And when were you going to notice this, Aida?" Kat asked.

"Probably not until the sale was going down. I did not know I was suppose to monitor the King of Wakanda." Aida replied.

"No you're right. It just complicates things is all." Kat said thinking. "Can you locate where they are in relation to me and the club?"

"You will arrive about twenty minutes before them." Aida answered.

"Okay thanks. Shado inform the security I am almost there and am meeting friends there."

"Alright, also the security is instructed to safeguard any patrons, but if possible they will assist if they can."

"Okay just no heroics." Kat instructed before the call ended, and Kat pulled up not far from the club. Walking down a busy market street, Kat came to an older lady that smiled at her. She stood with some others cooking and offering food to the passers-by. However Katrina recognised her from the picture Yuma had shown her. Again Kat was speaking Mandarin as she came to the lady.

"You're Sophia, Yuma warned me against the green tea. He says it is highly addictive."

Sophia openly laughed, "That is because that boy cannot stand the good stuff. You must be the one Shado spoke of. Our own problem solver."

Kat smiled as Sophia nodded to a man further back that stiffly rose to his feet to let her in the VIP entrance.

"Thank you." Kat said as she went past and entered the club entrance. The guards immediately knew she was the one Shado sent so they stood aside and let her go through the metal detectors. She then moved aside rather then go through the hidden door beyond the detectors since others would be joining her. As she waited one of the security came up handing her a tablet with a secure feed to the Casino main room.

"The lady of the house says he is a government agent here to buy the item." Kat frowned as she zoomed in to see someone she could do without seeing.

"What do you know, Bilbo Baggins off on another adventure." Kat said looking at Everett Ross.

"You know him?"

"Unfortunately." Kat said then looked up at the man, "Don't worry he is a kitten compared to what will be coming through the door." She gestured behind her knowing soon King T'Challa and his entourage would be here followed undoubtedly by the bad guys. Handing the tablet back she told him to stick to the plan as she leaned against the wall. Finally a woman entered followed by a familiar face in a black suit. They passed through the metal detectors but were not paying close enough attention to notice her yet.

"I see Sophia let you in. Word of advice don't drink her green tea." Kat said as three heads turned to look at her more closely two of them recognised her, but the other lady tensed. The guards merely stood off to the side watching the friendly exchange between the four individuals. Now that security knew Kat had been waiting for them, the guards knew T'Challa and his entourage were with her.

"Katrina Barnes." T'Challa grinned happy to see her. Unexpectedly the King came up giving her a friendly hug, "It has been too long."

"Thank you your Highness." Kat replied and looked to see Okoye who nodded at her. Then Kat added as she held up one arm with the bracelet. "Also my thanks for the upgrade."

"It was Shuri that sent them to Yuma." T'Challa pointed out.

"Yes those two love to bounce ideas off of one another. Still I appreciate it especially now. Hiding my original wrist daggers here would have been a nightmare." T'Challa smiled then glanced around at the security concerned they might try to disarm them. "It's alright they already know trouble has yet to walk through the door. They're on our side."

"I see." T'Challa said and finally the other lady had to ask.

"T'Challa who is this?"

"She is a friend, Nakia. Katrina Barnes, this is Nakia."

"Nice to meet you."

"Likewise," Nakia replied then asked, "How do you know Sophia?"

"She is an agent of the Shadow Network. Often she runs interference for places like this. Other times... well she has a knack for going unnoticed and gathering information." Kat explained however that meant T'Challa caught onto the implication faster.

"This is a club owned by the Shadow Network."

"It is." Kat confirmed as Okoye was the one to ask another vital question.

"What are you doing here?"

"I was originally sent to prevent the sale of some Vibrainium." Kat replied with a shrug of her shoulders, "No doubt you heard of the theft in England and followed the trail here."

"Indeed Mrs. Barnes." T'Challa said calmly.

"Well one of the ones involved that poisoned the Curator is a former Shadow Network agent with an axe to grind. The reason the sale is taking place here is because Cutter and the others discouraged anyone from buying, but that does not include government agents. That and the former Shadow Network agent wanted to make a statement."

"A final insult." Okoye replied catching on.

"So you are here to catch this former agent." Nakia concluded.

"Yes." Kat replied calmly. "Wanna team up?"

"We are here for Klaue. No one else. This Shadow Network business is not our concern." Okoye pointed out.

"Well it should be," Kat said sharply, "Klaue was in that museum for the Vibrainium artefact held there. There are five security guards that are dead and a curator that is dying a slow painful death as her organs shut down. Whoever Klaue killed in Wakanda, they are not the only ones killed by this asshole. Now by all means have Klaue. Drag him to Wakanda and disembowel him for all I care, but give me a lead to locate the one that betrayed the Shadow Network so I can stop her."

The simple request was answered with a nod after T'Challa considered it a moment. "Very well Mrs. Barnes."

"Thank you." To help coordinate their efforts, Kat was given an ear pieces to allow them to speak to one another. Then Kat added. "Also there might be a complication, the other buyers being discouraged means we already know who is buying."

"Who is it?" Okoye asked and Kat looked to T'Challa as she answered.

"We already met him."

* * *

 **Author's Notes:**

 **First off thank you all for the lovely reviews. As always I do love hearing from you guys. It was a lot of fun also hearing what you thought of the situation and who's side you took.**

 **As for this chapter is it four months later with Kat back out doing her own thing. We get a bit more explanation of what is happening to lead up to the present, and why Kat is again by herself. Then we enter Black Panther territory.**

 **For this I figured Kat would have to have her own natural reason for entering the movie. Hence the issue arising with the Shadow Network and it's former agent Linda. That and I felt Linda (Killmonger's girlfriend) was sadly underused. Her brief role in the movie was cut short when her 'boyfriend' Killmonger shot and killed her so that Klaue could no longer hide behind her. The unique talents she brought to the table were not really explained in the movie, but she looked to have a good knowledge of poisons and hacking. So rather then just leave her as some extra side character I gave her a bit more backstory to explain how she has those skills.**

 **Also for those wishing to see more of the Shadow Network we get some communications from both Cutter and Shado, as well as a visit from Yuma. To top it off Kat gets her upgraded wrist daggers courtesy of Shuri and Yuma.**

 **Aside from that not much to say about this chapter as it is merely the beginning of the Black Panther movie. Other then I do hope you guys enjoyed this chapter, and I hope to hear from you about it.**

 **Please let me know what you think by leaving a review.**

 **Lesliezin**


	55. Back to Wakanda

**Hello everyone,**

 **Here is chapter 55, enjoy.**

* * *

 **January 11** **th** **, 2017**

 **Casino Night Club**

On entering the main room of the Casino the group found themselves on the upper level looking down on the gambling tables. Once told to split up, Kat immediately split off from the group going the opposite way to Okoye. Meanwhile T'Challa and Nakia walked arm in arm down the staircase onto the ground floor. For Kat she looked like a rich local blending in better than her companions as she moved seamlessly around the opposite end of the upper level. Discretely she looked across to Okoye who judging by the General's thoughts hated the wig she was wearing. _'Damn scratchy thing.'_ Kat refrained from smiling as she nodded to one of the security guards that noticed her. Meanwhile she could hear the conversations going on in her ear piece.

"The woman outside that has turned out to be a Shadow Network agent. What trouble was she referring to?" T'Challa asked as the pair descended the steps.

"Ah... I got into a disagreement with some Ivory traders. Made a bit of a mess." Nakia replied and Kat chuckled. "I did not know she was an Shadow Network agent though."

"They are a well hidden bunch. Often she and others go unnoticed. She was probably out intelligence gathering when you met her. Often it is how some agents disrupt illegal operations." Kat replied via the device as she pretended to admire some artwork on the wall. Then moved on moving towards the balcony once again overlooking the casino. She easily spotted Everett Ross and carefully looked away to avoid being noticed. Meanwhile in her ear T'Challa and Nakia continued their banter.

"Hmm and will there by any trouble tonight? Miss Kenya heiress?"

"Depends... on how quickly we finish the mission." Nakia said separating from T'Challa.

"Can we please focus? Thank you." Okoye spoke tired of the banter already

"But I am sensing a story here..." Kat teased as she took a wine glass off a tray a server offered her.

"Story time can wait." Okoye pointed out.

"Spoilsport." Kat replied taking a drink as she moved around. T'Challa moved to one of the casino tables, while Nakia went to the bar and ordered a whiskey. Normally Kat would have minded her own business but Nakia looked tense and her surface thoughts were hard to block out. _'I need three or four of these.'_ Yep obviously she and T'Challa had history and she wanted the mission over with. However at least the young woman had her head in the game as she broke the silence.

"Eyes up. Americans. I count three."

"Five. How could you miss grease lightning there behind you?" Okoye asked, Kat could answer that but she decided to hold her tongue. Instead she peaked around taking stock of all the Americans in the room. No sooner was she going to point out where Everett Ross was T'Challa beat her to it.

"Six. I just spotted the old friend Kat mentioned who works for the CIA. It just got a little more complicated."

"I'm surprised you all didn't spot Bilbo Baggins sooner." Kat added, "I've been watching him since we entered." Already T'Challa moved to join him at the gambling table since Ross had already spotted him. The two began talking as they pretended to be gambling. Kat sipped her drink as she pretended to be interested in the décor. However she was careful to avoid the American agents scattered about. A moment later Kat received an text alert from Yuma. ' _ **Surveillance outside shows douche-bags arrival.'**_

Sending a quick thanks, Kat put her phone away. "The guest of honour has arrived."

No sooner did she say that they were all taking peeks at the door to see Klaue arrive and was looking down on the casino. "Klaue plus eight."

"General." T'Challa said.

"In position to secure our exit." Okoye replied, Kat looked to one of the security sending the mental message if the shooting starts to get the bystanders out first then they were free to make examples of Klaue's men. The guard was a bit surprised, but hid it well as he merely nodded and then spoke into his ear piece.

"And the Vibrainium?" T'Challa asked as Kat noticed Nakia now moving from the bar.

"I don't see it yet."

"I thought there were no weapons allowed in here." Okoye added.

"There are not suppose to be." Nakia replied.

"Somebody did not get the memo." Okoye said looking around warily. Kat looked at where Okoye was and saw the additional guards. "Definitely armed."

"Relax general the men in nice suits... that is the security. As for Kaue's men, the Shadow network are merely tolerating them. Most of these men will not be leaving this room alive if they start a firefight." Kat said as she moved along the balcony while Klaue began talking to Ross. However Nakia discovered late additions to the party as she leaned against a casino table.

"Six more. It's a set-up."

"Either that or they are here to ensure security does not interfere." Kat added.

"We need to move on Klaue." Nakia said as they watched the deal going down.

"Stand down. We can't afford a shoot out." T'Challa said, and Kat was glad to hear it. There was just took many people here that could get hurt or killed. Peaking back at Ross and Klaue Kat wrinkled her nose as Klaue pulled out something from his pants. Seriously?! Kat looked away grossed out.

"It's now or never." Nakia said.

"Stand down." The words were said rather sharply by Okoye in their language, but this caused her to be noticed by one of Klaue's men. Okoye smiled at him then tried to turn away, but it was too late for that. "I've been made."

Soon the general pulled her staff and began fighting two of the men upstairs. She threw her wig at one glad to have what she considered a dead rat off of her head. A moment later one was knocked off the balcony onto the gambling table below. Disrupting everything and causing the fight to break out with people scrambling to escape. Klaue pulled a gun and began shooting at Ross, but the agent at least had the metal briefcase he held up to protect him as he ducked down. Seeing another two of Klaue's men running around the balcony trying to get to Okoye, Kat turned and tripped one up. With a few quick motions Kat was gripping her new wrist daggers. The second man noticed his friend go down and turned to attack her. No sooner did he pull a gun, Kat stepped aside and sliced his arm forcing him to drop the gun. From there she kicked him hard in the stomach forcing him to double over. By then the first one she tripped was getting up and she kicked him in the face sending him flying back onto his back with a broken nose. As the second guy struggled to get up, Kat grabbed the back of his head and brought her knee to his face knocking him out cold.

More gunshots were heard and when Kat looked back down below tables were overturned with T'Challa fighting two men himself. Kat didn't really have time to take stock of everyone else as some of Klaue's men noticed her and began attacking. Another rushed her with a blade, which she narrowly avoided. As she moved back the man kept swinging on her to which she now dodged his amateur attacks easily. After a moment she had enough and caught his wrist, stepping in closer under his arm she kicked him in the groin forcing him to the ground where she grabbed his shoulder in her other hand. With his arm extended outwards she brought her knee up hard against his elbow breaking his arm then slamming his head into the beam by the balcony.

Rather than wait for more enemies to come at her she saw two at the corner trying to get a clear shot to shoot Okoye. Rushing forward she jumped knocking into the first man the momentum made him fall and Kat rolled to her feet to grab the wrist of the second man still trying to get a clear shot at Okoye. With a sharp twist she broke his wrist, then kicked him in the side of the leg forcing him to kneel. With her other hand she hit him square in the throat knocking the air out of him.

The other guy was getting up by then Kat did not even really need to look to know this. Instead she dropped down and did a sweeping kick knocking his own feet out from under him. On the ground once more Kat rolled into a crouch and kicked him in the face before facing the other man still clutching his throat. He tried to punch her once he had enough air, but she caught the swing and guiding his fist to miss her. Twisting around like a graceful dancer she had her back to him as her elbow connected with the back of his head knocking him out.

Turning back to Okoye she watched the general kick a man below before dropping down herself leaving Kat above as another man rushed her. Still she heard gunshots as she fought and since she was on the upper level she could not see T'Challa, Okoye, or Nakia. That was until she dispatched another two men then she saw T'Challa on the balcony opposite to her. He was facing Klaue when she heard a distinct charging noise. T'Challa picked up a large vending machine to protect himself as the blast sent him back below onto one of the gambling tables. Klaue was laughing about making it rain as he and some of his remaining men rushed out of the club. Seeing Nakia and Okoye racing up the stairs, Kat ran around the balcony following them out. She could tell by T'Challa's thoughts that he was fine and would soon follow.

Getting outside she saw Nakia and Okoye drive off after them as Sophia called out. "Katrina, we were told you might need to leave quickly."

The big guy that had been guarding the door rode up on a motorcycle and Kat grinned. "Thanks."

However as soon as she climbed on she discovered a problem. "Please tell Yuma, I am sorry."

Before they could ask why Kat gathered the dress, sure the long side slit allowed free movement, but the last thing she wanted was her dress caught in the tires as she rode at high speeds. Using the Vibrainium wrist dagger she sliced off the gathered material turning the dress into a mini dress. Then put away the dagger and drove off following as close as she could behind Okoye, and Nakia. Behind her she heard another car and peaked back. The car had no driver, but T'Challa was in his suit on the hood. Kat shook her head wishing she was in her own suit rather than the mutilated dress she was wearing now.

As the cars split up, Kat went right not far behind Okoye and Nakia. On the motorcycle there was not much she could do as she watched Okoye climb out onto the roof and throw a spear at the second car. It caused a nasty crash. Kat avoided the debris as she continued following even as they flew downhill. That was when she caught a glimpse of Klaue leaning out the window. A second later came the blast that she narrowly avoided as Okoye and Nakia's car was blown apart. "Shit!"

Instinctively she twisted the bike to fall on it's side, while lifting herself off the motorcycle and putting herself on the side facing up. The bike scraped along to a stop, then Kat looked over at Okoye and Nakia. Pulling her bike upright it was damaged but still serviceable. "You guys okay?"

"Yes, go!" Nakia called out once she finally let go of the steering wheel. With a screech she turned the bike and rode after Klaue's car. Soon Kat was reunited with the empty car driving and T'Challa. However no sooner did they speed around the corner did Klaue fire that cannon weapon he had shattering the car. Kat saw T'Challa jump and briefly run along the building before jumping onto Klaue's car where he destroyed the wheel. The car flipped and spun after T'Challa took out the tire and fell to the ground. However nothing seemed to keep T'Challa down long as he got to his feet and moved towards the destroyed car. Kat pulled to a stop not far away.

"Klaue, did you think we would forget?" T'Challa called as he saw Klaue climb out of the wreckage, and try to shoot him with the cannon arm. However T'Challa merely kept coming, he yanked off the arm before kicking Klaue into the ruined car. "Look at me murderer! Where did you get this weapon?"

"You savages didn't deserve it." Klaue replied which was the wrong answer as he was shoved against the ruined car. "Oh mercy King. Mercy."

Kat notably scoffed, the slimy weasel hardly deserved any type of mercy. "Every breath you take is mercy from me."

Kat could not agree more, but sadly without Klaue she would not find the rogue Shadow Network agent Linda. She was about to speak when Okoye rushed up with Nakia speaking in their language. "King! The world watches."

"Come on guys let's go, huh?" Ross said leaning out the car window, then he spotted Kat and pointed. "You!"

"Oh look it's almost midnight. Time for this Cinderella to get home." Kat said as she turned the bike and rode off.

"Hey!" Ross called, but by then it was too late. With Klaue already caught Ross would be forced to let her escape. With one last thought to T'Challa she asked him to get her a lead to follow before driving off into the night.

* * *

 **January 11** **th** **, 2017**

 **Warehouse in South Korea**

Returning to the warehouse she had originally landed in Kat pulled the motorcycle to a stop just inside the doors as Yuma came up. Nothing about tonight happened as planned, but with luck T'Challa would be able to squeeze that lead out of Klaue. Hopefully her being spotted by Ross would not get the Wakandan king in trouble. However for her she had just cut the engine to her motorcycle and sighed knowing she was about to get an earful from Yuma. As expected when she looked up he was there looking at the ruined dress. She almost expected the man to burst into tears, instead he sucked it up and instead said. "Looks like you had an eventful evening."

"You could say that. Sorry about the dress." Kat replied knowing seeing his creation ruined was painful. After a moment she asked. "The casino?"

"The security is mopping up Klaue's men. Luckily we have some pull with local authorities, the Americans have been sent away due to jurisdiction laws. Cutter is pissed off, none of Klaue's men will survive. The ones in hospital will be facing accidents, he wants a clear message and warning sent."

Kat nodded understanding even if she did not fully prescribe to this. "Any civilian casualties?"

"Fortunately no, most were just shaken over the ordeal." Yuma replied.

"Any other intel?"

"Authorities will try to keep Klaue," Yuma added, "Everett Ross was a part of a huge sting operation. T'Challa will have a custody battle on his hands."

"Any way to make make sure T'Challa gets him?" Kat asked.

"Cutter could pull some strings with local authorities. Claim damages, the Americans performed a covert op on foreign soil. Making their actions illegal, and with the Shadow Networks pull we could get the authorities to rule in favour of handing Klaue over to T'Challa."

"Sounds like the next best course of action." Kat said.

"I'll call Cutter, they will get to work on pulling all the right strings." Yuma replied, Kat then headed into the changing room to get out of the dress while Yuma got a hold of Cutter. When she came out dressed in her jeans and shirt, Yuma was just hanging up and turned to face her.

"It will take time, but Klaue will be T'Challa's." Kat merely nodded as she thought about it. Already this excursion had set her return back by two days. "So what now?"

The question from Yuma made Kat look up, "Now we merely wait. Once T'Challa is able to take Klaue back to Wakanda for his crimes, we should get a lead on Linda. From there we will hunt her down, but for now I need to head back to Wakanda myself. I have been away for longer than I intended, Tess will miss me."

"Okay I understand. I will pack up here, and let the others know." Saying their goodbyes, Kat boarded the Quinjet to return to Wakanda. The flight back to Wakanda was uneventful at least, it was still amazing and scary to reach her destination and fly through the illusion of a mountain into the hidden city. As usual she landed on one of the platforms and was turning off the engine. She gathered her bag of clothes and items before stepping off the Quinjet. Looking around it was a lovely sunny day, and Kat breathed in the fresh air before heading inside.

In the facility connected to the palace, Kat was allowed in without a second glance by the Dora Milaje and walked the halls with her bag slung over her shoulder. A moment later Aida tapped into Kat's phone hooked on her belt. "Welcome back Kat."

"Thanks Aida, where are Tess and Myra?"

"Both are in Shuri's lab with Shuri."

"Of course she is." Kat grumbled, why couldn't her daughter play or watch cartoons like a normal child? She headed downstairs and further into the spiralling building until she reached the deeper levels. The hall floor was lit and the blue walls glow reminded Kat of a computer's screen saver as she moved towards Shuri's lab and turned a corner. The underground lab opened out to a staircase leading down and showing much of Shuri's creative side beyond the glass door. As usual Kat pressed on the key pad to let Shuri know someone was there rather than just barge in.

"The door is open for a reason." Shuri called, and Kat smiled before coming in.

"True but it is considered disrespectful to enter a room without consent." Kat replied as she came in and around the staircase to see Shuri working at a table with Tess sat close by watching. The little girl sat up and brightened at seeing her mother. Dropping her bag by the door Kat came in further as the little girl hopped off the counter and ran up hugging her. "Hey Tessi, have you been good?"

The little girl nodded as Shuri added. "She is a constant fixture to my lab or the training grounds."

Myra stood off to the side smiling. "Not that the princess seems to mind."

That was when Kat noticed the wooden practice staff Myra mentioned in her reports. The staff was leaning against the wall by Myra, who followed Kat's gaze. "Tess just finished morning practices."

"Ah and how did they go?"

"Good, she learns very fast like her mother. Ayo says she cannot wait to inform her General." Myra replied, it was really no surprise. Like her Tess had accelerated learning, so gaining new skills would come unnaturally fast.

"I see you got my present." Shuri added noticing the bracelets Kat wore.

"Yes Yuma gave them to me in Korea. Thank you."

"You were in Korea?" Shuri asked surprised.

"Yes, and I saw your brother, Okoye, and met Nakia. Apparently we were after the same people." Kat pointed out, she then went onto explain how and why she met up with T'Challa along with the end result.

"So the Shadow Network will help my brother bring Klaue here?" Shuri asked.

"That is the plan, and hopefully if Klaue sings I can track down Linda and stop her before she does more harm." However in the mean time Kat wanted to spend time with her daughter while she waited for T'Challa and the others to return with Klaue. "For now though I need a shower, and thought Tess and I could go spend some time together. Maybe grab a bite to eat out?"

The idea made Tess grin and nod excitedly. "Great let me get a shower and we will head out."

"Okay, Myra and I will go visit daddy for a bit." Immediately Tess took Myra's hand leading her out of the lab and down a hall to the right which led deeper into the underground facility. Once gone Shuri voiced a long hidden concern.

"Perhaps you should go visit too. You have not been in the Cryo room since Sergeant Barnes was put into cryo-freeze."

"No I have not." Kat agreed.

"Are you angry that we put him under?" Shuri asked.

"I am not mad at you or T'Challa. I am mad at him, which is why I will not go down there. Nor will I be there when he wakes." Kat said firmly. When Bucky would be brought out of cryo he would learn that his actions had had dire consequences. Leaving the lab Kat headed for the room they had let her stay in and took that much needed shower.

* * *

Later that afternoon, Kat walked the streets of the unique city trailing behind her daughter. Some people stopped and notice the distinct skin tone, but did not seem to mind. Most knew she was a 'special guest', so they merely accepted her and her daughter as being there. Those that came to the markets everyday had grown used to the beautiful brunette running around and looking at the stalls of jewellery, trinkets, and various other items. Always Kat kept Tess in sight, and sighed wishing her daughter had left the practice staff back in her room. As Tess went up to one stall she called back to her mother. "Mommy look!"

Kat came up to look at the pretty baubles with Tess. One had caught Tess' eye as she pointed it out. "Do you think daddy would like this one?"

It was wolf figurine, and Kat had to force a smile onto her face. "Of course princess. You know he loves anything you get him because it is from you. Do you want to get it for him?"

"Yes mommy." Tess replied smiling up at Kat. Looking to the older woman Kat spoke in the local language of Xhosa asking for the wolf figurine. The older woman smiled and carefully wrapped it up as Kat pulled out the currency to pay for the item. After thanking the older woman the pair walked away with Tess holding the small bag containing the purchase. Eventually after much wondering the pair built up an appetite and stopped at some food stands where they bought some cooked foods. From there the pair sat at some makeshift table and enjoyed their meal. Mostly the meal was quiet with only the people continuing to move about.

"Mommy?" Tess finally asked.

"Yes Tessi?" Kat replied as the girl looked a bit nervous.

"Are you angry with Daddy?" That was a loaded question as Kat lowered her fork and considered how best to answer. Instead she countered with another question.

"What makes you ask that?"

"You seem mad at him... You don't visit him." Tess answered. Tess had a very good point as Kat sighed. How did she explain that Bucky's brash actions had hurt her deeply? Kat looked skyward for an answer that would not come from the sky and so she release a breath as she answered.

"Your father choose to make decisions without including us. So yes I am mad at him, when he wakes he needs to learn that he can no longer make decisions on his own without including us. We are now part of his life and should have a say in all decisions." Kat replied gently.

"Don't you make decisions on your own?" Tess asked.

"Not without at least telling you first what I intend. Yes I make decisions, but have I ever just left without uttering a word to you, princess?" Kat asked, it was then Tess looked down.

"No."

"Nor do I ever intend to act without thinking of you. Yes I will admit that there have been times I acted without thought out on a mission and put myself in needless danger. But on those occasions had I hesitated I might not have returned. Still the fact is your father acted alone. I am glad he told you what he intended, but I was not. He left me out of the decision." Having things explained Tess went silent as she thought over this new information, and Kat added. "Hey, don't be mad at him just because I am."

Tess nodded but was still deep in her thoughts for a few minutes before asking. "Are you going to forgive him?"

Kat had just put some food in her mouth so she chewed slowly as she considered her answer. Perhaps in time she would forgive Bucky, but right then she was still too angry. He would have a lot to apologise for. However rather then worry her daughter over fighting parents Kat replied. "As soon as he wakes up and apologises than yes."

Was it a lie? Most likely, but Kat herself was not sure what she would do. She would just have to wait and see what the future brought.

* * *

 **January 13** **th** **, 2017**

 **Wakanda**

The next couple of days was spent with Tess when she was not at practice. Mostly the place was quiet with T'Challa, Okoye, and Nakia having yet to return from South Korea. It was not until that morning as Kat sat on the grassy hill watching Tess at a distance practice. The little girl stood with children much older than herself, and also seemed to stand out amongst them with her pale complexion and brown hair. They watched Ayo instruct the small group as they held their practice staves by their side with their backs straight and heads held high. Then Ayo called out in Xhosa. "Defensive stance."

The group including Tess readied their staves, as they turned to the side crouching a little and pointed the staves ahead. Another girl had her legs too far apart, which Ayo pointed out as she moved down the line of young girls. One girl had her hands too close together on the staff making it easier for her to have knocked out of her hands. Again Ayo corrected the stance and moved on until she got to Tess and looked the girl over carefully before simply giving one nod of approval. Then she called for the next stance and the group chanced stances to match. Myra came to sit down by Kat as they watched.

"She is going to make the other girls jealous, not a foot out of place." Myra noted.

"For a one year three month old that is scary." Kat admitted.

"She will always be different, but that is a good thing. With HYDRA gone she can thrive without fear." Myra was right of course, but Kat felt there was plenty to fear as she watched Tess. "I get the distinct feeling that you're still afraid. What is it Kat?"

"HYDRA may be gone, but there will always be those that will want to take Tess away because she is unique. I fear the day I can no longer shield her from the rest of the world. She is like this land... a hidden gem."

"So that is why you did not kick up a fuss about her receiving training." Myra said after a moment.

"Yes, I hate the idea of her not acting like a child. I want her to be a little girl, enjoy it, linger in it because she can always grow up later. While at the same time, I don't want to deny her. She wants to learn from the Dora Milaje and it will protect her. Part of me is screaming no when I watch her train because it feels too soon. While the other part says 'you may not always be around to protect her, so let her'. That make any sense to you?"

"A little, but I am not a parent. I think because of how you were raised you were forced to grow up fast, so you want her to slow down and be a child for as long as possible. However instinct is telling you, she needs to be prepared. Instinct goes against wishes. You wish for Tess to be a child, but instinct says she must be prepared for whatever may come her way." Myra's words made a lot of sense as the pair continued to watch Tess. However a phone call distracted Kat who saw it was Aida.

"Yes Aida. What's up?"

"Patching in a call from Shado." A second later Shado's voice spoke. "Katrina?"

"Yes Shado, what is it?"

"I would have called sooner, but time zones... that and we were trying to track him again." Now Shado sounded tired.

"Track who? Shado what happened?"

"Klaue, he escaped. You can guess who helped him. He escaped yesterday."

"Damnit!" Kat cursed. "Where are King T'Challa and his entourage?"

"They took off shortly after." Shado replied, "I think they are heading back to Wakanda."

"Alright," Kat said with a sigh, "Keep looking."

Hanging up Kat ran her fingers through her hair. Their efforts is Korea turned out to be a waste as she put away her phone.

"Problem?"

"Yeah, Klaue escaped custody and before the Shadow Network could get custody granted to T'Challa. The former Shadow Network agent Linda helped in the escape."

"Great, so what now?" Myra asked. For a moment Kat considered what she could do. Perhaps she could look at the footage, see if there was anything to go on.

"I need to go back to the Quinjet, review the footage. Can you watch Tess for a bit?"

""Sure, good luck in the search." Myra replied as Kat got up and left to return to the Quinjet. Meanwhile Myra watched as the group were nearly finished. With a respectful bow to Ayo the group was dismissed and Tess came bounding up towards Myra.

"Where is mommy?" Tess asked.

"She was called away. Don't worry she is just reviewing some footage, she is not taking another trip yet." Myra answered, "So where to next?"

"Let's go visit Daddy, then see Shuri." Tess said, and Myra walked with her back to the facility. The red head never minded watching Tess since now children would not be in her own future. At least Kat ensured revenge on Kovach for what he had done, and helped Myra escape HYDRA. So to the former HYDRA agent it always felt like she owed an un-payable debt to Kat. Besides Tess was the closest thing she would know to having her own child. It made her the perfect body guard for the child. Ever since Tess was first left with Myra a strong unshakable friendship had formed between the two. Peaking down at her charge, Myra watched Tess carrying her practice staff. Then returned to looking around for any possible threats. Did she take her job seriously? Yes, after all she was of a select few to know of Tess' heritage. If more knew many would seek to take her away and use her. It was the only mission left for Myra.

Myra honestly did not believe she would ever be an agent again, she often thought of joining Coulson's team wanting to be a SHIELD agent. Sadly Myra felt no one in SHIELD would ever trust her so why bother. Sam Wilson also asked her to come with the Avengers and him, but where would she fit in there? Sure she liked Sam and found him sweet, but even though he convinced her to spend an evening with him. There was just no future for them, no doubt one day he would want children and it was the one thing Myra would not be able to give. Aside from that she promised to help Kat and that meant watching Tess when Kat could not.

Entering the building they went into the lower levels down to the familiar level with the glowing floor and blue liquid walls. However instead of turning right which led to Shuri's lab they continued straight and down more steps to a door. Keying in the number the door unlocked and Myra opened it for Tess who walked in first followed by Myra. The door hissed and clicked shut behind them and as they moved the automated light lit up the room. The walls held a ice blue hue as well as different counsels. In the middle of the room was a single capsule with wires and tubes going to it from the floor. Next to the capsule was another counsel which showed the vitals of the frozen man inside the capsule. The pair came closer then sat on the hard floor looking up at Bucky Barnes.

For a time they merely sat in silence watching him until Tess spoke. "Mommy is mad at Daddy."

"Yes, I know." Myra said, then looked at Tess. "Don't worry they will work it out. All Mommy's and Daddy's argue and fight, but they also forgive one another in the end."

"How much longer do you think he will be asleep?" Tess asked.

"Not much longer, the Princess is working on it." Myra reassured her.

"I miss him." Tess said after a moment sounding sad, and Myra pulled her close letting the little girl lean into her.

"I know, and I am sure even asleep he misses you too." Again it fell silent and for a bit longer the pair watched Bucky asleep before getting up and leaving the cryo-room. On entering the lab and descending the stairs Myra yawned having not had her coffee that morning. Shuri heard it and turned.

"My work is not so boring that you have to yawn Agent Bicks."

"No sorry, just have missed my cup of coffee." Myra replied and the princess smiled.

"How about you go get a mug before you yawn all over my equipment."

"On protection detail." Myra pointed at Tess getting the princess to look then shake her head as she returned her gaze to Myra.

"She will be safe here while you go get some coffee."

"Really? You don't mind?" Myra asked.

"Go before you yawn again, Agent."

"Alright, I will be back in a few minutes." Myra said heading back upstairs and out of the lab.

Meanwhile Tess climbed into a stool and sat nearby watching what Shuri did. "What are those?"

"I call them Vibrainium Gauntlets."

"Why not Panther Gauntlets? They have kitty faces." Tess giggled.

"Why not let the inventor name her own inventions hmm?" Shuri asked smiling at Tess. For a few minutes Tess merely watched Shuri as she worked. Both were so focused on Shuri's new invention neither noticed a man in the lab.

"Alright where am I?" Both nearly jumped as Tess looked at a man in a dark night gown with grey hair.

"Don't scare me like that, coloniser!" Shuri said, as Tess watched the stranger.

"Colon—what? My name is Everett." He said as he got closer.

"Yes I know Everett Ross... former Air force pilot and now CIA." Shuri said turning back to her work.

"Right," Everett turned back looking around the room before looking back at them. "Okay is this Wakanda?"

"No, it's Kansas." Shuri's smart ass remark made Tess giggle and now the man looked at her. Shaking his head he asked Shuri another question. "How long ago was Korea?"

"Yesterday."

"I don't think so bullet holes don't just magically heal overnight."

"They do here." Shuri chuckled, "But not by magic, by technology."

"Shuri is the best she healed my mommy." Tess added proudly, and Shuri held up her hand for Tess to give her a high five which she did.

"And who is your mommy? More importantly who are you?" Everett asked looking at Tess, then he looked to Shuri, "Who is she?"

"My assistant and bodyguard." Shuri replied smiling at Tess. Everett resumed looking around the room, and Shuri added. "Don't touch anything my brother will return soon."

Everett went to the window to look out it and saw the amazing sight of the tram ways. Tess carefully got down and came over to stand next to him. "Pretty isn't it? Shuri made it."

The man continued to look out the window after smiling at Tess, so the girl continued. "I'm Teresa Amaya Barnes."

She held out her hand for him to shake which he smiled at her and did then gave a funny look. "That's a long name."

"Everybody just call me Tess." She added, and Everett smiled failing to catch on to the vital fact she shared a last name with someone that had escaped his custody months before.

Instead he asked as he gestured back to Shuri. "So you assist and guard her?"

"Mmm-hmm, I am training to be a Dorna Miljoe." Tess replied proudly as Shuri laughed then tried to resume her work as she watched the pair. The pair talked a bit more with Ross growing a little more stunned by how intelligent the child seemed. Then a train went by in the window that caught his attention.

"These train things that's mag-"

"Magnetic levotation..." Tess answered even though she got levitation wrong.

"Obviously." Shuri added.

"Obviously, but I've never seen it this efficient. The light panels, what are they?" Everett asked looking to Shuri.

"Sonic Stabilisers."

"Sonic what?" Everett asked.

"In it's raw form Vibrainium is too dangerous to be transported at that speed so I developed a way to temporarily deactivate it." Shuri said coming around the table by Ross and Tess as she explained.

"There's Vibrainium on those trains?"

"There's Vibrainium all around us. That's how I healed you." Shuri said returning to her table chuckling.

"See? I told you she is the best. That's how she healed my mommy." Tess added. By then Myra was returning with her coffee in hand and noticed the strange man in the lab.

"Who is this?" Myra asked gaining the other's attention.

"Myra this is Everett Ross. Shuri healed him." Tess said and for appearances Myra smiled, but internally she was worried. Had she known the man was in the lab she would have taken Tess away immediately rather then risk her being discovered. Meanwhile Tess was unaware of the potential danger she could be in. "Everett this is my friend Myra Bicks."

"Hi," Everett said waving at her.

"Hello." Before they could continue Shuri received a call via her kimoyo beads, and Okoye appeared. While Ross and the others were distracted, Myra tapped some keys discretely on her phone to alert Aida to the situation in the lab. Immediately the AI tapped into Myra's phone.

"Where is T'Challa? His Kimoyo beads have been switched off." Okoye asked.

"Well we are not joined at the hip, Okoye." Shuri chided.

"A man and injured woman showed up at the border who claims to have killed Klaue." Okoye said.

"What?" Shuri asked shocked.

"W'Kabi is transporting them as we speak to the palace." As Okoye spoke Shuri was activating her own computer to see who this man and woman was. "We need to find your brother!"

"Outsiders?" Shuri asked looking at the image of a man on the hologram of her computer.

"No, the man is Wakandan." Okoye corrected.

"He is not a Wakandan. He's one of ours." Ross replied as the group looked at the image. The group then looked at the image of a woman as well.

"And her? Who is she?" Shuri asked Ross.

"Her? I have no idea. An accomplice?" Ross guessed however the conversation was enough for Aida to properly ID Ross and learn of the latest developments.

"Tessi, we should go now. We'll only be underfoot. C'mon." Myra urged the little girl towards the stairs but froze when Ross called out.

"Wait." Myra slowly turned smiling at the man looking at both woman and child carefully before holding up the practice staff Tess left by the window. "You almost forgot your... stick."

"My practice staff," Tess corrected.

"Well you can't forget it, otherwise how will you become a Dorna...miljoe?" Everett said also wondering if he got the name right. Coming forward the girl took the staff and smiled up at Ross.

"Thank you," She said as she took the staff, "It was nice meeting you, and I am glad you are better."

"Thanks, and it was a pleasure meeting you as well." Everett replied, once they moved to the top of the stairs Tess called out as she waved at Everett and Shuri.

"Bye." The pair quickly waved back before leaving. Once out of sight, Myra picked up her pace urging Tess to stay close. Kat would not like this latest development.

* * *

 **Author's Notes:**

 **First off thank you all for the lovely reviews, I really appreciate them and love hearing what you thought of the latest chapters.**

 **As for this chapter well she does get to hang with T'Challa and co which is a lot of fun because I really loved Shuri and Okoye. I also really enjoyed writing the casino scene. It gave me the chance to expand on the Shadow Network and how it has grown in the years since it first started.**

 **Later in the chapter I also felt it was about time I expanded more on Myra and her relationship with Tess. At one point we get an inside perspective on Myra's personality and how she takes her bodyguard job very seriously.**

 **As for Tess she has spent her four months training in the beginners classes to be a Dora Milaje. Which I am sure many would say she is a bit young, but as said she appears to be much older than she is. At one year three months she looks more like a two and a half to a three year old. Her mental age is obviously older then that. Yes no doubt she would be the youngest to be trained, and not exactly one normally picked by the Dora.**

 **I did try to do research into the Dora Milaje themselves, but all I could get was women from each tribe would join the Dora to protect the King (Black Panther) and one would be a potential bride to the unmarried king. Mainly I wanted to know how young these tribal members went to train to be become a Dora, but could find nothing. So I am going with the idea that at a very young age girls from different tribes are taken in for training, but that does not mean all of them make the cut. Probably as young as four or five they begin their training, so while Tess is the youngest and smallest it is still plausible.**

 **Also if anyone has more information on the Dora Milaje or know how young the Dora are when they first start training please let me know.**

 **Aside from that I do hope you have enjoyed this chapter. Please let me know what you think by leaving a review. I love reviews.**

 **Lesliezin**


	56. The Threat is Closer than Thought

**Hello everyone,**

 **Here is chapter 56, enjoy.**

* * *

 **January 13** **th** **, 2017**

 **Wakanda**

While Tess had spent time in Shuri's lab, Kat sat in the Quinjet facing the computer as she looked over everything the Shadow Network had sent about Klaue's escape. She had slowly gone over each frame trying to gleam any details from the surveillance footage. Again the former Shadow Network agent Linda used their own program to disrupt the camera feed. After cleaning it up, Kat was able to view the underlying footage. She opened up a Skype channel to Cutter plus encryption to avoid government agencies finding her. Easily Cutter answered after the first two rings. "Yeah?"

"You sound exhausted Cutter." Kat replied in Mandarin, and he gave a muffled yawn.

"That is because I have not slept since Klaue escaped custody. Our one chance to find Linda..."

"We will locate her, Cutter." Kat promised, then looked at some of the images. "I have reviewed some of the footage and looked for electric feeds. I think I figured out how Linda located Klaue, tracker signal from his prosthetic arm. Now that I know the signature we should be able to track him should he use a similar device."

"That is good," Cutter sighed. "Right now we are trying to find where next Klaue might try to sell the Vibrainium, but no takers."

"Most likely he will wait until things cool down before making an appearance again." Kat replied.

"If that is the case it could take weeks to locate him again." Cutter replied annoyed.

"Alright this will undoubtedly take many hours but we will pick apart the surveillance footage frame by frame. Make sure to brew a full pot of coffee we will be here a while. Heck make that two pots..." Kat replied. For the next several hours they picked apart the entire surveillance videos inside the station and outside with the aid of numerous search algorithms. The footage before Klaue was interrogated was amusing. Klaue was laughing like a madman and making kissing noises as they watched the footage.

"This guy is as crazy as Gollum." Doc said.

"All he needs to do now is say 'my precious' in a creepy way." Mei added.

"Yep definitely off his rocker." Kat replied as they also saw Ross speaking to T'Challa. For the rest of the Shadow Network they had to use the translation function to know what T'Challa and Okoye said when speaking their own language, but Kat had picked up the language quickly so she had no use for a translator. They watched as Ross made the mistake of touching T'Challa and Okoye again spoke Xhosa.

" _If he touches you again, I'm going to impale him to this desk."_

"I just realised how mean Okoye is." Doc said.

"Yeah, get her around Tess and she turns into a sweet kitten." Kat said.

"Go ahead and tell Okoye that, Kat." Shado teased.

"Does she speak English?" Ross asked.

"When she wants to." Okoye replied.

"Huh." Ross said then seem to shrug it off. "I'm going in. When I'm done you guys are up." With that Ross started to head for the interrogation room.

"Agent Ross." T'Challa said getting Ross' attention.

"Yeah?" Said agent asked as T'Challa came up and placed a hand on his shoulder. No doubt Kat saw the move for what it was a means to plant a listening device on Ross.

"I do appreciate your help in Busan." T'Challa said, and Ross smiled as he looked to Okoye.

"You see that? It's called diplomacy." Ross said to Okoye who glared back. Stepping to the door he added to T'Challa. "You're welcome."

Left alone T'Challa looked to Okoye.

"Okoye..." The General scoffed, as T'Challa added, "Play nice."

"Americans." Okoye said giving a dismissive gesture.

"Definitely not a people person." Mei added as they watched Ross go in with Klaue. The madman was singing and Kat winced as it felt like he was making her ears bleed.

"He is butchering the song!" Doc grumbled as none of them would ever enjoy that song ever again. Finally crazy man stopped singing as Ross looked at his watch and cleared his throat. "You know you really shouldn't trust the Wakandans. I'm much more your speed."

"I don't trust anybody, not in this job." Ross replied, "But what I am interested in is that arm canon out there. Where'd you get that?"

"It's an old mining tool that I made some adjustments to. But I can get you one, if you like." Klaue offered.

"Why don't you give me the name of your supplier, and I'll ask them." Ross countered.

"He's right outside. Why don't you ask him yourself?" Klaue pointed out.

"What? T'Challa?" Ross asked, "You're telling me that weapon on your arm is from Wakanda?"

"Bingo." Klaue said clicking his tongue. This got Ross to lean back and fold his arms across his chest. "What do you actually know about Wakanda?"

"Ummm... Shepherds, textiles, cool outfits."

"It's all a front. Explorers searched for it for centuries. El Dorado, the Golden city. They thought they could find it in South America... but it was in Africa the whole time. A technological marvel. All because it was built on a mound of the most valuable metal known to man." Klaue explained. "Isipho, they call it. The gift. Vibrainium." As Kat was watching the surveillance feeds, she heard her phone chime and pulled it out of her pocket. Aida was alerting her to an issue in Shuri's lab, whatever that issue was sadly would have to wait as Kat put her phone down and continued to watch.

"Vibrainium, yeah, strongest metal on earth." Ross said already knowing that much.

"It's not just the metal. They sew it into their clothes. It powers their city, their tech... their weapons."

"Weapons?" Ross asked confused.

"Yeah," Klaue chuckled, "Makes my arm cannon look like a leaf blower."

"That's a nice fairy tale, but Wakanda is a third world country... and you stole all their Vibrainium." Ross said not buying Klaue's story one bit.

Klaue burst out laughing. "I stole..." Then the laughing stopped as he jerked in the seat. "All of it? I took a tiny piece of it. They have a mountain full of it. They've been mining it for thousands of years... and they still haven't scratched the surface. I'm the only outsider who's seen it and got out of there alive." As Klaue spoke T'Challa who was hearing all of this moved away. "If you don't believe me you ask your friend what his suit is made of. What his claws are made of."

After that Ross got up to go outside to speak to T'Challa no doubt catching on that not all the madman was saying was complete BS. Ross went to speak to T'Challa and Okoye about what he had learned and hoping to gain answers. Meanwhile Nakia was by the front window looking outside and seeming to notice something outside. She went to where a man sat watching the surveillance cameras.

"Where is that?" Nakia asked in Korean no doubt spotting a glitch in the camera feed. The man gestured behind them where the interrogation room was.

"Back there."

"Smart girl," Cutter noted as she moved towards the back room. She came in to warn T'Challa and the others just as the back wall to the interrogation room blew. In came a man with the tribal mask Kat recognised from the museum shooting at the group. She watched Ross pull Nakia down and get shot instead of her. While Linda and their merc pal pulled Klaue chair and all, from the building. Then tribal mask tossed a grenade. T'Challa in full Panther gear put himself on the grenade to prevent others from being harmed. His suit too all the damage as tribal mask moved back into the alley towards the van. T'Challa gave chase, but when he jumped at the man, tribal mask shot him with a grenade launcher knocking him into the wall. Tribal mask climbed into the back just as the van took off out of the alley way. However they did mange to get the plate numbers.

"We will run the plate numbers..." Cutter said, and Kat yawned as she leaned back and stretched in her seat. Kat looked at her watch and groaned at the time, she had been there most of the day! "Go Kat, you need to take a break. We will call if we locate the van or Linda."

"Yeah okay." Kat replied rising from her seat unaware that the enemies were a lot closer than she thought. In fact T'Challa had been challenged to combat by the very man that broke Klaue out in Korea. She snatched up her phone too tired to check it again as she left the Quinjet and headed back inside. When Kat got inside it was later in the afternoon and she frowned at how empty the place looked. Entering Shuri's lab the young teen was nowhere to be found. Was this the issue Aida was trying to warn her about?

"Aida?" The AI immediately replied through Kat's phone.

"Yes Kat I am here."

"Where is everybody?"

"I am not sure many left about two hours ago. Since I do not have permission to monitor certain areas I am unsure where they went. I do know Tess and Myra are in the lounge, and Everett Ross is in an office."

"Wait! Ross is here?!" Kat asked concerned.

"Yes, did you not receive my alert? He was in Shuri's lab when Tess and Myra were there. Unfortunately he was injured protecting Nakia in Korea, so T'Challa brought him back here to be healed." The thought that Everett Ross was so close to her daughter made Kat's stomach twist unpleasantly. What was T'Challa thinking bringing him here?! How come they were not informed so to avoid a confrontation?

"It is okay, he is unaware of your presence." Aida reassured her.

"But not Tess' or Myra's!" Kat pointed out annoyed.

"Fortunately he appears unaware of whom he spoke to, and as soon as Myra discovered him she made excuses to get Tess out of the lab." Aida said as Kat internally groaned, but with a growing headache she turned to leave the lab. She would just have to deal with this potentially dangerous issue later. Naturally she would check in on Myra and ask her to avoid the CIA agent, but first...

"Okay... I am going to take a shower." Kat sighed as she moved off for her room. Later hopefully she could catch up with King T'Challa and get on the same page with him. Going to her room, Kat stepped into the shower and closed her eyes enjoying the hot spray on her skin. It was alone in these peaceful moments that Kat could relax her mind a little. Too often she had to focus her mind on something otherwise she could find herself reading others minds without another thought. Strangely this time it felt different like her mind was pulling her towards... the cryo-room just past Shuri's lab. She saw the heavy door, then inside the vacant room. She saw the pod in the middle with Bucky inside. Immediately she recoiled from the vision with a gasp as she thought she heard Bucky's voice whisper her name.

The hot spray was now cold. How long had she stood there? Shaking her head she took a quick shower and got out. She dried off and dressed leaving her damp hair down to dry on it's own. Dressed in jeans, a black tank top, and purple button up shirt with the sleeves rolled up. Kat put on her boots and bracelets last, then grabbed her cell phone before heading to the door. Still thinking of the weird vision drawing her to Bucky, Kat was ill prepared as she touched the handle. Outside a local tribal woman shook like a leaf as her thoughts lingered. The image felt like a two-by-four hitting Kat in the stomach as she doubled over at the mental image she saw.

 _T'Challa in some sort of tribal ceremony. There were waterfalls all around with the Royal family and some of the tribal members present. Shuri, Queen Ramada, and Okoye were there. As the priest... Kat met him once his name was Zuri painted T'Challa's face, However two others were there one Kat recognised as Killmonger, and then there was a woman off to the side her arm in a sling. It was the former Shadow Network agent Linda! How?! What were they doing here?! That was when Shuri spoke up. "He will never beat T'Challa. He should have just come to the first challenge and gotten it over with."_

 _That was when Zuri spoke as he held a small cup to T'Challa's lips. "The king will now have the strength of the Black Panther stripped away."_

 _Whatever T'Challa drank it weakened him as those present moved to a rhythmic beat no doubt as part of the ceremony. Zuri looked at Killmonger for a moment then turned away to look back at T'Challa. Eventually the king rose to his feet as Nakia stepped past the woman to stand by Okoye. The pair spoke briefly, but Kat could not hear it since the woman who remembered this did not hear it. Instead she watched T'Challa turn to Killmonger. "This is your last chance. Throw down your weapons, and we can handle this another way."_

 _In response Killemonger drove his blade into the ground and faced T'Challa. "I lived my entire life waitin' for this moment. I trained, I lied, I killed..." As he spoke Killmonger took off his armour and shirt, "Just to get here. I killed in America, Afghanistan, Iraq. I took life from my own brothers and sisters right here on this continent!"_

 _Reaching down he grabbed his blades once more, "And all this death...just so I could kill you."_

 _As he said the last part he pointed a blade at T'Challa. Thus T'Challa looked to Zuri who said. "Let the challenge begin."_

 _She watched Zuri step out of the way so the two men could fight. Immediately the fight began between both men, and Kat watched wondering how long ago was this memory? What happened? She found she could not turn away from the memories of the woman in the hall still shaken by the memory. At first it seemed both men were evenly matched, T'Challa even managed to get some good hits in. So why then did she feel dread? That was when it happened Killmonger managed to cut him back and Shuri yelled to her brother. "Snap out of it, T'Challa!"_

 _'C'mon T'Challa kick his ass!' Kat thought as she witnessed the memory. Sadly the memory showed her something far worse transpiring as T'Challa took cut after cut until he was disarmed. He tried to punch Killmonger, but the bastard stabbed T'Challa in the side. When he fell to one knee Killmonger tried to deliver the killing blow but T'Challa caught his hand only to be punched. Knocked to his hands and knees, Kat silently preyed he would get up. Killmonger punched him again knocking him down again._

" _This is for my father." She saw Killmonger raising his blade. 'No! Move T'Challa!' However just as Killmonger brought the blade down Zuri blocked it with his own staff._

" _Enough!" This got Killmonger's attention._

" _Zuri no." T'Challa said as he looked up._

" _Stop!" A couple others called out to Zuri, but he focused on Killmonger. "I am the cause of your father's death. Not him. Take me." Even Kat wanted Zuri to get away from the man. He did not deserve what came next._

" _I'll take you both Uncle James!" Killmonger stabbed Zuri as Kat watched the memory from the woman in horror. She watched T'Challa call for Zuri and scream no repeatedly. From the single time she met Zuri she knew he was an old family friend and important to T'Challa. Not thinking and still very much injured T'Challa grabbed a blade and swung at Killmonger who easily stepped out of range. Then he looked at those gathered. "Is this your king? Huh?"_

 _T'Challa kept trying to hit him as Killmonger taunted the crowd by asking. "Is this your king?"_

 _Then Killmonger punched him in the stomach and while down brought his knee to T'Challa's face before turning back to address those gathered. "The Black Pather. Who's suppose to lead you into the future?"_

" _C'mon brother!" Shuri called out as she started to cry. All the while Killmonger continued his taunts._

" _Huh? He's suppose to protect you!" One last time T'Challa tried to punch him, but Killmonger was ready and caught him up carrying him to the falls. 'No, no, no, no, no!' Kat thought helplessly watching as Killmonger threw T'Challa over the side. She heard Ramanda scream no, and could not help feeling sick. "Nah I'm your king."_

 _She heard Nakia taking the Queen and Shuri away to safety as another woman stepped forward to place the ceremonial necklace on Killmonger. However Linda stepped up smiling at Killmonger as she took the necklace off of the woman. Linda, despite her injury placed the necklace around Killmonger's necklace. As he was made king of Wakanda._

Kat gasped as she tore herself from the woman's thoughts and memory. This could not be happening! While at first Kat and T'Challa had been on opposite sides when they first met with him wanting to kill Bucky, that all changed when Zemo was caught. Now the two were good friends, and seeing that memory knowing she could do nothing was painful. Taking a few shaky breaths, Kat realised it was no longer safe here with Killmonger as king. Getting back to her feet, Kat then slipped outside her room. She needed to find Tess and Myra now!

* * *

It was getting towards evening when Tess and Myra left the lounge and walked the halls of the palace. As usual Myra moved beside the little girl still carrying the practice staff. The pair had just eaten and Tess wanted to check on her mother. However Myra also saw it as Tess' little stall tactic, but since Kat had been working most of the day and Tess had not gotten to spend as much time with her Myra decided to indulge her. As they walked Tess asked. "Do you think we can go see Everett? He was nice."

"I am not sure that is a good idea Tessi." Myra admitted, "He may seem nice but that doesn't mean we should push our luck."

"Why not? He isn't HYDRA, and he was nice." Tess pointed out.

"On the surface perhaps, but he is a government agent and your parents are both wanted by the government. Besides if anyone found out about you they would not be so nice. Even Agent Ross could be ordered to take you away by said government. It would not matter how nice he is then." Myra explained, and Tess looked down saddened. So Myra sighed. "We would have to ask your mother first."

That got Tess to look up and smile. "Now that does not mean yes, your mom could very well say no and that would be the end of it."

The pair continued, then Myra frowned at the empty halls. Where was everyone? Looking around Myra grew concerned. They had just been heading for Kat's room when Myra saw some men up ahead. She recognised them as the border tribe wearing their blue robes, so she relaxed until they were spotted and one man pointed at them. "You there! You will come with us!"

"What?" Myra asked confused as she put herself between them and Tess. "We are guests of King T'Challa."

"King T'Challa was defeated in ritual combat, now you will be taken to the new king." Every alarm bell was going off that the last thing they wanted to do was meet this new king. Something was wrong here, and so as one of the men reached for her she caught his wrist and kicked another man in the stomach.

"Tess run!" Myra screamed. Scared Tess ran down the hall wanting to find her mother to help Myra.

* * *

 **Elsewhere in the palace...**

After getting the Royal family to safety and meeting with Okoye, Nakia was left with precious few options. Any guest in the palace was in danger so her next stop was to get Everett Ross before anyone else. Entering the office carrying extra clothes. Everett turned from the window he was looking out to face Nakia as he noticed her expression he asked. "What's wrong?"

"The king is dead." Nakia replied and tossed him one of the clothes she brought in, "Come with me, unless you want to join him." Immediately Ross put the cover on and followed Nakia out into the hall the pair moved quickly, but as they started to move around the corner a little dark haired girl ran into view chased by two men.

"Come here!" One man called as he snatched Tess up. The little girl screamed, and began to struggle.

"MOMMY!" Tess shrieked in fear as Nakia was about to step out and save her. However before she could move. The man screamed in pain and clutched his head. Tess landed on her toes and hands , scampered a few steps then scrambled to her feet and ran away. Behind the man was another from the hall around the corner that got thrown into the glass window lining the right side of the hall. It was not enough to knock him out or through the glass, but he was down for the moment. That was when Kat stepped out into view. The man that had grabbed Tess recovered and pulled a blade. While on his knees he went to stab Kat who caught his wrist and kicked him in the side. When he dropped the blade, Kat brought her knee to his face knocking him out. The other man by the glass got up and ran at Kat, he swung on her and she caught his arm. Using his momentum she steered him forcing him to run head first into the wall stunning him. Before he could recover she kicked him in the face and he landed on the ground with a thud.

With the two men down Kat turned as Tess called out. "Mommy!"

Kneeling down Kat held Tess close as the little girl ran up and hugged her tightly. "Are you okay?"

The little girl shakily nodded, then pulled away. "But they got Myra. She tried to hold them off and told me to run."

"Okay, I'll-" Kat started to say as Nakia and Everett stepped from around the corner into the hall. Seeing the two figures Kat immediately called a wrist dagger to hand then relaxed a little as she saw Nakia. However seeing Ross made her tense.

"Katrina it is good to see you are safe."

"You too Nakia."

"King T'Challa is-"

"I know I saw it." Kat said wanting to spare Tess the news at least for now.

"How? You were not at the ceremony." Nakia said drawing closer.

"Long story short, I witnessed it through another. I will explain later when we are safer and not in front of him." Kat said as she said the last she pointed at Ross.

"It's okay Mommy. He is a friend." Tess added. Kat might have argued that, but hearing men coming both groups knew they could not linger. They quickly ducked down another hallway heading out of the palace. "Mommy what about Myra?"

"I'll go back for her, for now let me get you to safety first." Kat said as they entered the darkened woods. The group moved through the woods quickly and quietly. Up ahead they heard two women's voices and as they neared Ramanda rose pulled a circular blade.

"It's me." Nakia whispered.

"Nakia, who is this man?" Ramanda asked looking to Everett. The poor Queen was still grief-stricken as Kat held Tess close.

"He's a friend of T'Challa's. He saved my life."

"Where is Okoye?" Ramanda asked.

"Okoye is not coming. She and the Dora Milaje will serve the new king." Nakia told them making everything a lot worse. It was Tess that responded next.

"No! Okoye has to come with us." Kat quickly knelt down in front of Tess.

"Shhh Tessi. Look I know you want Okoye here, and I would feel a lot better if she was. But she has a duty she must follow and we cannot make her come with us. Right now I need you to be strong for me okay? You're the only Dora Milaje here, you have got to protect the Queen and princess. I'll go back for Myra..." This seemed to calm the little girl down some, however the next question scared Kat for a number of reasons; but most of all because Ross was standing there.

"What about Daddy?"

Momentarily stunned it was Shuri who added. "He is still in Cryo."

Recovering Kat looked up at Shuri, "Can we wake him?"

"The programming has not been completely removed. I have only just begun rewriting his mind, it is too dangerous to take him out of cryo now." Shuri replied apologetically as Kat tried to think of a way to ensure Bucky's safety. Then Kat remembered the resident AI, and pulled out her phone.

"Aida."

"I am here Kat." The response made Kat smile.

"I can have Aida lock down the lab and cryo room by plugging her in." Kat said.

"I do not have permission to access the Wakandan comput-" Aida started to protest.

"Oh to hell with authorisation! You have my permission Aida. Once plugged in lock down my lab, and the Cryo-room." Shuri said.

"As you wish." Aida replied as Kat rose and both told them to stay here. Together Nakia and Kat snuck back to the palace.

"Do you know where you need to go?" Nakia whispered.

"Yeah pretty much. I will try to get Myra, then meet you at Shuri's lab." Kat whispered back. The two split off with Kat heading into the palace. Nakia knowing her home well told her of a small tunnel above the dungeon she could use. Avoiding the guards and border tribe was pretty easy, as Kat moved and eventually found the tunnel Nakia spoke of. She personally had never visited the dungeon, but with Myra wearing trackers it was easy to locate her as she climbed through the tunnel. Eventually she located Myra in one of the cells a bit battered, but otherwise unharmed. She sent her thoughts to the red head.

 _'Myra, I am here to get you out.'_ The red head peaked up as she thought to Kat.

 _'No Kat wait! The guards are waiting to capture you. They are using me as bait.'_ This stopped Kat from acting as she tried to think of what to do. _'Is Tess okay? I told her to run.'_

 _'She is safe, thanks to you.'_

 _'Good, then go. Get yourselves to safety.'_ Myra urged mentally.

 _'I can't just leave you here!'_

 _'It's okay Okoye won't let them harm me. She has given strict orders I am to be left alone.'_ Kat did not move, while Okoye would protect Myra that would only last so long. _'Go Kat, I will be fine.'_

Kat looked around wishing for a way to help Myra and not wanting to leave her, but seeing through Myra's mind she saw the clever trap should she make a move to free Myra. Finally she thought to Myra. _'I'll be back for you. I promise, just hold tight Myra.'_

 _'You will owe me some drinks after this.'_ Myra teased.

 _'I'll buy us some bottles of the good strong stuff then. Just stay safe.'_ With that Kat went back the way she came, then snuck into the palace and met Nakia in the lab. While Nakia grabbed a necklace, Kat went to the computer and plugged in Aida. The AI spoke after a moment.

"Okay I am in and locking out the computers so no one can access Shuri's schematics or data. I am also locking down the cryo room. Luckily no one has entered it, so James is safe." Kat released a relieved breath as Aida continued. "However this lock down is only a temporary measure. Once Linda learns of the lock-down.."

"She will try to override it." Kat concluded.

"How long?" Nakia asked.

"Approximately twenty-four hours possibly less if Linda is as good as Cutter claims." Aida replied. Kat sighed hating this.

"Keep her out for as long as possible. I will be back one way or another for him and Myra." With that Kat and Nakia snuck back to the woods and rejoined the others. Naturally Tess noticed Myra not with them and asked.

"I couldn't get her out. It was a trap, she told me not to try it." Kat explained, "Don't worry Okoye is keeping her safe for now." This small reassurance helped keep Tess calm as the group moved further from the palace. The only option was to get as far away as possible and keep the remaining Royal family safe. Killmonger seemed the kind of prick to 'kick 'em while their down', so hunting down the remaining family would not be beyond him. Shortly after they began their trek, Nakia asked if the Shadow Network could be reached.

"Sadly the only way I reach them here in Wakanda is through the communication array on the Quinjet, or Aida patching them into my phone." Kat replied.

"What of Aida?" Nakia asked.

"Sadly she was left in the palace's computers. In order to maintain the lock down she had to stay. It was the only way to lock down the lab and cryo-room."

"I thought Aida could move freely through multiple systems." Shuri said confused.

"Normally she can, but here she has limited access." Kat explained.

"Why?" Ramanda asked looking back.

"Well the main reason is because out of professional courtesy. Aida was allowed free range of movement at the Wakanda border facility, because King T'Challa gave her permission. That did not include the palace. Aida and I both agreed we would not take advantage of T'Challa's hospitality."

"Wait so the reason Aida does not have full access is because she was not given permission to?" Nakia asked shocked. If not for the situation they were in Shuri would have been laughing because of the plain and simple fact Aida had 'restricted' herself. Still the funny looks Kat got made her want to defend the poor AI that was not present.

"In case you forgot, not a lot of people are friendly towards AIs. You can thank Tony Stark and his not-so-brillant idea to create Ultron for that. Thanks to him Aida feels she has to walk on eggshells to avoid being tarred with the same paintbrush! So yeah she did the polite thing and restricted herself from the Wakandan computers."

"Kat, Kat, Kat." Shuri said before Kat could go off on a rant, "It's okay. We just thought she had full access was all."

"Right sorry..." Kat replied rubbing the bridge of her nose.

"Well we cannot contact your friends and Aida is in the lab computers, so we do not have a lot of options left to us." Nakia said thinking, "We need powerful allies if we are to stop Killmonger."

"Is there any that will help us?" Ross asked.

"The Jabari Tribe. M'Baku may be the only one that can help us stop Killmonger." Nakia answered after a moment. With a intended destination the group moved through the woods heading for the mountains. With Nakia leading the way, Ramanda and Shuri stuck close and second. Kat followed keeping Tess close as Everett Ross came to walk besides them. In the silence, Kat could literally hear the questions that Ross was bouncing to ask. For the most part she tried to ignore him and his thoughts. But that only worked for so long until he opened his mouth and tried to start a conversation.

"Sooo... a mom huh? How did that happen?"

"Your dad never give you the birds and bees talk Agent Ross?"

"That isn't what I meant."

"Okay, the stork delivered a bundle to my window-" Kat replied not willing to give anymore information up then she had to.

"Very funny." Ross cut in as he looked away then a moment later he started again. "Here's what I think..."

"Oh dear god..." Kat groaned.

"Your daughter is what two and a half? Three?"

 _'Don't answer that question Tess.'_ Kat thought to Tess knowing her daughter was about to answer. Immediately the little girl closed her mouth as Ross continued. "Now I did do some light reading as you suggested last time. You spent all that time hiding away. Ten plus years... then you come out of hiding to defend James Barnes. Which makes me think you have met him before..."

 _'Tess go on ahead and stay with Ramanda and Shuri. Agent Ross and I need to have a talk alone.'_ Kat thought to Tess, the little girl wordlessly moved on ahead as Ross kept talking. Then once Tess was by Shuri's side, Kat mentally told them to keep going and she and Ross would catch up. Once she was sure no one would interfere Ross found himself shoved aside and the business end of a blade from Kat's wrist dagger pointed at him.

"Let me stop you there, Agent Ross. The only reason you are still breathing is because I don't want to upset my daughter and you saved Nakia's life. However neither will keep you safe if Tess or I end up in your little report. I have spent my entire life either as a lab-rat or in hiding because your precious US government wanted to put a fucking man on the moon. Never mind how many had to die at HYDRAs hands for that! I don't see the US government apologising for it's mistakes or putting it's god damn name on the Sokovian Accords. Yet if they knew about Tess they would want her to sign on the fucking line, or worse they would try to take her away. I have not spent the last ten plus years hunting down HYDRA and having loved ones ripped away from me to lose my daughter too. So if you endanger my daughter by trying to report her, no one will keep you safe from me. She is off limits, got it?"

Kat watched Ross swallow down a lump in his throat before nodding. Taking that as a sign that they now had a understanding Kat turned to follow after the others. She heard Ross following, then he jogged to keep up as he came to be walking beside her again. "I uhh wasn't going to report her."

Kat looked straight ahead not caring what he claimed, she was not in the mood for chatting. Still the man was trying to make conversation. "Really, I am being honest with you. I-"

"Then why are you trying to learn more about her?!" Kat stopped and turned to face Everett annoyed, "So what? You can use her as leverage? 'Turn yourself in, or I spill the beans.' Is that it?"

Ross looked like a fish out of water for a second then sighed. "Back in Germany, I made a mistake. We ignored evidence you gave and went after an innocent man. My peers wanted to flay me alive when you dropped the bomb on the internet, but it was an eye opener..." Ross paused a moment to organise his thoughts, "Today there is just as many people hailing you as a hero as there are politicians calling for your arrest. Yes you are a wanted criminal and so is Barnes..."

"If you are making a point get to it already." Kat said arms folded across her chest.

"Yes my point is a lot of us don't want to arrest you anymore than we would want to arrest Steve Rogers. So I would rather pretend you're not here and not mention you or Tess either. Otherwise my superiors would be asking me why I didn't arrest you." Ross said as Kat looked at him sceptically, "As for Tess I was just curious... I met her in Shuri's lab and spoke to her. Then she called you mom... anyway she's a cute kid."

With that Ross moved on ahead as Kat watched him walk away a little stunned. She was not sure weather to believe him or not. He did seem sincere, but if he meant it remained to be seen. Hopefully he spoke the truth, but for now the others were waiting up ahead so she took up the rear. For most of the night they travelled, and at one point Tess was getting tired. Kat carried her on her back for a long portion of the trip until they entered Jabari territory that early afternoon. Then Kat set Tess back on her own two feet as they neared the mountain where the tribe resided.

Finally it was Ross that broke the lengthy silence. "So where are we going again?"

"We're taking the heart-shaped herb to Jabari-land."

"Heart-shaped herb? What is that?" Ross asked.

"It gives whoever takes it heightened abilities." Nakia replied.

"It's what made T'Challa so strong." Ramanda added.

"Every king of Wakanda is given the herb so that they can become the Black Panther and protector of Wakanda." Tess said remembering her lessons from the Dora Milaje. They were not just taught how to fight, but the history too. Everett looked over at Tess and smiled, as Ramanda had second thoughts about this plan.

"Nakia," The woman went over to Ramanda, "I don't like this. The herb belongs to us. We may be creating a bigger monster with M'Baku." Both women looked at the mountain they were nearing. Designed into the rock was an angry looking ape that did not bode well for them. "Nakia, you should take it yourself."

"I am a spy with no army. I wouldn't stand a chance." Nakia said.

"What about Kat?" Shuri spoke up, and Kat who had been looking at the mountain looked at Shuri as if she grew two heads.

"Wh—what?" Kat asked stunned as Ramanda and Nakia looked at Shuri and were now looking at her. Then Ramanda was shaking her head at Shuri.

"Oh don't look at me that way mama. We are about to hand over the heart-shaped herb to M'Baku. Which would you rather give the herb to? Him or Kat?"

"Woah time out," Kat said making a time out gesture with her hands as Nakia and Ramanda looked back at Kat again considering their options. "For starters I am an outsider. At the end of this whoever takes the herb most likely will be the future ruler of Wakanda right?" Receiving nods Kat continued, "Then it cannot be me for more than one obvious reason. Besides reason two is I don't have an army either. So our only real best bad option is M'Baku. Let's stick with that shall we?"

Both women nodded in agreement and Kat looked to Shuri who also nodded. With no other options available they were going to move towards the mountain. They did not get far when they stopped hearing the noises and approach of the Jabari tribe making chanting and grunting noises to sound like apes. Turning around they were behind them, however when Kat looked back they were ahead too. As Ross cursed they found themselves surrounded and Kat pulled Tess close to her.

"Look down. Stay calm." Nakia said softly and Kat did as she said urging Tess to do the same as the little girl hugged her tightly and gripped her staff. Somehow throughout the ordeal of yesterday and today she managed to keep the practice staff. Soon the group was huddled together in a circle as the tribe drew closer.

"Mommy?" Tess asked scared.

"It's okay Tess." Kat whispered as Ross moved closer next to Kat so the pair created a barrier between the Jabari and Tess. At least the CIA agent was willing to protect Tess from potential harm, but would that save them from what was coming next?

* * *

 **Author's Notes:**

 **First off thank you all for the lovely reviews, and sorry this chapter was not posted sooner. I was having some computer problems.**

 **In one of the reviews, Xuanny asked if Shuri had not known the danger Ross poses to Tess. When writing the lab scene I just went the idea that Shuri being the relaxed teen did not think of what it could mean at the time. Merely she knew Ross was injured and her brother wanted her to heal him. She also could have forgotten in the moment that Tess being Kat and Bucky's daughter might be in danger if Ross discovered the truth. However given the way Myra eagerly got Tess away she would have realised she had made a mistake.**

 **As for this chapter, a lot of it is from the Black Panther movie with Kat simply watching the surveillance cams with the Shadow Network. Or the other fight scene with Killmonger and T'Challa was seen through the memories of a distraught tribeswoman that Kat got too close too.**

 **Also something to note about what Kat saw was an injured Linda in the fight scene memory. As a I mentioned before I felt Linda was terribly underused. While Killmonger killing her was to show just how ruthless he was; it did not help me to better understand him. I am one of those that prescribe to the idea that the best villains are the ones that you can relate to on some level, even though they are bad and need to be stopped. That is why Loki is such a good villain, you can understand where he is coming from and why he does what he does even though he had to be stopped in the first Avengers movie. In short rather than follow the movie 100% Linda is still alive, and Killmonger when he shot her was not a killing shot but an injury shot instead hence the sling her arm is in.**

 **The only other things to note is how Ross inadvertently finds out who Tess' mother is, and starts piecing together the whole truth. I didn't want to jut outright have him be told who Tess' parents were, so I decided this would be a creative enough way to say it.**

 **The other thing is Aida restricting herself... I was careful in earlier chapters by saying Aida only ever communicated via Kat's or Myra's phones or while within the Quinjet. It is why Aida did not know Ross was in Shuri's lab, never was there a mention of her communicating via Shuri's computers. This was done to show the restrictions. The only platforms she can transfer between is the cell phones and Quinjet, so when she was plugged in that meant she had to plant herself inside Shuri's lab computers and then she could move more freely there. But as Kat stated it meant leaving Aida within the computers back at the palace.**

 **Well I think I covered all the key things for this chapter... I hope you enjoyed this chapter. Please let me know what you think by leaving a review.**

 **Lesliezin**


	57. The Return of the King

**Hello everyone,**

 **Here is Chapter 57, enjoy.**

* * *

 **January 14** **th** **, 2017**

 **Jabari Mountains Wakanda**

The group were taken deeper into the labyrinth of mountains to the heart of the Jabari tribe's home. The entire way Tess clung tightly to Kat, while Everett Ross stood on the opposite side. Kat for her part was taking in her surroundings as best she could. She was memorising them in order to help in their escape should things go sideways. The party were led into an exotic looking throne room tinged in a blue mist beyond. From what Kat could see it looked like there were mountain tops. However it was also obscured by the long spears hanging down from the ceiling on display. There were also matching stone benches on either side as they moved further into the room. Ahead stood two guards with spears, and no doubt M'Baku sat in the seat in the middle wearing fur and looking intimidating. He too held a spear as he watched them approach. The group came to a stop not far from the Jabari leader but he remained silent. Instead he was waiting as if to hear what they had to say, so Ramanda bravely stepped forward to make their case.

"My son was murdered in ritual combat."

"Were the odds fair?" M'Baku asked.

"Yes, but..." Nakia started to answer.

"So it was less a murder than a defeat." M'Baku concluded.

"Do not rub our noses in it!" Shuri spoke up.

"Silence!" M'Baku replied, "I make the pronouncements here girl."

"Even though it was a defeat. The opponent acted dishonourably by not respecting his opponent. He by his own actions proved himself unworthy of facing T'Challa." Kat said appealing to the basic sense of an honourable warrior. Each culture had a type of Warrior's code, to Kat when she witnessed the ceremony through another's memories Killmonger proved himself not to be stronger by beating T'Challa, but weaker because he was dishonourable. Hopefully M'Baku would see this much at least. For a second the tribal leader regarded her then Ross tried to make his case.

"Look, uh, Your Highness, the new king is a U.S..." M'Baku started grunting like a ape interrupting Everett. "The new king..." Now M'Baku and his men began making the noises to keep Ross from completing his sentence. Kat looked around as they kept doing those noises for a minute then stopped.

"You cannot talk! One more word, and I will feed you to my children." M'Baku warned, as Everett swallowed hard, then M'Baku added. "I'm kidding. We are vegetarians."

After that M'Baku started laughing at his own joke, and sadly that was when Kat froze as Tess giggled at M'Baku's joke. The laughter from the leader stopped as he noticed the little girl, and Tess looked up at her mother. "He's funny."

"Who is this?" M'Baku asked looking at the little girl.

"My daughter." Kat replied.

"She's cute," M'Baku said then leaned forward to get a better look at Tess. "You knew I was joking beforehand, didn't you?"

"Of course," Tess said brightly, "Gorillas of the Hominidae family are one of four families of Great Apes and are herbivores. I watched a documentary on them a month ago." This momentarily stunned M'Baku who had not expected such a response from the child. Then he burst out laughing severely entertained by the intelligent girl.

"Great Gorilla M'Baku," Nakia said gaining M'Baku's attention as she knelt down and revealed the heart-shaped herb to him, "This is why we are here. To offer this to you. An outsider sits on our throne. Only you can help us stop him."

M'Baku slowly rose to his feet stunned by what Nakia was offering him, then Ramanda and Shuri knelt. So Kat and Tess followed suit with Ross being the last to kneel. If they hoped to shock M'Baku, Kat was willing to bet they succeeded. The Jabari leader was still stunned for a moment before saying. "Come with me."

The group rose to their feet as M'Baku moved past them leading them from the throne room elsewhere. They were lead to a type of wooden hut, and Kat heard Ramanda gasp in shock. "Impossible!"

As the group entered they found in the middle of the room a square section of the floor missing. There was snow and buried in it was T'Challa! Ramanda, Nakia, and Shuri rushed to his side as M'Baku stood off to the right leaning on his spear.

"Is he breathing?" Nakia asked.

"He's in a coma. Barely clinging to life." M'Baku answered as Ross stood next to the Jabari leader. Across from them Kat and Tess stood also looking at T'Challa. All the while Kat was thinking on what to do. The snow was acting as a type of cryo-freeze, slowing down blood-flow most likely keeping him alive. Otherwise shock from injuries could kill him. Meanwhile M'Baku continued to explain. "One of our fishermen found him at the edge of the river border. He brought him to me."

"Why do you have him in the snow?" Shuri asked.

"It is the only thing keeping him from joining the ancestors."

"Of course, Vasoconstriction exposure to severe cold to slow the blood-flow down to prevent his body from going into shock." Kat said.

"I need to get him to my lab. I can heal him there." Shuri said.

"Take him he'll be dead in seconds." M'Baku added, so Ramanda looked to Nakia.

"Nakia, the herb." The young woman pulled the herb from her pouch and handed it to Ramanda to grind it up and heat it into a drink for T'Challa. Once it was prepared, Ramanda held it as she spoke, then had him drink it.

"I call upon the ancestors. I call upon Bast. I am here with my son, T'Challa." Ramanda was looking up hoping they heard her, "Heal him."

At that point M'Baku turned away as did Ross. Pulling Tess close the pair also looked away as Kat closed her eyes hoping that this worked. A moment later Kat heard Ramanda say. "We must bury him. Cover him. Cover him!"

Kat and Tess peaked back to see T'Challa being buried more in the snow. Once he was covered the three women began speaking in Xhosa chanting. "Praise the ancestors."

Lastly Nakia whispered in English. "Wake up, T'Challa. Wake up."

For a few minutes there was nothing, then they heard a gasp, Kat and Tess looked back as T'Challa burst upright from the snow much to everyone's relief. For a second T'Challa looked around stunned then began shivering. "Do you have a blanket?"

Immediately Tess moved to the wall behind Shuri and grabbed a blanket carrying it back to Shuri so she could wrap her brother up. Once they got T'Challa some more clothes and shoes, the group was led back to the throne room where M'Baku returned to his seat. T'Challa sat on one of the benches while Nakia stood on his left. On his right stood Ross, while Ramanda and Shuri sat across from T'Challa.

"Killmonger has the full support of our military," Nakia informed T'Challa, "And he burned the garden of the heart-shaped herb."

"Well of course he did." Ross replied, "That's what he was trained to do. His unit used to work with the CIA to destabilise foreign countries. They would always strike at transitions of power like an election year, or death of a monarch. You get control of the government, the military..."

"Our resources." T'Challa added.

"Right." Ross answered.

"The Great Mound..."

"Our Vibrainium, all my designs." Shuri said and Kat shook her head.

"The computers are currently being locked by Aida. He won't be able to get to your designs Shuri. At least for a little bit...until Linda finds a way to override Aida." Kat said as she peaked at her watch. Six-teen hours ago Kat had left Aida, and was given a twenty hour window possibly less if Linda was as good Cutter claimed. Either way the clock was ticking.

"Still he will send our weapons all over the world." T'Challa said as he rose from his seat and pointed to his family as he spoke to Nakia. "You must get them out of Wakanda safely."

"What?" Ramanda asked.

"What about you?" Shuri added.

"The challenge will have to continue." He answered, that was when Ramanda rose to her feet and stepped forward.

"T'Challa, we will not leave Wakanda."

"It is my duty to keep you safe." T'Challa pointed out, that was when Shuri also stood.

"If he gets control of our technology, nowhere will be safe." Shuri pulled out the necklace holding T'Challa's suit. She came up and put it on T'Challa, the pulled the blanket up to cover the necklace once more. "The Black Panther lives. And when he fights for the fate of Wakanda I will be right there beside him."

"As will I." Nakia added.

"I'm in too." Ross said as T'Challa looked at him, "What you're gonna need all the help you can get." Then T'Challa looked to Kat.

"What? You really need to ask? Of course I'm in." Kat replied with a dramatic eye-roll. Before T'Challa could respond there was a loud yawn coming from M'Baku.

"Are you done?" Then he stammered it out. "Are you done?"

"Could you give me and Lord M'Baku a moment?" T'Challa asked his companions. The group soon left the throne room to give both leaders a chance to talk. Kat leaned against the wall outside the throne room with Tess standing next to her as Ramanda and Shuri sat across from them. Ross paced on Kat's left, and Nakia peaked back at the throne room. Finally T'Challa emerged from the throne room. No doubt he asked M'Baku for aid, but had no luck convincing him. Everyone looked at him waiting to know what was discussed.

"It is time to return home." T'Challa said.

"Alone?" Nakia asked.

"Yes, M'Baku will not have the Jabari fight. However..." T'Challa looked to his mother, "He has agreed to let you and Tess stay as guests, mother." He briefly spoke in Xhosa to her, but Tess was already arguing.

"No, Mommy I want to go with you!" Turning to Tess, Kat knelt down.

"Tess, hey look at me. Remember what I said in the woods? You are the only Dora Milaje here. You have a duty to protect the Royal family and that means?"

"Protect Queen Ramanda." Tess replied still disappointed to be left behind.

"That's right." Kat said wishing her daughter would perk up a little. As T'Challa came over and knelt to look at Tess.

"I know I will feel better knowing you are here keeping my mother safe."

"Really?" Tess asked surprised, and T'Challa smiled and nodded at her. "Okay." With that Tess gave Kat a hug for luck then made the respectful crossed arms gesture to the King, and T'Challa returned the gesture before Tess moved over and sat by Ramanda. Knowing both Ramanda and Tess were safe the group once more set out leaving the mountains to return and stop Killmonger.

* * *

Returning to the palace was a lot quicker then it had been heading for the mountains. Probably because they had to move unseen by the Border tribe. On the outskirts they had managed to incapacitate some of the Border Tribesmen and steal their robes which meant they could slip into the palace easily. To add to that, T'Challa would make his presence known in a big way. By resuming the challenge for the mantle of King, and facing Killmonger. As planned the distraction got everyone's attention as some Border tribesmen rushed out of the lab as Nakia, Shuri, Ross, and Kat entered. Once passed them heading around the corner, Shuri said. "Go, go, go! Come on Ross!"

Entering the lab, they ditched the blue robes, and Kat moved to the computer as Shuri called up a table from the floor using her kimoyo beads. "Aida you in?"

"What took you guys so long?!" The AI replied.

"Hey I said I would be back. How are you holding up?"

"Not good, Linda was taught a little too well by Cutter. She has slowly locked me out of system after system. An hour ago I was forced to choose which system to safeguard. Trying to protect Shuri's computers or the Cryo-chamber. I'm sorry..." Aida said, "She was able to gain access to Shuri's designs."

"It's okay we'll find her." Kat replied, which meant Aida choose to safeguard a frozen Bucky. Using the computers Kat tried to locate Linda as Shuri explained to Ross their plans.

"Nakia and I will get control of the Royal Talon with this." Kat peaked back to see Shuri hold up a device.

"So what do I do?" Ross asked.

Shuri moved around the table and put some kimoyo beads on Ross. "You have to fly it."

"What?"

"You were a great pilot. Don't worry, I'll guide you through it." As she spoke she put a device behind his ear for communication purposes. "It's just like riding a hover bike."

Once she got Ross set up she rushed back to the table and grabbed her own weapons as Ross asked. "What? You guys have hover bikes?"

Instead Shuri pointed at the armour on the table. "Hey Nakia, take that."

"I'm not a Dora." Nakia argued.

"Just put it on it's armour!" Shuri said, as Nakia grudgingly picked it up, and Shuri looked at Kat as she typed into the computers. "I'm sorry Kat I have not finished the prototype Yuma and I have been working on."

"Prototype?" Kat asked looking back at Shuri before looking to the screen. "What are you talking about?"

"Yuma and I talked of upgrading your suit, but it's not ready."

"Oh well it's okay. After I free Myra I will head for the Quinjet, and warn the Shadow Network in case one of those ships get out. My suit is on the jet." Kat replied as she resumed what she was doing.

"Right, well good luck." Shuri said to Kat then ran up the stairs calling out. "Good luck Agent Ross!"

"Yeah, I don't know what I'm doing with this.." Ross replied confused, and Nakia followed Shuri up.

"We're counting on you." Thus the two women left Ross who looked at Kat as she finished typing.

"Don't look at me," Kat said to him then said to Aida. "Alright I checked the systems, but Linda must be remote accessing it because I cannot find her. For now, keep the cryo-chamber safe. I need to go help Myra, and warn the Shadow Network."

Moving for the stairs, Ross started to say. "You're computer savvy, can you just..."

"Have fun Agent Ross." Kat said running up the stairs and heading for the holding area where they kept Myra. Moving through the place by now everyone that could be in the way was outside fighting. Kat got to the holding area and peaked around the corner to see two border tribesmen. One was pacing while the other sat at the table playing solitaire.

"We should be out there with W'Kabi, not in here guarding her." The one pacing grumbled.

"Our king left instructions to guard her. You wanna tell him you could not be bothered to watch one American?" The guy at the table asked.

"Please we have only been ordered to guard her because of that American bitch he brought with him, Linda." Kat listened for a moment as she activated the wrist daggers.

"Careful, our king hears you talking like that. You may be insulting our future queen." That made the man pacing scoff. As they spoke Kat looked at Myra to find her a bit more battered as she lay on the bed in the holding cell, but alive.

"I just want to be out there fighting, and facing a challenge." Right then the man pacing had his back to the entrance and to Kat. So she stepped out and moved forward.

"Wish granted." As soon as the man turned he got kicked in the chest momentarily stunning him. The other man at the table rose and pulled a blade, then rushed forward to attack her. The blade came down and was blocked by her wrist dagger. In the next moment the man she kicked also rose and pulled a blade that he swung at her. She deflected that blade with her other wrist dagger, and kicked him back again. As the man she blocked on her left tried to use brute strength to overpower her, Kat twisted around and brought her elbow to the back of his head. The blow knocked him into the man that had been on her right. Now both men were in front of her and glaring at her as they raised their blades.

"I don't suppose we can talk about this?" Kat asked as one man yelled and rushed her. "Guess not!"

Kicking the chair by they table at him he stumbled as Kat, used the wrist daggers to block the other man. With blades locked Kat was shoved back against the wall and a power struggle began, until Kat kicked him in the side of the knee forcing him off balance. With the pressure coming from the locked weapons, Kat kicked him in the stomach knocking him to the ground. But the other man once again tried to attack as he swung and Kat ducked. The blade scraped the wall telling Kat she nearly lost her head. So she slashed out when she got away from the wall cutting the man's arm and forcing him to drop the blade. As he cried out in pain she kicked him into the bars of the holding cells where he hit his head and was knocked out cold. The man she kicked to the ground got up, and Kat smiled at him as he glared back.

"Hey you were the one that wanted a challenge." That was enough to anger him. He rushed at her, and Kat turned running to the opposite wall. Using the momentum she run up the wall and flipped over him to land behind him. The man ran into the wall, and as he turned to face her Kat turned the wrist dagger around to hit him with the handle knocking him out.

Straightening, Kat took up the keys and turned to Myra. The young woman smiled at Kat through the bars. "You okay Myra?"

"Better now that you're here." The red head said as Kat unlocked the cell. Now free Myra looked a bit worse than first thought as Kat had to support her out of the holding area. They moved down the hall and away until Myra winced and had to be set down.

"Will you be able to move soon, we gotta warn the Shadow Network."

"Go on ahead, I'm just slowing you down." Myra said wincing as she found it hard to breathe.

"You sure?"

"Yeah." Myra replied, and Kat straightened.

"Alright, as soon as you are able make for Shuri's lab Everett Ross is there. I'll feel better knowing you are not alone." Kat instructed.

"Will do." Myra replied as Kat hurried down the hall heading for the Quinjet. Getting outside to the landing platforms Kat paused as she saw the fighting happening in the field beyond and off to her right. However lingering was not an option. Accessing the Quinjet, Kat got aboard and went to the communications terminal. Immediately she activated it and tried to open a secure channel. At first there was no answer, then a tired Doc answered in Mandarin.

"Yeah?" However when he saw Kat he added. "Kat? Do you know what time it is?"

"Doc, you need to wake the others. We have a situation." Doc groaned and called back to the others to wake up. Eventually the others came into view via the video call. "Okay what is it?"

"I don't have time to explain the full details but if any ships leave Wakanda they are carrying weapons illegally. I need you to track them and warn the authorities to prevent them from being distributed. If no ships leave than that means we are okay. I'll explain everything later."

"Alright," Cutter said, "Good luck with whatever you are doing Kat." With that the communications ended and Kat grabbed her suit. Quickly getting changed she exited the Quinjet. She was about to join the battle when Aida contacted her.

"Kat we have a problem."

"Tell me something I don't know Aida." Kat replied.

"Okay a fighter jet is inside the tram ways shooting at the window in Shuri's lab. They're trying to kill Ross before he can destroy the cargo ships!"

"Dammit!" Kat cursed, "How long?"

"Glass integrity is rapidly dropping. It is down to ten percent! It won't last long. I can divert power to the windows and give Ross more time, but that means I won't be able to protect the cryo-chamber."

"Do it, I'll secure the Cryo-chamber." Kat replied running back inside and heading for the one room she had not wanted to venture into for months. Facing no resistance inside, Kat ventured down to the Cryo-chamber and got to the heavy door to find it open which was not good. She noticed the panel off and the device hanging there used to override the door. Pushing the door open Kat entered the chamber to find it just like in her visions. The tinged blue walls gave the room an eerie glow, and in the centre was the pod containing a frozen Bucky. In the window Kat could see his handsome features his expression peaceful as he slept.

Moving to the pod she placed her hand over the glass window feeling the cold radiate through the glass. She admired the handsome face through the iced-over glass wishing he would wake up. Being there brought all the pain back from those months ago.

"Awe you two are so cute!" A woman said and out of the shadows of the large door stepped the former Shadow Network agent, Linda, "The princess coming to rescue and wake her handsome prince. I ship it, I really do."

Kat immediately started to move towards Linda until the woman said. "Nah-huh!" She held up a remote device, and it made Kat look back at the pod to find a device attached to the side panel. It was something that allowed remote control of the pod giving Linda the ability to damage the pod and even kill Bucky. Looking back at Linda the woman smiled at her. She was wearing similar armour to the Dora Milaje, but instead it was all black and gold. "I knew they would send someone, I told Eric as much. But you?"

Linda held up a tablet showing the signal sent from the Quinjet to Shanghai, China. "You also kept lover boy waiting long enough. Giving the Shadow Network their orders. I always knew Cutter answered to someone, so you're the leader?"

The woman laughed a little at the irony. "All those claims that he led the Shadow Network, and yet they were diverting resources elsewhere. Communicating with someone in New York, then they hack seventy-two countries in a single night. Gather all that dirt and don't even make any demands. No ransoms, nothing... they just drop it on the internet. I watched what they did and saw shortly after they changed gears. Stopping the sale of Vibrainium whereas before they had no problem buying from the dealers. It all pointed to someone else being the leader, and giving the orders."

"Cutter is the leader-"

"Oh please! We both know that ain't true!" Linda clicked a button and a recording played of Kat's voice. _"_ _I don't have time to explain the full details but if any ships leave Wakanda they are carrying weapons illegally. I need you to track them and warn the authorities to prevent them from being distributed. If no ships leave than that means we are okay. I'll explain everything later."_

Linda stopped the recording just as Cutter agree to do as she asked, and lowered the tablet. Finally Kat had to ask the burning question begging to be asked. "Why do this? Why betray the Shadow Network after they took you in?"

Linda scoffed and shrugged rather than answer the question. Instead she turned it around and asked. "Why does a woman do anything?"

With that Linda lifted the remote and clicked a button on it. The hissing noise from the pod told Kat the freezing pressure was going down. If not stable it could kill Bucky in minutes!

"No!" Rushing forward she tried to get to the remote from Linda. The woman obviously had some combat training either from her hard life or Killmonger. Immediately Kat narrowly avoided a blade that was no doubt Vibrainium, her suit was not designed to withstand those types of weapons. Calling her wrist daggers to hand she blocked the blows from Linda. With the ice pressure being released into the room the floor was covered in a white mist and the air was becoming colder as the two fought. Kat knew she had to hurry or Bucky might not survive. At one point she knocked the remote out of Linda's hand then knocked her away and turned to the panel. Disabling the device Linda attached, Kat was clicking buttons to restore the pressure. Just a few more moments.

Linda got up and rushed her, Kat was forced away from the panel once more as the fighting continued. As they fought Linda taunted her. "Why try and rescue him, huh? He betrayed ya and ditched you and your daughter! I saw the surveillance footage! Ya think he cares about you?!"

Her words were not helping as Kat had been struggling for months with these thoughts. As Linda slashed at her and Kat bit back a cry as the blade sliced right through her suit's side, and she was kicked to the ground. "Yer nothin' to him, but another notch in his bedpost."

Kat started to get up as Linda kicked her and she fell to the ground once more. The woman kept kicking her and with each blow she heard another's thoughts. At first she did not know where the thoughts were coming from, then she realised it was Bucky's voice. _'Katrina. Katrina. Katrina!'_ Again it was like her mind was being drawn to Bucky's, was he reaching out to her? Was this some kind of mental bond connection thingy? "Look at you," Linda continued to taunt, "Look at all you've done just for him!"

Again Linda was going to kick her, when Kat caught her leg, then kicked Linda in the stomach followed by the face. Thinking Linda down for the count, Kat got up and quickly restored the pressure. She was just breathing a sigh of relief when she heard Linda's thoughts. The former Shadow Network agent picked up a blade to kill her with and rushed forward. As Linda raised the blade, Kat caught her wrist before it could land and stabbed Linda with one of her wrist dagger. The blade Linda had held being dropped echoed in the room loudly as Kat caught Linda slowly lowering her to the floor.

"He ain't worth it," Linda said after a moment, "You can walk through fire and ice and in the end it won't matter. In the end he will have you breaking all of your own rules."

"If that is true why then do your thoughts linger on Killmonger?" Kat asked gently. "Why stick with him all this time? Why betray the Network...for him?" For a second Linda was stunned then laughed.

"Ya caught me. Why does a woman do anything in life, but for love. Sadly men are all the same, I knew that Eric didn't really love me, but I loved him. You keep that..." Linda took some shaky breaths. "You keep that in mind when your man hurts ya again... in the end he'll break your heart." Linda went limp in her arms, and Kat looked back at Bucky still sleep in the pod. In the end it turned out Linda had simply fallen in love with Eric and betrayed the Shadow Network for him. The rest of her time was trying to earn his love, something Killmonger seemed incapable of feeling. There was no elaborate schemes to be found, just a woman in love.

So what did that say about Kat? Rather than think too much about it Kat heard footsteps and looked up to see Everett and Myra enter the room. Ross was stunned to see the cryo-chamber pod containing Bucky, then looked to Kat and shrugged. "Awe what the hell, it's just one more thing to add to the long list of other things I won't be putting in my report."

Kat relaxed a bit as Myra leaned against the door frame. "Kat? You okay?"

"Yeah, any uhh word on how the fighting is going?"

"The Border tribe surrendered. Apparently the Jabari tribe showed up in time to help win the battle." Ross said as Kat lowered Linda's body to the floor, then they noticed her injury and the fact she was shivering, so Ross added. "Come on let's get out of here before you either bleed out or freeze."

Kat looked up at the pod Bucky was in, but nodded tired as Ross came up and she raised her hand for him to take to pull her to her feet. Soon they left the Cryo-chamber wanting to know what was going on beyond the palace.

* * *

 **January 16** **th** **, 2017**

 **Wakanda**

When the dust settled and with order restored. King T'Challa was back on the thrown. Sadly it would take time for things to return to normal, if they ever fully did. W'Kabi the leader of the Border tribe was placed under arrest for being Killmonger's greatest supporter. While T'Challa may have lost a friend and ally in W'Kabi, he also gained one in M'Baku of the Jabari tribe. There was much to do to clean up the mess caused by this, but at least no weapons escaped Wakanda. The next day a meeting was called by the Tribal leaders including the new addition M'Baku. Meanwhile Kat was in the Quinjet contacting the Shadow Network. Her injuries healed thanks to Shuri as was the others.

"So that was why she betrayed us." Shado said saddened by the news.

"I'm afraid so." Kat replied, then noticed the look of regret on Shado's face, "Hey she made that choice. You guys offered her something better and she tossed it aside, that doesn't mean give up and stop trying to help others."

"No I know, but if we knew maybe we could have..."

"There was nothing to do. She was a woman in love with a man incapable of loving her." Kat said unable to ignore the similar situation she was in with Bucky. She just kept thinking about what Linda said. Kat had jumped through hoop after hoop for him, and her world had been turned upside down. Yet he broke her heart the day he stepped into that cryo-freeze chamber. Sure she heard Bucky's thoughts, but she still needed time to think on her own.

"What is it Kat?" Shado asked noticing her friend going quiet, that was when there was a sound of a throat being cleared and Kat looked back at Everett Ross.

"Sorry, Ramanda and Tess are back."

"Right, thanks Everett."

"Isn't that, that CIA agent?" Shado asked concerned.

"Hi," Ross called to the Skype window and waved at Shado.

"Yeah, don't worry." Kat replied, "I'll talk to you guys later." Closing the window Kat got up and the two left the Quinjet. They headed inside to Shuri's temporary new lab to see Ramanda and Tess the pair had gone there to see Myra who was taking it easy having suffered while in custody.

"So that the Shadow Network?" Ross finally asked.

"Yeah, one of them." Kat replied.

"Right, and Linda she was..."

"An agent that betrayed the Shadow Network." Kat added.

"You know maybe your Shadow Network could join forces with the CIA to help take down threats." Ross said wanting to propose an idea.

"I am not the one to talk to about this."

"Aren't you their leader?"

"No I am one of a group of leaders." Kat corrected as they entered the makeshift lab. Immediately the little girl Tess rushed up and hugged her mother. Greeted also by Shuri, Okoye, Nakia, Myra, T'Challa, and Ramanda. Kat immediately began to explain how her video call with Shado went. "Well I told the Shadow Network they can relax. Thanks to Ross none of the cargo ships escaped Wakanda's borders. More importantly some of the groups waiting for those shipments were dangerous radicals that were arrested when the Network made anonymous calls, so win-win."

"That is good news." T'Challa replied smiling, "I owe you and your daughter a great debt."

"No, you're keeping us safe and helping Bucky. We owe you-"

"True, but without someone's help that battle would have gone very differently." T'Challa said then looked down at Tess, "Isn't that right, 'miniature Dora Milaje'?"

Tess blushed as Kat looked completely confused and T'Challa said. "When I asked my mother how she convinced M'Baku to join the fight. I was surprised when she said it was not her but her bodyguard."

"Tess?" Kat asked looking at her daughter stunned, "What did you do?"

"Well..." Tess replied shyly before explaining.

* * *

 **Jabari Mountains**

 **Two days ago...**

 _Having been left to guard the Queen Ramanda, Tess sat dutifully by the older woman's side still holding her practice staff. For the most part they were left alone as guests to the Lord M'Baku. However the waiting was getting to Ramanda, Tess was used to waiting. She knew her mother was important and had to protect others, and even when it became difficult Tess kept a memory as her reminder. She remembered everything like her mother, but this memory she held onto. It was when she saw the news when her mother was revealed to the world. A nice reporter opened by saying: 'We often take for granted that we are protected. Safe from harm because we have heroes protecting us. Some wear a metal suit, others wield a shield or hammer. It is our security blanket when we feel the monsters moving in from the shadows. Our last defence, our last hope. Our heroes protect us, but perhaps we should be asking. Who protects our heroes? Who comes to their defence when they are knocked down? Today we have been granted the answer. It is not the answer we expected or even wanted; but it is the answer we have gotten. For years the one known as Katseye has safeguarded our heroes without even their knowledge. A guardian angel to our heroes, which is why she is being hailed: The Guardian Avenger.'_

 _Tess remembered the reporter continued to talk, but she always remembered that opening speech. How many little girls got to say when the question came. Who protects the heroes? How many could reply 'My Mommy does.'? Did she miss her mommy and daddy when they were gone? More than anything! She at times did not want them to be heroes, she just wanted them with her! But she also knew they were important and needed. So she would wait, she was used to waiting._

 _However Ramanda was not used to waiting when it was her son and daughter out there fighting. They were seated by a fire and given some food, but the Queen was not hungry. Tess turned to Ramanda after setting down her bowl. "Don't worry, I am sure they will be back soon."_

 _The older woman smiled at Tess. "I know..." Ramanda replied then after a moment added. "You know it amazes me how calm you can be. Do you not worry for your parents?"_

" _Yes, but I also know they always come back. Mommy can leave for months to go after HYDRA. She can race off to help Coulson, but she always comes back. More importantly she is not alone Aida is there to help her, and now so are some of the Avengers." Tess replied, and the queen smiled at her still amazed by Tess. Often that was how people generally acted towards her. With sheer amazement. She was one year, three months and fifteen days old. But looked about the age of a three year old, with an intelligence that put six year old's to shame!_

" _I wish I had your confidence..." Ramanda said then sighed, "Or that T'Challa had help."_

" _Help from who?" Tess asked._

" _The one known as Killmonger has the whole military support. I fear they will be overwhelmed."_

" _So who could help him?" Tess asked, that was when Ramanda looked to the thrown room and sighed. The little girl understood without the Queen having to say anything M'Baku could help. Getting up she started to head for the thrown room._

" _Tess! Where are you going?!" The queen quickly rose as well to stop her._

" _To see Lord M'Baku..." Tess replied with a shrug. Before Ramanda could react, Tess moved to the guards by the door. "Hello, could we speak to Lord M'Baku please?"_

 _Both men laughed at each other then one bent over as he looked at her. "And what do you have to talk to our lord about?"_

" _Well I have a question..." Tess replied, "One only he can answer since he is the leader."_

 _The two men laughed again then asked her. "Well why not ask us?"_

" _Mmm no, you're not the Jabari tribe leader." Tess pointed out, both men straightened. Just then Ramanda came up._

" _I apologise for her bothering you, excuse us."_

" _But we need to know..." Tess replied looking up at Ramanda, "It's very important." Just then another left the thrown room closing the door and stopping short when he saw their leader's guests._

" _What is this?"_

" _The little one claims to have an important question for M'Baku." The one guard answered._

" _M'Baku does not have time for a little girl's questions. He is in deep thought." The man said annoyed._

" _I only have one question, and maybe it will help with his own thoughts. Studies show if you take your mind off of the immediate problem by considering another problem or issue. The solution to the previous problem might present itself." The little girl's response stunned the three men, and finally the man sighed._

" _Fine if nothing else he might toss you in with our pets." Opening the door he led them into the thrown room. "Mighty M'Baku the miniature Dora Milaje wished to speak to you."_

 _On entering the thrown room Tess saw the large man pacing and annoyed. What she didn't know was M'Baku was already debating on the issue of helping T'Challa. The man rubbed the bridge of his nose and gestured for her to speak and get it over with. "Lord M'Baku sir? I was just wondering why you don't help King T'Challa?"_

" _Because it is not out fight." M'Baku replied. For a moment the little girl considered his answer, then replied._

" _Okay. Thank you for your time." Tess replied and turned to leave._

" _What that is it?" M'Baku asked confused, no arguing? No pleading their case? Just one question._

" _I told the guards I only had one question and did not want to take up more of your time." Tess replied politely._

" _So you only had that one question?" M'Baku asked and Tess nodded. "Huh..." Then he frowned as he noticed the little girl was calm and serious. "You are not going to ask me to help them?"_

" _No," M'Baku looked at her confused. "My mommy will handle it."_

 _This made M'Baku burst into laughter, but when Tess did not even crack a smile the smile slowly left his features. "You're serious? You're mother is going to help T'Challa."_

 _This time Tess smiled and nodded before saying her next words like they were pure fact. "My Mommy is a great warrior. She will help T'Challa."_

 _This really got the men in the thrown room laughing. Tess casually looked around the room then looked back at M'Baku with a raise brow. The laughter died out, so M'Baku gestured around them. "These are great warriors."_

" _Oh I am sure they are good," Tess replied with a shrug._

" _I am a great warrior."_

" _Okay," Tess shrugged as if not completely believing him. For a moment M'Baku sat back down thinking and regarding the little girl until he had to ask._

" _Alright, what makes your mother so great?"_

" _She's the Guardian Avenger. She protects heroes, defends innocent people, and stops bad people."_

" _And that makes her a great warrior?"_

" _A Warrior is someone that specializes in combat and warfare," Tess stated, "A great warrior is one that fights with honour and in defence of others. My mommy has always done that, that is why the world knows of her."_

 _M'Baku considered the little girl again thinking, then Tess spoke. "Can I ask you something, Lord M'Baku?"_

" _Go ahead."_

" _Why do the Jabari tribe not join with the other tribes?"_

" _Centuries ago my ancestors refused to follow the king. We chose to isolate ourselves. Before the kings of Wakanda have ignored us, and now..." M'Baku trailed off thinking considering what T'Challa said to him. What if in doing nothing this new king demanded they join or die? But what if they helped? What would be the consequences?_

" _Do you want to change things?"_

" _How do you mean?" M'Baku asked._

" _Well don't you want to come down from the mountains? Become allies rather than continue to be enemies?" The little girl made a good point as M'Baku considered her and nodded._

" _Those are cute ideas, little Dora Milaje, but that won't happen."_

" _Why not?" Tess asked, and M'Baku found himself stumped. Why couldn't things change? When no answer came Tess added. "Why not change things for the better? You're the leader of the Jabari Tribe and a great warrior, right? If not you, then who else will change things for the better?"_

 _And just like that M'Baku saw the solution to his internal dilemma. A child had given him the answers by questioning his Warrior's pride, then pointed out that if he wished to change things for the better only he could take the steps to act. Thus the Jabari Tribe would join the battle._

* * *

 **Author's Notes:**

 **First off thank you all for the lovely reviews. I really appreciate it, and am glad you all loved the Gollum reference. Also welcome back some that are re-joining us after being away for a time.**

 **Also I noted some concerns regarding Kat, in the quote of one reviewer she was 'lazy'. While I can see your point on this issue there is nothing really to correct. All I can really do it point out that Kat is no longer at her New York hideout or on her own. She is in Wakanda now and she cannot simply put up surveillance and do as she normally would. It's really tough for her since that is what she is used to, but she is a 'guest' of King T'Challa's. She has to do the diplomatic thing. If she went about doing what many expect her to do she could easily find herself in trouble with the King. That is why there is a lapse in her security measures, and also why Aida had limited access. It is simply down to the environment Kat is in, she wants her daughter and herself near Bucky she has to play by the new set of rules. Outside Wakanda she can do as she likes, inside nope that option is gone.**

 **Now as for Ross well that is another matter entirely. Once he leaves Wakanda he becomes free game. Pretty much you can expect Kat to make good on her threats to Ross, that were in the last chapter; if he tried to report them. Also any reports he tries to make to his superiors will be heavily screened and details about them would not get far with her. Thus one way or another Tess, Kat, and Bucky will be protected.**

 **I hope that alleviates any concerns regarding Kat's security measures.**

 **As for this chapter, the major things to note are that I did not want Kat joining the main battle for Wakanda so like with T'Challa and Killmonger, Kat and Linda had their own individual fight scene in the Cryo room. Yes Linda ended up dying like in the movie, it was just later. As for how Linda locked Aida out it was just down to the AI trying to safeguard too much and being systematically shut out. That and Linda was a formidable hacker, after all she was trained by the Shadow Network and that group is nothing to sneeze at.**

 **Also there still may be concern about Ross discovering Bucky or seeing briefly Shado on Skype in this chapter, but for that I point out my above statement about Ross being free game should he try anything. The above still applies here. Kat will not let Ross pose a threat, it is also why she ended the call to Shado shortly after to avoid further security risks.**

 **Lastly I know Tess is a little girl, but I do love giving her these little cute smarti-pants scenes. In the movie M'Baku decided last minute to help T'Challa, so I expanded on it and allowed Tess to nudge him in the right direction. Come on ya gotta admit it was a cute scene, and allowed you a little insight into how Tess views things.**

 **Anyway I think that should cover everything for this chapter.**

 **Let me know what you think by leaving a review.**

 **Lesliezin**


	58. Needing Time to Think

**Hello everyone,**

 **Here is Chapter 58, enjoy.**

* * *

 **January 16** **th** **, 2017**

 **Wakanda**

"You adorable little minx." Kat said after a moment of being stunned by Tess' involvement. The little girl had used innocent questions, mixed with manipulation, and her adorable nature to somehow get M'Baku to act. Thus the Jabari tribe joined the fight against the Border tribe and Killmonger. Tess swayed innocently while giving a shy smile. Apparently the little girl knew what she was doing when she spoke to the tribe leader. "That's how you did it, isn't it? You used your irresistible cuteness on M'Baku."

In response, Tess giggled and swayed back and forth a little more playing innocent. Finally Kat looked at T'Challa as she pointed at Tess. "I know she is dangerous. Too much exposure and she will have everyone wrapped around her cute tiny fingers."

"Oh I have no doubt of that." T'Challa replied as he gave Okoye a pointed look as if to say the General was already firmly wrapped around Tess' fingers.

"Bah!" Okoye scoffed.

"Okay then next time I will have to record your reaction when Tess hugs you." T'Challa replied.

"Too late brother," Shuri added, "I had already recorded it!"

"Delete that footage!" Okoye replied.

"Wanna see it?" Shuri asked looking at Kat.

"Can you send me a copy? I think those at the Shadow Network will want to see this." Kat replied as both tried to ignore the death glare Okoye gave. However rather than allow Okoye to be teased further, T'Challa covered his chuckle by clearing his throat.

"As much fun as it is, there are some other issues to be worked out." The more serious tone towards the end meant that this next topic would not be a laughing matter. As a matter of fact T'Challa did not look pleased at all. "As you know the tribal leaders and I convened to discuss the issue of the Border tribe. They gave me their suggestions, but ultimately said it would be left to me since W'Kabi's actions were against me. I am finding it difficult to decide this on my own though."

"He betrayed you when he sided with Killmonger." Ramanda pointed out. No doubt actions taken against the king could not go unpunished. Nakia, and Shuri seemed to agree, but Kat noticed the look on Okoye's face.

"Sounds to me like it's pretty straightforward." Ross added, then T'Challa looked to her for her thoughts.

"How about some context first? I understand W'Kabi is the Border tribe leader, but I have not met him or know more about the situation." Kat asked as T'Challa nodded in agreement.

"He is also a friend. Ulysses Klaue murdered his family when he took the Vibrainium from Wakanda. Back in Korea I had promised to bring Klaue back to face justice for his crimes." Well that explained T'Challa's uncertainty on the issue. However while it explained many things it did not explain the look Okoye wore. Looking only briefly inside the General's mind Kat discovered that Okoye and W'Kabi were at least lovers if not married. Kat frowned in thought, then sighed.

"That is complicated. I know this will be difficult to ask but do you know why he betrayed you?"

"Killmonger brought him the body of Ulysses Klaue. It was something I failed to do for him." T'Challa replied.

"I see... and even after this can you feel that you can or will eventually be able to trust him?" Kat asked. It was a loaded question, but T'Challa took a moment to consider it before concluding.

"I do not know. I feel that our friendship and trust has been destroyed. I do not wish it to be, but that is where it is."

Kat nodded she needed to give him a better answer than to just punish W'Kabi for his actions. "Friends can forgive each other," Kat replied, thinking as she spoke, "Sometimes it can be over the smallest of mistakes. Other times it will feel like there is no going back to the way things were because it feels damaged beyond repair."

Kat waited a moment to let the words sink in then asked. "Are you familiar with Kintsugi?"

"Sorry no." T'Challa replied.

"Kintsugi is what the Japanese do when something is broken, often pottery, but there are philosophical views to be had. They repair the item using gold or silver lacquer so that the breaks are clearly visible. It is done because the Japanese believe that the flaws should not be covered or concealed, but put on display. It makes it more beautiful as a proof to the history of the item. The clear breaks also make the item unique and unlike any other out there."

Now T'Challa was giving her a funny look. She continued: "In a philosophical sense yours and W'Kabi's friendship will never be the same, but rather than just toss that friendship aside like a broken bowl. Repair it, as the Japanese would a broken bowl. It will be a testament to the history of your friendship making it unique."

"A unique approach..." T'Challa admitted, "I still do not know if I will ever be able to trust him again."

"Than perhaps that will be part of his punishment. He will have to regain your trust, and it will not be regained overnight or for a very long time. However if he will not attempt to repair the damage and make amends, then I am sorry your highness but there will be no way to repair your friendship or trust. All you can do is offer him the chance and it will be up to him."

Thinking a moment T'Challa finally looked to Tess. "And you, Teresa? What do you think?"

"I agree with my mommy. Once when I saw a picture of Aunt Sharon and her, she told me about their friendship. Mommy was sad thinking since she lied to Aunt Sharon she had betrayed her friend's trust. Mommy believed that they couldn't be friends anymore, but Sharon forgave her."

After a moment of considering his options he nodded. He naturally would have to decide for himself on what to do, but now having everyone's input he could make a better informed decision. With that most could now focus on what needed to be done to repair Wakanda leaving Kat and Tess once more to their own devices. They to many were still merely guests of the King, so they mainly tried to keep out of the way.

In the days to follow, Kat let Myra have some much needed time off. The poor woman had been through a lot, and Kat was hating that she had missed so much time with Tess. She still was not comfortable visiting the cryo-chamber and Bucky, but aside from that Tess rarely left her sight. As things around there slowly went back to normal, Tess returned to practice in the mornings. It was on one of these mornings that Kat sat on the hill over the training grounds watching Tess with her practice staff. The little girl was outshining the other older children in the class since she never forgot the stances. While Kat was still not sure about Tess practising at such a young age, she had to admit she was proud of how Tess was turning out.

There was a sigh as a certain redhead sat down, and Kat did not take her eyes off of Tess as she said to Myra. "You know you still have days off right?"

"Yeah I know."

"How are you feeling?"

"Better, if not for Okoye it could have been a lot worse." Myra replied with a shrug. For a while the pair merely watched Tess, then Myra sighed. "I have news. Shuri asked me to tell you..."

"What?" Kat asked now tearing her eyes away from Tess to look at the former agent.

"She is going to California with King T'Challa, but then she will be dropped off back in Wakanda." This information did not sound so bad to Kat. The two siblings needed some away time after everything that had happened. "When she gets back she is going to begin rewriting Barnes' mind to get rid of the HYDRA programming. After that he will be brought out of cryo."

Kat straightened now realising why Shuri sent Myra. It was an uncertainty of how Kat would react to the news. In all honesty Kat was not sure what to feel... joy? Anger? She still was too hurt by his actions to simply let it go. She also felt it was not enough time to work through what she was feeling. The recent events in Wakanda only made her question things more. Linda's words kept bouncing around inside her head, she tried to ignore the poisonous words; but on some level she couldn't. If nothing else, Kat knew she could not be there when Bucky awoke as she might do something drastic that she would regret later. Besides her absence might convey everything to Bucky about just how angry she was. _'Let him awake alone, and see how it feels!'_ She thought bitterly.

"Kat?" Myra asked, concerned when she had not said anything.

"It's alright, neither of you needed to worry about my response."

"It's just we both know it is a sensitive subject for you." Myra replied gently.

"It is still which is why I will be going back out before Shuri gets back."

"Kat..." Myra was stunned but still trying to say that this was a bad idea.

"I will not be here when he awakens. I can't. I awoke in that bed, and he just left me... If I am here when he wakes, I don't know what I will do." Kat said shakily and on the verge of tears. She had been wrestling with this anger and pain now for months. The only time she could escape it was when she threw herself into missions and now she found she was not prepared to deal with it anymore than on the first day.

"I want to punch his lights out, kick his ass, scream at him and cry," Kat confessed as she quickly wiped away the tears starting to fall, "But at the same time I want to throw myself at him and kiss him till we're out of breath. I wanna cling to him and beg him never to do this again..."

Myra sat there frozen just listening as she looked at Kat. Without interruptions Kat continued. "So I would probably end up kissing him then trying to punch him before screaming at him then bursting into tears."

"Sounds like a good combination." Myra replied making Kat laugh a little, "It might scare him enough to never ditch you again."

"Yeah, but I don't want to go in there not thinking. I want to be calm and collected when I face him. I don't want to be hysterical..."

"So give him the cold silent treatment by leaving Wakanda." Myra concluded nodding in understanding. "It's a good way to say you're pissed off."

Again silence followed then Myra added. "Oh also Agent Everett Ross made it home safely. I am happy to report that Aida sent a copy of the report he made. There was absolutely no mention of you, Tess, or Bucky. Actually his report was rather vague, did not even mention the technological advances in Wakanda. So... in the clear on that note."

Kat nodded having already known that Everett kept his word and made no attempt to mention them. She would have hated to have silenced him for good. The Shadow Network had had a team standing by ready to silence Ross all she would have had to do was give the word. Luckily Ross kept his word and she called them off. However that was not the only report Myra had to make. "Also King T'Challa has requested a UN announcement meeting in Vienna in three days. Not sure what about but from the way it sounds it is going to be big."

"I know Aida already told me. After this recent incident King T'Challa had given her full access into the mainframe. He is going to announce to the UN that he is opening Wakanda's border and sharing resources with the world."

"Oh wow!" Myra replied surprised.

"I guess given recent events he has come to the conclusion following his predecessors is a mistake. If nothing else Killmonger showed that remaining isolated fixes nothing. I only worry that other nations might try to take advantage of the sharing of resources. Or allow more people like Klaue to take what is not theirs." Kat explained.

"I see. Have you expressed these concerns with the King?"

"I have, but he knows the larger world needs help too. He is no longer willing to ignore that, and I can understand that." Kat said watching Tess and the group finish their lessons for the day. That was when Kat noticed a familiar Dora Milaje standing off to the side that Tess greeted. Okoye was smiling down at Tess with approval. The interaction was brief with Okoye having to return to her duties and Tess was soon heading their way. No doubt the General had come to see Tess practice.

Eventually Tess climbed the hill and came to sit by her mother. "Mommy, did you see?"

"Of course, you looked perfect."

"Thanks. Okoye came and saw too. She says I got each stance perfectly!" Tess said excited.

"I saw, she looked impressed." Kat replied.

"She also told me she will be away for a few days with the king..." Tess added sounding saddened. There was no denying it both Okoye and Tess were close. Also after Tess encouraged M'Baku to join the recent battle she was now popularly referred to as the 'Miniature Dora Milaje'. M'Baku was the first to call her that name and soon a number of people had taken to calling her that including the royal family.

"Don't worry she will be back. It is only for a few days." Kat said trying to get her daughter to smile. The rest of the day was spent with Tess since Kat had been away for some time, and it seemed she might be away again when Bucky woke. So the pair went about the town and Kat tried to cram as much fun into the select few days she would have with Tess. It also distracted the little girl from Okoye having to leave, but sadly upon King T'Challa and Shuri's return from California it meant it was time to go. She told Tess she had to check in with the Shadow Network and see how Daisy was doing. Which was not a lie, but it could have been done later rather than sooner. Besides Kat wanted to see Ross and she knew he would be at the announcement hearing. Thus the day before said hearing and Bucky being woken, Kat had the Quinjet refuelled and said her brief goodbyes before leaving.

* * *

 **January 26** **th** **, 2017**

 **United Nations**

 **Vienna, Austria**

Walking into the large government building to witness King T'Challa's announcement to the UN was easier than Kat thought. Thanks to Everett no one expected Kat to sneak in not even Everett Ross. Kat entered dressed in a navy blue business suit-dress, her colour clip was clicked to blond and she wore a glossy pink lipstick and sunglasses. The fake badge claimed she was a journalist there to cover the story. She carried a coffee from Starbucks in one hand and a matching handbag in the other holding a notepad and pen to keep the journalist persona going. As she spotted Everett speaking to T'Challa she caught Okoye's eye, but both did not react. However hearing Ross try to speak in Xhosa was certainly funny since he got one distinct word wrong. _"_ _Good luck and many shoelaces."_

Kat had almost choked on her coffee as she passed them, but continued to listen as T'Challa told him it was close, and Everett replied. "Don't laugh I practised that."

It was very hard not to laugh at Ross' valiant attempt to speak Xhosa, it was a hard language to learn even for Kat. However many said Mandarin was a hard language, but that one was natural to her. Regardless she continued on through the security check points without any trouble and entered the large audience chamber. She discretely waited for Ross to enter and take his own seat, then casually went over and sat down by him saying the word in Xhosa he got wrong. _"_ _Thanks."_

Ross looked over at her as she pulled out a notepad and began drawing. "You said shoelaces."

It only took a second for Ross to see through the disguise then groaned. "I think I did pretty well in my attempt."

"Yes it was rather funny." Kat replied not looking up from her drawing.

"What are you doing here? I kept my word no mention of you or your family-"

"Relax I am just here to say thanks for that and to witness the announcement." Kat said and Everett relaxed.

"You know if you are spotted, you'll be arrested."

"Which is why I am incognito."

"Yeah you make a terrible blond." Ross replied and Kat looked up faking a hurt look.

"I thought I made a cute blond." Ross shook his head and looked away as Kat continued drawing, she was just finishing her drawing when she tore it from the pad and handed it to Ross. The agent looked at it.

"Ha Ha very funny." He grumbled, the drawing was of him as a hobbit with a speech bubble saying: 'Hello I'm Everett Ross.' Kat smiled before taking a drink of her coffee just as she saw them about to begin, and King T'Challa went to the podium to speak.

"My name is King T'Challa son of King T'Chaka. I am the sovereign ruler of Wakanda, and for the first time in our history we will be sharing our knowledge and resources with the outside world. Wakanda will no longer watch from the shadows. We cannot. We must not, we will work to be an example of how we as brothers and sisters on this Earth should treat each other. Now more than ever the illusions of division threaten our very existence. We all know the truth more connects us then separates us, but in times of crisis the wise build bridges while the foolish build barriers. We must find a way to look after one another as if we were one single tribe."

King T'Challa's words held a great deal of wisdom, but there were still fools a plenty to be had as one leader asked. "With all due respect King T'Challa what can a bunch of farmers offer the rest of the world."

 _'A great deal more than your country offers idiot.'_ Kat thought as a few others chuckled not knowing just what the country of Wakanda could offer. Instead those that actually knew just gave knowing smirks. Sadly in the next few hours so called advanced countries found they were not as advanced as they had thought. While other countries were on the back peddle or just simply stunned. By the time all was said and done the reporters there still had many questions, but the hearing came to a close.

Packing away the notepad, Kat was stopped by Everett. "Uh Mrs. Barnes..."

Kat looked back as Everett extended his hand for her to shake, which she did. "It was a pleasure working with you and meeting the miniature Dora Milaje."

"Thanks Agent Ross."

"Also just to let you know I did not see you here either," Ross added smiling at her and Kat chuckled. "Good luck out there."

"Thank you, and you too. It looks like you will have your hands full trying to keep the vultures off of T'Challa's back."

"Yeah..." Ross said looking out over the large chamber warily. It made Kat sigh as she pulled out a card and handed it to Ross.

"No one can know about this but us." She handed him the card.

"What is this?"

"A mutual friend's number, and the other one is the Shadow Network. If you need extra help give 'em a call. They'll help 'discretely'." There were two numbers on the card she gave Ross, one was for Sharon Carter and the other was a direct number to Cutter and the others. "Just tell them Kat gave you this card."

Everett nodded in understanding and the pair said goodbye. Leaving the large room, Kat headed back down to the lobby and spotted a Starbucks by the main entrance. Her earlier coffee gone, she decided she would get another one. However she spotted T'Challa, Nakia, Okoye, and Ayo. The group was looking at the menu above the counter trying to decide when Kat came up. "I can make some suggestions, just whatever you do don't go with just boring filter coffee you can get anywhere."

"I see Okoye did spot you." Nakia replied, "You make a terrible blond."

"Oh c'mon I think I work it pretty well." Kat argued, then looked to T'Challa, "May I?"

Kat gestured to the counter offering to get them a drink she was sure they would like. "By all means. Go ahead, Mrs. Barnes."

With T'Challa's permission, Kat went to the counter. "Yeah I would like five caramel coffee frappuccinos."

When their drinks came they each took one and were trying it, but Okoye frowned at the icy beverage Kat choose wrinkling her nose at it before even tasting it. Thus far no one was complaining, but Kat had to encourage the general to at least try it. "C'mon Okoye just try it."

"It is cold. Coffee is not suppose to be cold."

"Are you saying the General of the Dora Milaje will not try something new because she is afraid it is a little cold?" Kat asked receiving a glare before Okoye took a drink, then looked at the container. She took another drink and another. Until Kat had to ask. "Good?"

"Yes... what is it called again?"

"Caramel coffee frappuccino." Kat replied, Okoye said the name a couple of times to remember it.

"Great she has gotten Okoye addicted to Starbucks." Nakia laughed.

"So what brought you here, Mrs. Barnes?" T'Challa asked.

"I mainly came to see the announcement, and to thank Agent Ross for his discretion." Kat replied, though T'Challa did not look convinced.

"I see. Nothing to do with Shuri waking up a certain someone today." The observation made Kat stop drinking her drink and look elsewhere.

"You guys should also try the Latte's especially the seasonal ones. They're amazing." Kat said trying to avoid the question.

"Katrina... you should be home with your daughter waiting for him to wake." T'Challa said concerned, "He needs you."

"And when I woke, I needed him. But was he there? No, because he would rather run away then face me." Kat pointed out, then sighed, "I just need more time away, to think. I can't do that with him around. I need time to figure things out, and if I were there he probably wouldn't leave me be."

For a moment T'Challa just watched her before nodding in understanding. Rather then bring up the painful subject further, he let Nakia change it. "Hmm that sounds good... Maple and pecan flavoured latte."

"Is that one any good?" Okoye asked Kat.

"Yes that one is very good. You guys aren't allergic to nuts are you?" When everyone said no, Kat went over and ordered them five of the flavoured lattes. While she was distracted Nakia went over to T'Challa.

"It is probably best not to speak of Barnes, she just needs time to figure out where her heart is," Nakia said smiling up at T'Challa, "Don't worry she will realise soon enough where she is meant to be and go home on her own. For now... let her have this time."

The young woman was obviously speaking from experience as T'Challa smiled at her. "Was that what you needed then?"

Nakia just smiled at him, then said. "I am curious what this latte will taste like."

In short the answer was yes, and T'Challa smiled as he moved with Nakia to pick up the second drink and try it. There was no harm in letting Kat have some time alone right? It was not like she would get into any kind of trouble, right?

* * *

 **Back in Wakanda...**

Shuri stood at the counsel pressing keys in her makeshift lab. Her last one being ruined thanks to the fighting. However she had plans to make a much nicer lab then the previous one. For now though she had promised to focus all her efforts on reviving Bucky and rewriting his mind of the programming. Most of this was done while he was still cryogenically frozen, but the remainder would have to be done out of cryo. Off to the side sat Tess on one of the counters with Myra right next to the little girl. It felt wrong to do this without Kat there, Sergeant Barnes would want to see his wife when he awoke; but it was not happening.

"So... excited to see your dad after all this time?" Myra asked as Tess smiled up at her.

"Yeah, I just wish mommy could be here." Tess replied as Shuri peaked over. The little girl as usual was carrying that practice staff and was wearing a cute little outfit.

"I am sure she would be if she could..." Myra tried to reassure Tess, but the little girl shook her head.

"Mommy is angry at Daddy." As usual the girl was a lot smarter and more observant than she looked. If Kat thought Tess had not noticed her refusal to enter the cryo-chamber, or the hurt look she gave when someone said Daddy's name; then she was dead wrong. The little girl had noticed all this and more. Myra sighed as she looked at Tess.

"Don't worry, they will work things out in the end. Yes your mom is mad at your dad, but she will come to forgive him. For now... just try to focus on the fact that your dad is going to wake up." Both looked back at Shuri who had been waiting until they were ready. With the go ahead, Shuri clicked a few keys and the chamber lid rose with a hiss. Despite the cryo mist being removed a misty white smoke still rose before revealing Bucky inside. For a few moments the three women were silent as were the two Dora Milaje guards by the doors.

"Sergeant Barnes?" Shuri called.

"Daddy?" Tess called, it was then Bucky opened his eyes and Tess smiled. Looking to Shuri she asked. "Can I go over to him now?"

"Of course." Shuri replied and the little girl hopped down off the counter. She came up the few steps and was just tall enough to climb over the side and hug her dad's waist. It took Bucky's muddled mind a moment to realise he was being hugged by his daughter and hug her back.

"Hey princess." He said his voice raspy from disuse.

"I missed you." Tess said hugging him even more tightly.

"So did I," Bucky replied wishing he had not needed to be put under in the first place. How much had he missed? Days? Weeks? Months? Please not years! "How long?"

"It's alright Sergeant Barnes you have only been asleep a little over four months." Shuri answered, and Bucky relaxed for a moment until he realised the room was missing an important person. He saw Shuri, Tess, Myra, and two guards... but where was Kat? He looked around again doing another head count.

"Where is Kat?" He asked warily. Neither women nor Tess replied and after a moment Bucky took a shaky breath as he realised he already knew the answer. She was not here and now Bucky got to feel what she felt all those months ago when she awoke and he was not there. It was a painful thing to experience, but he guessed he deserved this. Instead Shuri cleared her throat.

"Sergeant Barnes, I know this is not the best time, but I need to make sure the HYDRA programming has been removed. We need to see if the code words work or not..."

Bucky tensed worried that he might hurt someone, then looked down at Tess. "Honey go stand by the Dora, please."

Tess reluctantly let go and got up before moving to stand by the Dora as asked. It was then Shuri turned to Myra. "Could you please read these code words aloud in Russian?"

Myra frowned not liking this, but came forward and took the card from Shuri. "What if something goes wrong? I mean I really do not want to activate the Winter Soldier..."

"Relax Miss Bicks. Should the programming somehow still be there. Simply order him to stand down. It is a reset so that Bucky regains control." Shuri said then looked to Bucky. "Hold still Sergeant, I need to monitor your brain activity as she says each word."

Nodding Bucky held still as he looked at Myra who wore a worried look. "Well here is to hoping these words are nothing more then gibberish now..." Myra held up the card and cleared her throat speaking in Russian. _"_ _Longing."_

Bucky tensed expecting the worst.

"Try to relax Sergeant Barnes." Shuri said as she used her kimoyo beads to scan him and was looking at the responses to the words. She then nodded to Myra to continue who did.

" _Rusted."_ Bucky tried to relax as he looked over at Tess worried. _"_ _Seventeen."_

Every instinct was screaming at him to stop Myra or flee the room, but he kept still trusting that Shuri knew what she was doing. _"_ _Daybreak."_

He flinched expecting the triggers to start taking effect. Often mid-way there was a dull ache that progressed into pain, but nothing... _"_ _Furnace."_

Bucky was still half expecting the code words to trigger his mind, but now not feeling the pain usually accompanied by the code words he waited hoping. _"_ _Nine."_

Still nothing he looked over at Shuri who was smiling at the results, there was no indicators that the HYDRA programming was even there! Myra peaked up and also began relaxing as she saw no change. _"_ _Benign."_

By that code word Bucky remembered feeling his mind slipping into the back as if locked in a corner of his mind unable to react to anything. However his mind was not slipping at all and he relaxed a little more which made Myra relax and say the words more confidently. _"_ _Homecoming."_

Still nothing not even a twinge telling him he was going to be taken over. _"_ _One."_

Again Bucky looked to a smiling Shuri as she knew her plan worked and he was now free of the HYDRA programming. Still though they wanted to see this through so Myra continued. _"_ _Freight Car."_

And... nothing. Bucky relaxed allowing himself to breath as he chuckled, while Myra relaxed and Shuri spoke. "Well all signs are normal, no neurological response to the key words meaning no more HYDRA programming. I will of course still need to run tests and make sure the programming has been completely removed, we don't want a relapse."

"Thank you." Bucky said looking at Shuri who smiled.

"Oh thank goodness for that. Please never ask me to read those words again." Myra added tearing up the card for good measure. The three had a laugh about it then Tess asked.

"So no more bad stuff in Daddy's head?"

"That is correct, Tess. He is free of the bad stuff." Shuri replied, and so Tess ran over and hugged him tightly. For the first time in a very long time Bucky could relax without fear of losing himself. He hugged Tess and kissed the top of her head, glad to finally be able to hold his daughter. However now came another issue while he was free of the HYDRA programming he still had to face the consequences of his actions towards Kat. He hoped that soon he could see her and earn her forgiveness.

Later that evening when Tess was laid down to sleep, Bucky pulled Myra aside and she explained that Kat refused to be there when he would wake. The former agent tried to be gentle about it, but it still hurt to know that Kat would choose to stay away. He wanted to be angry at Kat and he was, but he also knew he was at fault for choosing to go under without talking to her first. He just hoped wherever she was whatever she was doing that she was okay.

* * *

 **August 7** **th** **, 2016**

 **Tokyo Japan**

 **Flashback...**

In the heart of Tokyo Japan in the business district many high rise buildings stood where companies and corporations conducted their business. In these buildings such groups could rise or fall with just the change of the wind. One moment a large corporation could be rising towards the heaven, and one simple mistake could easily cause it to crumble into ash. It was in one of the larger building many levels above the streets below, that board members from one such corporation sat. The large room had a long sprawling table. At it sat comfortable high back leather chairs with most filled, and at the far end in front of a large window sat the head of the corporation watching the door. The man Akio Namura was growing impatient as he glanced to his left where a team of lawyers sat, then his gaze returned to the door. _'If she is trying to make a fashionably late entrance, it will not help her.'_ Akio thought drumming his fingers on the table. As it was the woman in question had some nerve trying to buy out his corporation with a paltry sum. Perhaps that was why he was indulging her with this meeting, to thoroughly embarrass her.

His father always told him a woman had no place in business, no doubt this one had only gotten so far because of her looks. Sadly her looks would not win her any favours, and he intended to see her leave with her tail tucked between her legs. As if on cue Akio's secretary appeared leading an older woman into the board room. Immediately Akio rose to greet her and shake her hand speaking Japanese. "Mrs. Nakagawa, it is a pleasure to meet you."

"You as well, Mr. Namura."

"Please sit." Akio gestured to the seat by his on his right. As they were sitting down, Akio gave a quick once over. Moira Nakagawa was nothing special. Just an older handsome woman in a suit dress. Her black hair with grey streaks was beautifully pinned up, and she looked good for her age; but none of that would be good enough to get him to sell his company. The only shocking thing to note about her was she carried a briefcase, and had no legal aid in the form of lawyers.

"I am very grateful for this meeting, Mr. Namura." Moira smiled pleasantly then began pulling out the legal documents, no doubt for a signing over the company. "My generous offer still stands."

"Generous?" Akio laughed, "This company has been family owned for five generations, and is worth five times what you are offering, Mrs. Nakagawa."

"It's Miss, my husband has been dead now for years. As for the offer, you agreed to this meeting and I was told you had an interest in selling." Moira corrected still giving a pleasant smile as if he would agree to what she wanted.

"I called this meeting to tell you there will never be a sale." Akio started to rise wanting this meeting over with. However he only rose mid-way then... he could not move. Instead he found himself seated and unable to move. He tried to look to others for help, but no one noticed what was going on. The pleasantness left Moira's voice as she straightened.

"I do not waste my time coming to meetings to be told no, Mr. Namura. I am a very busy woman, and have no time for time wasters." As she spoke she slid the document over with a pen which now sat open and ready to be signed. "Now as said my offer still stands..."

"Mr. Namura, as your legal team we strongly advise against selling." One of Akio's lawyers spoke up. Sadly Akio still could not move an inch! He tried telling his body to stand and tear up the document, but nothing worked. Then his body did the last thing he wanted it to do, despite all his struggling internally, he picked up the pen. _'No!'_ He thought trying to drop the pen and get free, but instead he watched in horror as his hand pressed the pen to the dotted line and signed with a flourish!

Just like that his company was gone, and he struggled more to move and tear up the papers. Sadly he could not move, nothing wanted to respond, while the lawyers and board members sat stunned by what he had done. Meanwhile Moira rose and collected the documents with a smile. It was her! It had to be. "You made the right decision Mr. Namura. Thank you."

With the documents sealed in her briefcase she headed for the door, and only then was Akio able to move once more. "You're one of them aren't you?!"

"I am sorry? One of what?" Moira feigned confusion.

"Those aliens in the news!" He accused. This made Moira burst out laughing and shaking her head, "You forced me to sign!"

"Mr Namura that is very funny. I made you do nothing, you chose to sign. Do not disgrace yourself further by denying this. After all this room is full of witnesses that saw you pick up the pen and sign." Moira replied, then opened the door. "Good day Mr. Namura... gentlemen."

With that Moira Nakagawa left the board room and headed down the hall. Mid-way down the hall Moira was met by her trusted bodyguard, Leiko. As usual the woman said nothing but immediately began following Moira to the elevator. Together they stepped on and Leiko hit the button for the ground floor. Leiko was a slender younger woman was hazel eyes and dark brown hair, at such business meetings she was seen wearing a suit dress, but it made her no less dangerous to anyone stupid enough to attack. Aside from that Leiko wore black trousers, slip on shoes, and a black blouse.

It was exiting the lobby that Moira's phone rang, she half expected it to be Akio Namura promising she would pay for this. However seeing the caller ID Moira was a little stunned before answering. "Gregor... it has been too long. To what do I owe the pleasure."

"Moira are you alone? Is it safe to talk?" Gregor asked scared, and Moira looked to her bodyguard before answering.

"Of course it is, but why have you called you know we are not suppose to speak."

"It's all over the news, Moira!"

"Yes I heard about the little spat the Avengers got into. Hardly worth my time, I am busy Gregor."

"No not that!" Gregor snapped, and Moira frowned confused. She had been busy and so paying attention to the news was not on her agenda. All she knew was there was an argument over the Accords and it resulted in a fight at the airport. Prior to that she had a body double attend the signing in Vienna who survived the bombing. It was just what was needed to galvanise the countries to sign the accords which worked in their favour. After that it was back to business as usual, so why then was Gregor calling her?

The pair stepped off the elevator and left the lobby of the building as Moira asked. "What do you mean? What happened?"

" _She_ happened! Katseye!"

"You mean that little thorn in our side?" Moira asked amused, "She is little more than a ghost story meant to frighten us."

"No she is real, Moira. She is all over the news." When the limo pulled up, Leiko opened the door and Moira got in. Leiko went around and got in on the opposite side so that she sat next to Moira. Immediately Moira turned on the small television in the limo and put it on low volume. Sure enough the news coverage was all about the Avengers fighting and the huge reveal of Katseye. For a second Moira listened more to the reporter than to Gregor.

" _...Amongst the Avengers was one identified as Katseye a former enemy of SHIELD fighting alongside Steve Roger's Captain America. According to information dropped on the internet, Katseye is really a HYDRA lab rat named 'Three' from Project Mastermind. A super intelligence programme..."_ As the woman spoke footage was shown of Katseye fighting Black Widow at the airport. While in the corner a close up picture was displayed of her face no longer hidden. Moira stared at the image stunned before a smile broke out, then she remembered Gregor was still talking and put the phone back to her ear.

"It is alright Gregor. I will handle it." Before he could say another word, Moira hung up still looking at the image stunned.

"Should I contact our 'problem solvers'?"

"No, I want to handle this personally..." Moira said still staring at the image of the dark haired woman with purple highlights. "After all a mother should not be separated from her daughter."

* * *

 **Author's Notes:**

 **First off thank you all for the lovely reviews. I really enjoy hearing from each of you.**

 **Also sorry for the delay a lot is happening in real life and so it took longer then normal to post the latest chapter.**

 **As for this Chapter... I feel I need to point this out, because I love the characters Okoye and Shuri. I felt since Kat seems to get along quite well with Shuri, Okoye could have a soft spot for Tess. As it is Kat has not gotten the adequate time to hang out with Shuri that would show how well the two work together, and so Kat would probably have very little chance to hang with Okoye at the moment. Whereas Tess is in Wakanda and could have a lot more interactions with the General. After all Kat can't form a lasting friendship with each and every character in the MCU, the story would ground to a halt. Besides I have thus far liked how Okoye and Tess get along in these chapters.**

 **The other thing to note was in the aftermath of the events of Black Panther Myra informs Kat that Ross kept his word. I know in previous chapters a lot of you were concerned with Kat's handling of Ross, so I hope that the fact that she was fully prepared to 'silence' him shows that she was not ignoring the threat posed. Myra really did not even need to report this to Kat as she already knew Ross had not reported her. Some might ask what she could do while in Wakanda? Well the Shadow Network were the ones that would have handled the situation if it came to that. It isn't that she was acting cowardly and didn't want to handle it herself if Ross spoke out. It was done this way to avoid it being traced back to her. As said she has to play by a new set of rules in Wakanda, so her involvement in Ross being silenced would have had to been non-existent. Fortunately Ross being the good guy he is kept his word and in the end there was no need to silence him. Now before anyone expresses concerns for the future, that does not mean Ross is in the clear. He is going to be watched carefully to ensure he never mentions them, that is just how Kat operates. But new rules and all the Shadow Network will be the ones monitoring him for Kat to avoid angering T'Challa. Again I hope this helps with the previous concerns readers had.**

 **As for Kat seeing Ross again and being there to witness T'Challa's announcement to the UN. This was done because Ross kept his word and while it was dangerous for her to go there she wanted to thank him. Also her giving him that card for the Shadow Network was to show that in the end they had come a long way. As for the Starbucks scene afterwards with T'Challa and co. Well anyone remember that trailer where Okoye thought Wakanda would be getting a Starbucks? It is sort of a nod to that trailer. Since Kat loves her cup of Joe, I thought it would be funny if it was her that got Okoye addicted to Starbucks.**

 **Lastly we get introduced to the latest baddie at the end of this chapter. I put her appearance as happening back during the Civil War events mainly because I wanted her to find out about our heroine then, but did not want to introduce her during those chapter. Hence we are show her in a flashback and how she reacted to Kat. Where or when she might pop up now though is anyone's guess... (Gives evil laugh!)**

 **Anyway let me know what you think of this latest chapter by leaving a review. I love getting reviews.**

 **Lesliezin**


	59. An Unbeakable Bond

**Hello everyone,**

 **Here is Chapter 59, enjoy.**

* * *

 **February 28** **th** **, 2017**

 **Quinjet**

"For the hundredth time Aida, I said no." Kat replied annoyed.

"We have been out here for four weeks, and nothing. Can't you just kiss and make-up already?" Aida asked equally annoyed. It was a repeat of the same argument Kat and Aida had over the last two weeks. Mainly because Kat was stubborn and Aida was trying to encourage what was best for everybody. What the AI did not know was Kat was also a little scared to return to Wakanda. Before she had been scared of what she would do to Bucky if she saw him, but now... she could sense Bucky.

It was like Lincoln had said when he explained more in depth about Inhuman traits and powers. He had warned that over time Inhuman's powers grew as the individual became more attuned to them. Their traits also encouraged their powers natural growth. These traits were basically indicators of a person meant to be Inhuman, for example Raina had the trait to influence people in her favour. Daisy was a natural with counting and binary making her a natural hacker. Sadly Kat's trait was adaptability according to Lincoln, it was how she not only learned new skills but could improve upon them outdoing her instructors. Each trait tied in neatly with the individual's powers complimenting it. So Raina could see the future and despite her outward appearance influence people to act on her visions. Some traits were harder to tie in with powers much like Daisy's, but with Kat it was fairly obvious. Her adaptability was allowing her powers to grow as she mastered new skills fairly easily – hence her current predicament.

It had been a gradual thing that Kat had barely noticed, or simply did not want to notice. On some level she could sense her friends and those she considered herself close to. She could sense Coulson and his team. She felt the leaders of the Shadow Network and the Avengers. All of them... King T'Calla, Yo-yo... even ones she had not seen for a very long time like Bobbi and Hunter. This sensing ability even extended to lesser known allies like Everett Ross. Where exactly they were or what they were doing she had no clue, but she could sense them and knew they were okay.

With her deeper friendships she could even feel when Sharon or Daisy were danger. She sensed when Myra was concerned for her, or when Shuri got excited over another idea. With Tess it was distinct much clearer than anyone else. She knew when her daughter was practising or thinking about her. Or when Tess would be with Bucky. It was not that Kat was actively mind reading any of them or anything; she wasn't anywhere close enough to mind read them. She just sensed them even over great distances. Obviously some she sensed better than others, but then there was Bucky... She often ended up wondering if he could sense her too via this weird mental ability. It was more than simply sensing him, she knew around the beginning of February he was angry with her. Before he was even awakened she felt him pulling her mentally towards him even asleep as he was. Now this bond or whatever was stronger and she could feel him demanding she return home, and it scared her.

Had Lincoln been alive she would have tried to contact him for help since he was the Inhuman expert. Instead it was all guesswork and trying to understand why this was happening. Even relaxing her mind for a moment was driving her crazy because she could feel Bucky and with each passing day the mental pull became stronger and harder to resist. Asleep was even worse, she would often have vivid dreams of him that felt so... real. One such dream still hung in her mind and refused to leave. She had not even known she was asleep!

 _The first thing Kat remembered was waking up aboard the Quinjet and thinking she had not gotten much sleep at all. She stretched and heard her bones popping as she sat up and looked around her. Living on a Quinjet was not at all comfortable, but beggars could not be choosers. Getting up she winced as she stretched once more then came to the cockpit to check the controls. "Aida what's our ETA?"_

 _No response. "Aida?"_

 _Still nothing so Kat leaned over to check the connections and make sure the AI was not cut off. Everything seemed to be in good working order, so why wasn't Aida responding? "Aida!" There was still no response, "What the hell?!"_

 _Turning around she was going to go check the system panel when she gasped at who was standing there in the middle of her plane. How was this possible? She was thousands of miles from Wakanda! Yet the handsome dark haired man stood there looking a little stunned himself. Was he shocked to find himself here? Feeling eyes on him, Bucky looked up confused then smiled at her. "So this is where you've been hiding."_

" _How did you get here?" Kat asked stunned._

" _I wanted to see you," Bucky replied with a shrug of his well muscled shoulders, then seemed annoyed as he added, "I have wanted to see you for weeks, Kat!"_

" _Yes well I need time alone to think." Kat replied annoyed that he snuck aboard somehow. Her words only angered him as he stalked forward and she backed into the wall panel by the cockpit._

" _And I need you!" Practically cornered Kat tried to think of something to say, but came up blank. Instead she tried to slip past him only to be trapped by his silver arm. When she tried to slip out the other way his flesh hand gripped her arm. "Don't."_

 _Having no place to go Kat looked up at Bucky as he leaned in wanting to kiss and touch her. Before he could kiss her she blurted out her own retort. "I needed you too. Five months ago. When I woke in a hospital bed to find you gone. Where were you Bucky?!"_

" _Kat-" Bucky started to say._

" _Not a nice thing is it? Waking up to find the one you love is not there." Kat pointed out not wanting to give him the chance to make his excuses, "Which did you feel first? Anger? Hurt? Loneliness? Me? I was deeply hurt by it. I cried myself to sleep every night for—Mmmph!"_

 _Bucky's lips crushed down on hers to silence her, he could not stand to hear how deeply he hurt her. So instead he was kissing her deeply and passionately to make up for what he did. Momentarily stunned, Kat didn't react as Bucky pressed her up against the panel as he pressed against her pinning her in place. Once over her shock, Kat tried to stop the kiss by turning her head but Bucky held her in place as he deepened the kiss. His mouth became more demanding as the kiss continued and Kat's struggles slowly stopped. Once she relented, Bucky continued to kiss her for a moment longer then almost hesitantly he released her lips. His face remained within inches of her own while his flesh hand ran over her cheek. His thumb gently ran over her lips admiring the softness as he felt her shudder. Then his hand slid lower running down her neck to her button up shirt and tank top. The shirt was open at the top so his hand slid beneath her shirt to cup her breast through her bra and tank top._

 _While his flesh hand ran over her breast, his metal one reached down to grab her hip and pull her close to him. Held against him, Kat gasped at what she felt pressing against her. Not only was his eyes full of desire, but the hard member pressing against her told her he was not about to release her. Before she could recover Bucky picked her up and took her back to the makeshift bed on the Quinjet. Laying her down, he pressed down on top of her where he resumed kissing her. His lips soon left hers to run a trail down her neck to her chest, while his hands ran over her body._

" _Bucky...wait. We haven't resolved anything." Kat tried as Bucky didn't stop his attentions._

" _Not now." He grumbled out as he continued to kiss her. Not now? For a second she wondered what he could mean, but judging by his thoughts and actions he was done talking and the conversation was over for the time being._

" _Bucky I'm serious we-" She gasped as she had not noticed where his metal hand had gotten to. Her jeans had been unbuttoned and his metal hand was inside said jeans and panties, a cold digit ran up and down her. It threatened to enter her a couple of times too._

" _I said not now." Bucky warned then continued kissing her neck. However Kat was not about to simply drop it because she was told to. She tried to squirm loose and push him off, but received the opposite results. A large metal digit moved past the folds to dip inside her, she immediately froze and gasped. It was not an unpleasant sensation, just... different. The cool metal hard fingers continued to explore deeper and deeper as Kat became wet. 'Oh! This has got to be some exotic dream!' Kat thought as Bucky pumped his finger and she moaned enjoying him, and in response he upped the tempo as he kissed her neck and chest._

 _It all became surreal as Kat arched her back about to go over the edge, and knowing she was so close Bucky suddenly removed his finger from her and she groaned in protest. What followed was Kat looking up through dazed eyes as Bucky removed his tight shirt. Then he got up enough to yank her jeans and panties off. Once said garments were gone, Bucky climbed back over her and undid his own belt and jeans. That was when reality clicked, she had not taken one of those pills Queen Ramanda gave her in over five months! The long and short of it was she could get pregnant. She tried to crawl backwards and started to protest. "Wait Bucky we can't-"_

 _Immediately he pulled her back beneath him, and she gave a surprised cry as he pushed inside her. It didn't take much to push all the way into her because she was already wet. Somehow he knew what she was worried about and chuckled. "Relax doll..."_

 _What followed was a mental image from Bucky. A lovely house with a white picket fence, Tess playing in the front yard as he did some work on the house. Then in the image she came out the front door only she was plump with child. She watched as the pregnant image of herself came up to Bucky and shared a kiss, then Bucky ran his flesh hand over her round stomach. He wanted her pregnant with his child. Kat's eyes flew open once the mental image ended, but by then Bucky was thrusting away hard and fast. All she could do was grip his shoulders and hold on as he practically thrusting into her womb. 'That's it doll. I want to have another baby with you.' Bucky thought, but before she could protest he jerked making her cry out instead of speak. Immediately what followed was several more hard jerks followed by the liquid splash of his seed inside her. Her body acted on it's own squeezing and milking him hard, and even then he stayed inside her._

 _Both were catching their breaths, and still he remained lodged inside wanting to ensure she conceived. Kat closed her eyes wondering what she had done as she heard his last thought. 'I want to have lots of babies with you.'_ When she opened her eyes she was awake and she still felt the ache from their sexual encounter, but there was no sign of Bucky. It had all been a exotic yet real dream that now haunted Kat.

"Kat?! Did you hear me? Your daughter misses you, and Bucky keeps asking for you! It is past time to let him off the hook, he has suffered enough and wants you to come back."

"So now you are on his side?!" Kat replied annoyed.

"I am on your side, Kat! I know you miss Tess and want nothing more than to go home, so do it already!"

"I am not ready to face Bucky." Kat replied, it had been her default excuse. After all she wanted to see Tess and missed her, god she wanted to see Tess!

"You have said that before, when will you be ready to face him?!"

"I don't know!" Kat yelled in frustration, she leaned back in her chair shaken. However now she knew Bucky sensed her too because that pull to his mind was stronger... like he sensed that she was upset. She shivered and shook her head unable to believe he could sense her too. It was her mind playing tricks on her, it had to be. Thank god the AI brought her out of her thoughts.

"Kat, why are you so adamant about staying away? I could see the first couple of weeks you wanting Bucky to know you were pissed off at him, but now...now it is just hurting you as much as him. So what is it?"

Thinking a moment Kat bit her bottom lip, perhaps she should confide in Aida. Maybe then the AI would understand why she was avoiding Bucky. "Remember when Lincoln said Inhuman powers grow stronger with time?"

"Yeah, as you grow in strength your powers will grow." The AI replied.

"It has been a gradual thing. The first time I really noticed was back when Killmonger took over, I was in the shower and felt this pull... my mind was drawn to Bucky's. Like he was calling me, I could even see him mentally in the cryo-chamber. When I pulled away I realised I was standing in the shower under cold water. I don't know how long I stood there, but..." Kat paused trying to find the right words, but nothing seemed adequate so she shrugged. "I just feel him. I feel Tess, and others too of course. However with Bucky it so much stronger."

"Well that is new." Aida replied after a moment as Kat sat there, "You can feel him now?"

"Yes, and I think he can feel me."

"You said you can sense Tess and others?"

"Yes, obviously those that I am closely tied to are stronger. I cannot read their minds I am not close enough, but I can sense them to some degree. Tess I can sense her pretty well, I can tell when she is practising or near Bucky. Then there are those that are close friends Sharon, Daisy, May, Shuri... I can sense them to the point if they are in danger I would know it. The rest I just know they are okay, but Bucky... it is overwhelming."

"That kind of makes sense, Bucky is the man you love. It only seems right that you would have this mental bond with him. Then naturally Tess being your daughter would also be cause for a strong mental connection. Of course with close friends it makes sense that you would know if they are in trouble, and knowing the others in our social circle are okay sounds about right. It doesn't sound far fetched that you would gain this ability." Aida said.

"So you see my problem?" Kat asked hoping the AI now understood.

"Somewhat, so you are hiding away because of this bond to Bucky. Why? What are you sensing?"

"I constantly feel pulled to him. I can sense he is angry, hurt... he keeps hoping that I will come home."

"Well I could have told you that." Aida replied annoyed.

"Yes well I have a bit more right to be angry he was in cryo for four months!" Kat snapped.

"Yes, and he paid for that. You are not even giving him the chance to make up for his mistake, and you are letting this mental bond scare you off."

"It is not just this bond Aida. He abandoned me, he did not give me the chance to say goodbye back in October. He just went into cryo, nothing said; and left me. He made that decision on his own, and never gave me any say on the matter. How are we suppose to work together as a married couple when he takes the decision making away? Am I just suppose to accept whatever he decides? And this mental bond? Am I suppose to just be pulled around on a mental leash?" The AI was silent as if considering what Kat was saying, so she continued. "I need him to understand he cannot go making decisions on his own anymore. He is a husband and a father. He needs to allow both Tess and I in on the decision making."

"I could point out that you are being a hypocrite."

"Well I am merely showing him what it is like to awaken and find your spouse gone." Kat countered.

"And Tess?" Aida asked, "Was she a part of the decision making?"

 _'Low blow, Aida.'_ Kat thought before sighing. "I told Tess we were leaving for a bit. She was included, Aida. You know that."

"Yes to fight those untouchable HYDRA heads, but we are no closer to getting them then we were four weeks ago. At this point it is time to call it a day and go home."

 _'Damn it! Aida always makes perfect sense.'_ Kat thought annoyed, but then what was the reason for staying out here if not to catch HYDRA? She wanted to see Tess, she called the little girl whenever she was not around Bucky. She Skyped with her too, but it was not the same as actually being there. She wanted to return and see her daughter. The only reason she stayed away was to teach Bucky a lesson and to try and figure things out for herself. Then this lousy bond reared it's ugly head and suddenly she was afraid to face Bucky. Thus she was no closer to figuring things out, and now it was four weeks later. In truth she had not intended to stay out this long, maybe a week or two at most. It was past time to go home, she knew that already.

"Look what if I don't tell anyone you are coming back? It could be a surprise." Aida suggested hopefully, no doubt the AI was desperate to get Kat to go home.

"Alright." Kat replied, she was already going to go home, but she would rather Bucky not know right away of her returning to Wakanda. It would give her at least a day to freshen up and then face him. "Setting course for home."

"Great!" The AI said excitedly, "Can I tell anybody?"

"No surprising them sounds good." Kat replied, as she took autopilot off and set course back to Wakanda.

* * *

 **March 1** **st** **, 2017**

 **Wakanda**

Landing in Wakanda was a quiet affair, but Kat guessed King T'Challa would soon learn of her presence. Her access code to the shield around Wakanda would have alerted him. It was later at night that she arrived landing on the same platform that had been left to her. Naturally it was quiet as she stepped down the ramp which helped Kat relax, no fanfare no being hassled. There was only one Dora Milaje standing by the entrance to the palace waiting for her. Hoisting her bag over her shoulder, Kat moved towards the entrance and Dora.

"Evening." Kat greeted her. As usual the Dora were not really talkers as the woman nodded in response before speaking.

"You're room is prepared as usual. I shall inform the King of your arrival." With that the Dora left, and Kat left shortly behind her. Heading inside she moved towards her room to drop her bag off, then went to seek out Tess and Myra. Aida as always followed electronically, so when asked the AI informed her that Tess was asleep in her room and Myra was in the mess hall. Since the incident with Killmonger, King T'Challa had given Aida full access so the AI now knew where everyone was and could more easily contact them. Kat had been told she loved communicating through the Kimoyo beads because then she could project her own desired holographic appearance. According to one of the earlier Skype calls to Tess, Aida chose the appearance of a young beautiful woman with glasses. Hair and eye colour were unknown since the entire appearance was a luminescent blue, but when shown the hologram she imagined that was how Aida would look if she had a physical form.

Shaking her head at all the things Kat was missing, she headed for the large room she was told she could find Myra in. Yes she wanted to go to Tess first, but also knew at this hour if woken Tess would not want to go back to sleep. Besides touching base with Myra, Kat could get a better lay of the land. Inside the mess hall Kat easily spotted Myra sitting on the large couch watching T.V. The former agent was watching a episode of Game of Thrones. Of course the former agent would be watching something in her down time that would be too disturbing for children to watch. Oddly though a young dark haired girl pulled a mask off to reveal an younger girl. As Kat drew closer she heard the words from the television. _"_ _The last thing you will see is a Stark smiling down at you as you die."_

The other person in this scene was one Kat recognised as Walder Fray who looked horrified and tried to get up, but was pulled back and had his throat slit. _'Now that it divine justice.'_ Kat thought remembering the earlier episodes she watched involving the Red wedding. In a lot of ways Kat viewed herself much like Arya Stark, both were vicious assassins. Both hunted down evil people that had wronged them, and both originally had lists. Albeit Kat's list was thousands of names longer then Arya's.

"Yes!" Myra called out, glad that Arya had killed the old bastard and brought Kat back to the present.

"One of the best moments in Game of Thrones... I also loved Joffrey's death." Kat spoke up and Myra turned to look at Kat pausing the T.V. before getting up and coming around the couch. "Kat! It's so good to see you! When did you get back?"

"I just arrived," Kat replied as Myra hugged her, "Catching up on the show?"

"Yeah when I can getting ready to see season seven this year by re-watching season six. Getting it fresh in my mind and all." Myra said as the hug ended, then teasingly added. "After all not everyone can have a perfect memory."

"True," Kat replied as the pair went and sat on the couch, "So how have things been here?"

"All has been quiet. As mentioned in my last report Shuri is still running tests to make sure the HYDRA programming is out. I think it is, but I guess she is just being thorough. Aside from that Shuri is also teaching him about the area and showing him around. He is even learning Xosha."

"You mentioned he is not staying here with Tess." Kat replied concerned.

"As said they're being thorough, no one wants to risk it if the programming is not out. Besides HYDRA loved it's back doors and other options. We just don't want any surprises HYDRA left behind. Believe me Bucky wants to spend all his days with Tess and wants to see you too, but he understands that this needs to be done."

"Has there been any additional surprises left by HYDRA and it's programming?" Kat asked worried.

"None that Shuri has found yet, but Aida mentioned several mind controlling methods HYDRA used before... she mentioned a compliance upgrade?"

"Daniel Whitehall it was not keywords spoken but phrases. The person would then become 'happy to comply'." Kat sighed guessing they had good reason to be cautious.

To change the subject Myra spoke after a moment. "I am glad you're back though, Tess really missed you. She is going to be overjoyed to see you."

Kat smiled, then sensed something troubling Myra. "Myra? What is it?"

"Nothing important." Myra replied.

"It certainly looks important. Please tell me." The former agent sighed as she worked out how to talk.

"Shuri... she said Aida gave her my medical records and looked into them. She said after she makes sure Bucky is free of HYDRA, she is going to look into fixing the damage Kovach's serum did to me. She's rather confident that once healed I can have children again."

"Well isn't that a good thing?" Kat asked confused, when Myra did not reply Kat added. "I know back when Sam was trying to gain your attention that you didn't think-"

"I don't deserve it." Myra interrupted, and Kat waited for her to explain. "I had made peace with the fact that I would never have children, that HYDRA robbed me of the ability. I figured I had served them and deserved what happened to me for serving them. Now Shuri wants to heal me and I just feel I don't deserve it. Hell I didn't deserve Sam's attention either."

"Oh Myra," Kat sighed, "Look I know you think working for HYDRA you are somehow irredeemable, but you broke away from them. You sought me out for help, and you escaped HYDRA. Ever since Kovach you have been redeeming yourself. You've saved mine and Tess' life, you've protected Tess, and you've always been there to help. You've gone above and beyond to redeem yourself, it is past time to stop worrying about what you did while with HYDRA. Instead look at all you did after HYDRA."

"So in other words I am the Jaime Lannister of the group." Myra teased after a moment.

"Well I wouldn't go that far, he pushed a kid out a window in season one. He is still a douche-bag in my book." Kat replied making Myra crack a slight smile, "That and he gets it on with his own sister! EW!"

This time Myra laughed and after she stopped she looked at Kat. "So what should I do?"

"Run with it. It is still not a sure thing, Shuri might be able to repair the damage or might not. If not you said so yourself that you've made peace with it." Kat replied then after a second added, "But if she can heal you, what will you do?"

"I don't know..."

"Well hopefully you and Sam will tie the knot and get to work." Kat teased.

"Oh god." Myra said shaking her head and turning red.

"What?"

"This is embarrassing. The one night I spent with Sam I thought it would be a one-night-stand sort of thing."

"And is that how Sam is treating it?" Kat asked wondering how many ways she could rip off Sam's wings if the answer was yes.

"No actually he keeps calling me." Myra replied, "He's really sweet."

"Sooo you are treating it as a one-night-stand sort of thing and he is wanting to be more." Kat said trying to wrap her head around the situation.

"Yeah, I mean before I figured... why not? He will eventually find someone else marry her and have children with her. And since I couldn't have children or give him that than I would just be a fun fling."

"Thing is Sam is one of those 'nice guys' he would not want just a fling, Myra."

"Yeah I see that now." Myra said thinking and biting her bottom lip nervously, "I haven't told him about this either. Don't want to get his hopes up."

"Well then perhaps leave it as a surprise? If Shuri can't heal you then nothing gained or lost, but if she can then you get to be the girl Sam settles down with instead of the fling." Judging by Myra's thoughts she liked the idea of being more than a one-night-stand to Sam as a slow smile spread over her lips.

"You really think he will want me for more?"

"He already wants to be more with you, Myra. Your ability to have children doesn't even factor in to him." Kat replied making Myra blush and smile more then she relaxed accepting the idea that she would run with it and hope for the best. For now the pair sat in silence and continued to watch Game of Thrones before Kat decided to go and take a shower before she went to wake Tess. Saying as much to Myra, Kat headed for her room and took a quick shower. Since it was hotter here Kat choose to forego the jeans and wear capri's instead with a gauzy button up shirt over a tank top. With it she wore simple slip-on slippers. Once dressed in the clean summer clothes she came to Tess' room. She quietly slipped inside the room and watched Tess sleep for a time. Seeing her daughter felt like a heavy weight was lifted from her shoulders and Kat could honestly breath again. She came forward and moved a chair closer to the bed to sit in. Sitting down Kat smiled as Tess hugged Sake, her toy backpack to her.

For a time Kat just watched Tess sleep having missed her those last four long weeks. Suddenly no reason was good enough for being away this long. Finally it became too much and Kat leaned forward and brushed some of Tess' dark hair from her face. The little girl stirred then rubbed her eyes as she yawned and looked up. There was just enough light for Tess to see who was in her room. "Mommy?"

"Hey princess." Kat replied, and Tess sat up glad to see her mother. Already knowing what her daughter would want, Kat moved from the chair to sit on the edge of the bed where Tess could hug her mother.

"Mommy! I missed you so much." Tess cried throwing her small arms around Kat's waist and hugging her tightly.

"I missed you too. I am sorry I have been away for so long."

"You won't leave again for a long time, right mommy?" Tess asked worried.

"No of course not. I am not going anywhere." Kat promised, and on that promise Tess relaxed a little, simply glad her mother was at long last home. It was still rather early, but Tess was naturally excited to see her mother, so sleeping was easily forgotten. The pair talked and Kat asked what she had been doing. Tess told her all about going to practice in the mornings with Myra, then would spend time with Bucky and the pair did a lot of fun adventures together. The latest adventure was a picnic out by a lake. He even would come to her practices when he could.

"I would spend more time with Daddy, but Shuri says he still has much to learn. Daddy says he is a slow learner." Tess giggled at the end.

"Compared to us I guess so." Kat replied then looked at Sake, "And how is Sake? Is she still an angry kitty?"

"At times." Tess replied, then after a moment Tess asked. "Are you still mad at Daddy?"

Not the question Kat wanted to answer as she petted Sake, and since she did not want to upset Tess she told a little lie. "No, but we still need to have a long talk. A discussion I intend to have with him later this morning."

Tess frowned but nodded understanding enough to not ask more about it. To the little girl's mind them talking was enough, and Kat let the subject drop. By then it would soon be time for breakfast and so Kat helped get Tess bathed and dressed. Together they ventured down to the dining hall and got their breakfast. The pair sat down and talked further as they ate, but Kat also dreaded what would come next. She needed to talk to Bucky alone meaning during Tess' practice would be the best time, and practice was in a few hours. So she ate slower and kept a steady flow of conversation going between them.

Sadly time would stretch no further and before Kat knew it, it was time. Myra came to their table informing Tess it was time for practice. Usually this activity excited Tess, but today she groaned wanting more time with her mom. "Hey now, I promised didn't I? I am not going anywhere. Now go on to practise with Myra okay?"

Hesitantly Tess got up and hugged her mother before she grabbed her practise staff and left with Myra. Now came the even more difficult talk with Bucky. It didn't take much to find out from Aida where Bucky was staying, but perhaps it wouldn't be so bad. As an added precaution Kat took one of those preventative pills Queen Ramanda had given her. She was not sure how the conversation would go, but she wanted to be prepared for every scenario.

* * *

He lived outside the city in a rural village, Kat guessed it was so he would not have to deal with a lot of attention. It was a peaceful and quiet place far removed from the troubles of the world. People lived happy simple lives here, no added drama. The village sat by a lake and Kat wondered if this was the lake Tess mentioned picnicking by with Bucky. Again she peaked back at the way she came back towards the palace and city. The buildings shined in the bright sunlight, sighing Kat faced forward once more and frowned. Ahead over the village she was heading towards were dark storm-clouds. Maybe this was a bad idea, she should have checked the weather reports. _'Too late now, you promised Tess.'_ Kat thought to herself as she moved closer, she passed a shelter where some men were resting from the sun. The conversation died out as they noticed her and she gave them a friendly wave. For a moment the men were stunned in Wakanda there were not a lot of Caucasians wondering around.

" _You think she is here to see the White Wolf?"_ One asked the others in their native tongue. _'White wolf? Was that Bucky? Have they started calling him that?'_ Tess mentioned the locals had given him a funny name, but did not tell her what it was. Moving down the hill closer to the village Kat easily spotted Bucky and stopped stunned. His tan was darker, his dark hair loose and longer. His face stubble was thicker, and then there were the muscles. Kat groaned at seeing Bucky shirtless. _'Damn him! Must he be shirtless right now?'_

For a long moment Kat just stood there watching Bucky as he moved around then began chopping wood. Seeing him like this shirtless covered in sweat and seeing his muscles- _'Bad idea! This was definitely a bad idea!'_ Kat told herself wanting to back away before he saw her. However as he turned away to drop the chopped wood in the pile to his left he stopped. Still holding the piece of wood she saw him look up as if his name had been called, then he turned around and looked right at her. _'Stupid bond! How else did he know I was here?!'_ Kat thought as she stood momentarily frozen before slowly moving forward. Bucky dropped the piece of wood and set the axe aside before moving towards her too.

Right then she felt his emotions and heard his thoughts, both were a whirlwind. Anger, joy, regret, excitement, hope, and hurt were all mingled together. His thoughts seemed to be just as jumbled he wanted to grab and shake her while demanding answers, then just as quickly he simply wanted to grab and kiss her fiercely. As they got closer the desire to kiss her won out, and somehow that made her even angrier. Did it make sense? Not really, but nothing she was feeling made a whole lot of sense. Maybe that was why she was so angry, she was not sure what to do, but she knew she was still too hurt by what he did to simply let him kiss her. If he kissed her she would forgive him, and she was not ready for that yet. Thus as he got closer his intentions to simply grab her and kiss her angered her. He was not going to be forgiven that easily! However what she did next surprised even her.

Smack! Her fingertips stung and she watched as Bucky recovered from the sharp sting of a slap. _'Good,'_ She thought, _'He needed to be woken up and shown he won't get me back that easily!'_ She watched as the slap barely registered with him, it only served to anger him as he flexed his jaw. Then his stormy blue eyes looked at her momentarily stunning her. Before she could react to his thoughts, Bucky grabbed her and yanked her to him. Her hands flew up and landed on his bare chest where she tried to keep some distance.

"No-" Kat started to say then Bucky grabbed the back of her head his mouth came down on hers hard. Fiercely kissing her, Kat tried to push away but to no avail. While Bucky's flesh hand tangled in her hair and held her head in place his metal hand descended from her waist until he grabbed her ass. Pressed firmly against him she moaned in protest as she felt his long denied desire pressing against her stomach. Feeling how much he wanted her made her tremble as that longing ache he caused inside her returned. Slowly she stopped resisting him, and eventually when they were out of breath he released her lips.

It took a couple of moments for both to catch their breath and Kat said in a breathless voice. "You're not forgiven."

Sadly her voice lacked conviction, but his response once again sparked her anger. "I know, neither are you."

"I am not the one that needs to be forgiven here." Kat argued glaring up at her husband. He was the one in the wrong here.

"Four weeks!" Bucky replied his voice growling the words out as she saw the mixture of anger and hurt in his eyes.

"Four months!" She countered equally angry and hurt. It was then she pulled free of Bucky's grip and stepped away to avoid ending up back in his arms.

"I did that to protect you and Tess!" Bucky pointed out his voice rising.

"You abandoned me!" Kat yelled back trying to keep the angry tears at bay.

"I didn't abandon you!"

"I wanted to see you, speak to you! Could I?! No because you went back on ice!" Kat said feeling even worse as the perfect memories came to the forefront of her mind. For a moment they were silent as Bucky tried to calm down before speaking.

"I hurt you, Kat. I didn't want to risk hurting you more."

"Yes well nothing hurt worse than waking alone and not being given the chance to even say goodbye!" Kat replied still too angry and hurt, now she was on the verge of tears.

"Kat-" Bucky said moving towards her again, but she backed up not wanting him to touch her right then. The action cut off his words as he stared at her hurt and stunned, then he recovered getting angry. "Do you think that was easy?! Leaving you and Tess?! I nearly killed you! What did you want me to do?! Wait until next time when I might not have stopped?!"

"Apparently it was easier to go into Cryo than face me! As for what I expected? Talking to me would have been a good start! Telling me what you intended to do letting me say goodbye to you rather than just jumping in and expecting me to wait-"

"Yeah well you didn't wait!" Bucky snapped.

"Now you know how it feels!" Kat yelled back.

"Is that why you left? To teach me a lesson?!"

"I left because I wasn't sure what I would do. Kiss you or break your damn nose. I needed time to figure things out, and I could not do that here with you." Kat stated coldly.

"And what did you figure out?" Bucky asked coldly, "That we shouldn't be together? That we are no good for each other? What?!"

"Nothing like that, but if you are going to make decisions on your own without me then you can expect the same. You can expect that I will make decisions without you, but if you ever make a decision without Tess I will kick your ass. Tess will always be included in my decisions, so you had better include her in yours. Had you not told Tess what you were doing when going under you could expect that when you woke up your ass would have been laid out!" The look Bucky gave told her he did not like this at all.

"So that is it? We just decide things without saying a word to each other?" The hurt in his voice made Kat look away briefly as she kept the tears at bay.

"Married couples are suppose to talk to each other and make joint decisions. You won't apologise for what you did, I already know that. You felt it was right, but that also means I won't apologise either. It is clear that you prefer to make the tough calls on your own, and I refuse to fall in line and simply accept whatever you decide. You may make the decisions, but I may not be there afterwards."

"Kat I know what I did hurt you, but-"

"It was necessary. At least to _you_ it was." Kat said already knowing what he was going to say, then her phone beeped and she was glad it did. This was her chance to get away before she burst into tears. She took a quick peak at her phone which was a weather alert for their area, a heavy storm was moving in fast. Quickly putting her phone away, Kat looked up at Bucky. "I have to go now."

"Let me guess another mission?" Bucky asked bitterly and Kat blinked away tears. So rather than answer his question Kat replied.

"Let me know when you decide to act like a husband and father and include both of us in your decisions." With that she turned and walked away quickly wanting away before she started crying.

* * *

 **:**

* * *

 **Author's Notes:**

 **First off thank you all for the lovely reviews. I really appreciate hearing from you guys.**

 **Though guessing from the comments the last scene of chapter 58 was a little confusing. For example Fin-Fish Jun-Tenshi asked how the major bad guy knows about Tess. Actually truth be told the bad lady Moira doesn't know about Tess, but she did recognise Kat. I didn't want to come right out and say it because I wanted to give you guys the shock and awe moment, but... of Kat's parents we have only ever heard of Alexander Pierce. Her mother has not been accounted for-till now. Hence the baddies last comment.**

 **As for this chapter, Kat's powers are naturally growing much like in the television show Agents of SHIELD Daisy's powers are growing. To help explain it better I expanded on the whole Inhuman powers/traits. For that I had to go back to the first seasons of the show before Daisy or Skye as she was known or Raina became Inhumans. Both I noticed had 'talents' so I used that and went off of Kats own unique talent of adapting skills to further explain things. Because Kat is 'adaptable' her powers are growing a little faster hence her extra 'sensing others' ability.** **I wanted this extra ability to be thrown in the mix at a difficult time when Kat is trying to figure things out with Bucky. So there it is.**

 **The other things to note is I had to revise Kat's argument with Bucky several times to convey how Kat and Bucky would respond to each other. It was not an easy task and the next chapter is proving to be even more difficult in that regard. Anyway I do hope you enjoyed this chapter.**

 **Please let me know what you think by leaving me a review.**

 **Lesliezin**


	60. Kiss and Make up

**Hello everyone,**

 **Here is Chapter 60, enjoy. Also be aware there are some explicit scenes not suitable for underage readers. You have been warned.**

* * *

 **Match 1** **st** **, 2017**

 **Wakanda**

Moving up the small hill it was then Kat noticed the heavy rain clouds were overhead. She tried to focus on anything else other then her conversation with Bucky, but only noticed the other villagers had moved indoors to avoid the nasty weather. Then as she reached the top of the hill a loud clap of thunder came, followed by the harsh downpour of heavy rain. In seconds Kat was drenched and she rushed to the shelter she had passed earlier to escape the rain. Underneath the wooden shelter Kat felt isolated and let the weather darken her already miserable mood. Immediately a sob escaped barely heard above the pounding rain. Leaning against one of the large wooden posts and looking out she tried to calm down, but only ended up crying more. How else had she expected the conversation to go? She had known the conversation would not be a pleasant one, so what had been the point? Maybe it was simply to establish where both of them stood.

Perhaps to outsiders she was being unreasonable, but she was looking at the larger picture. She had always tried to look at the larger picture, and in this case Bucky had taken and made a brash decision without giving her any say. What would that mean for their future? Would he always take the decision making away from her? Would he never allow her a say? That just was not how she worked at all. Of course it was not just that, she had spent a year looking for Bucky trying to tell him he was a father. She nearly died at Stark's hands to get him back, and not a month later they were married, celebrated Tess' first birthday, and then he was gone again. Did no one understand how much it hurt to have him just go under after all that?! Kat sighed she was tired of trying to make her case to her friends that did not listen, and obviously Bucky was not listening either.

Nothing really had been accomplished as she wiped the tears away and looked out. The heavy rain acted more like a watery curtain blocking her view of the surrounding area. She might have simply watched and waited for the rain to subside, but then a pair of all too familiar arms wrapped around her. The hot well muscled chest that pressed against her back was wet from the rain but now she shivered for a completely different reason. Immediately she tensed and tried to pull away.

"Shhh doll..." His voice sounded gently in her ear. How long had he been there? She heard his thoughts: he'd got to the shelter moments after her so he knew she had been crying. Her cheeks turned red as she looked straight ahead. She was trying to gain the strength of will to pull away but Bucky's hold tightened as his lips pressed to her neck. His stubble scratched her and made her breath catch as her heart sped up, then he chuckled. "You're trembling, are you cold?"

"No." Kat replied unsure of what else to say, "You can let go of me now."

"Why would I do that?"

"Last time I checked we were still fighting," Kat replied wondering if he hit his head on the way here.

"Yes, I remember us fighting down the hill, and you walking away. That does not mean the conversation is over. We still have much to discuss." Bucky said refusing to let it end this way.

"You mean you have decisions to make about us." Kat corrected tiredly.

"No we have decisions to make." Bucky countered.

"You didn't seem too concerned with what I thought four months ago." Kat pointed out dully. She knew she was trying his patience as Bucky took a moment to calm down, then sighed.

"I know you are worried that I will just make all the decisions about us and you won't be given a say, but I promise it won't be that way. From now on we, both of us and Tess; will decide," Bucky promised knowing this was the biggest concern circling Kat's mind. Now it was time to address one of his concerns. "Now answer me honestly, Kat. If I had gone to you first, if I had told you what I intended to do. Would you have let me go?"

Kat relaxed a bit with his promise but was then surprised to be asked that question, and took a moment deeply considering it. She knew he had his reasons for it. He had made it clear he did not want to hurt her or Tess. She knew in her heart it would have had to have been done to get rid of the HYDRA programming. She understood that much, and so she thought deeply before answering honestly. "I would have hated seeing you go back under. I might have tried to talk you out of it at first at least for a little while, but in the end..."

Kat trailed off as she took in a shaky breath, "I would have agreed with you. I would have been with you right up until the last minute... kissing you and wanting to hold you until it was time. Then four months later I would have been the very first thing you saw when you woke. Maybe even kissing you awake."

Having it confirmed that she would have supported his decision to go under, she felt his anger subside completely and be replaced by guilt. She again sighed so much of the argument could have been averted had Bucky just talked to her. For a moment it was silent save for the heavy rain drops hitting the shelter roof and ground, then Kat asked something Bucky did not quiet understand. "Did I ever tell you about Mace Thomas?"

"Who is that?"

"He was a friend in the Care home Peggy lived at. I had a lot of fond memories with him, Sharon, and Peggy. I could listen to his stories for hours and hours..." Kat smiled fondly as Bucky held her not at all sure where she was going with this. "But for all those fond memories the last memory of him sticks out in my mind. I can remember everything, but above all those good memories... I just keep remembering him throwing a food tray at me."

Kat tried to remember her long dead friend she tried to focus on the good memories, but always that last rotten memory came back to haunt her. Instead she focused on making her point. "So me with my perfect memory, you cannot imagine what it was like for four months my last memory of you was you caught in a nightmare strangling me. Whenever I would think of you I would have to remember that last memory and you not wanting to see me before going under. It was torture, more than anything I just wanted to be left with a happier memory... something to cling to until you woke."

In an instant Kat was released and spun around to face Bucky who looked pained by the knowledge. Now knowing that for four months she had suffered with that last memory overshadowing all their good memories Bucky knew he had made a horrible mistake. His flesh hand came up stroking her cheek, then his thumb ran over her soft lips. She didn't pull away or resist his touch, in fact she leaned into his hand. However now really looking at her Bucky saw that she was still hurt by what he had done but tired of fighting with him. To try and ease the tension, Bucky smiled at her. "You know with how beautiful you are, I often forget that you have a fiery temper too. I should be glad you slapped me instead of giving a left hook."

"Had I punched you I would have broken my fist rather than your face." Kat pointed out, that was not factoring in his ability to heal faster. Most likely she would have had a cast for a couple of weeks while Bucky would maybe have light bruising then nothing to show for her efforts. "Not that I had not considered it. I just estimated I wouldn't do much damage anyway."

"I think you underestimate the damage you can do to me doll." Bucky said gently drawing closer his flesh fingertips gently lifted her chin so she was made to look up at him. Kat gave a soft laugh not believing she could really do anything to Bucky that would really hurt him. She started to shake her head but he caught her chin as he was now inches from her lips. "It's true."

With that he closed the gap leaning down and pressing his lips down on hers. She didn't resist as he seized her mouth with his and pressed her back against the post. She gasped and as her mouth opened he deepened the kiss enjoying the taste of her. The passionate kiss made Kat tremble as her hands ran up his chest and gripped his shirt wanting him closer. Bucky's response was immediate, he grabbed her thighs hoisting her up so that her legs wrapped around his waist. Kat's hands moved up past his shoulders to tangled in his wet hair as her heart picked up in speed.

Suddenly nothing else mattered but this moment, and Kat kissed him back desperately wanting to forget the last four months. Sadly as with everything forgetting was not an option, but perhaps she could drowned the memory out with this one. So she kissed him even more passionately as her right hand remained tangled in his hair and her left gripped his wet shirt. As if both knew each other's minds both forgot where they were intent on creating a beautiful new memory under the shelter. Kat purposely brushed against him moaning in pleasure as she brushed his hardened member.

The simple movement of brushing him was like a match to a gasoline fuelled fire. The kiss broke and she was released and set back on her feet. Knowing his mind Kat leaned against the post letting him undo her belt and capri pants, but her own hands were not idle as she undid his own belt. While Kat's hands trembled, Bucky was simply faster and more efficient and in mere moments her capri's were yanked down along with her panties. Along with her bottom half clothes being yanked off she kicked off her pumps, and finally undid his jeans just enough. Then Bucky easily picked her up and pressed her to the post once more. With his jeans pushed out of the way, Bucky knew just how to move as he thrust right up inside her.

Kat gave a cry as he entered her, and it was like they were once more in perfect sync with one another. Despite how fierce and wildly they were having each they seemed to know just how to move. It was not a gentle or slow lovemaking session, but a fast hard passionate one. With both having wanted the other for weeks! One of Kat's hands gripped Bucky's shoulder while the other gripped the large wooden post to steady herself as Bucky thrust hard and fast into her. Her back hitting the post hard with each fierce thrust as Bucky's metal hand reached around her waist and down to grip her ass. His flesh hand reached around and up to tangle in her hair and pull her head back so that she had to arch her back for him.

At the rate they went neither one lasted long and no sooner had the fierce lovemaking session begun, Kat screamed. "Oh Bucky!"

Mere seconds after a flood of pleasure ran through her, Bucky jerked hard pumping his seed inside. Vaguely as Kat fought through the dizzying pleasure did she feel Bucky thrust and jerk several more times pumping glob after glob of his seed inside her. For even longer the pair leaned against the post recovering from what they had just done.

 _'If only she hadn't taken that damn pill...'_ Bucky thought as he pictured her plump with his child once more. The image was like a bucket of ice water as Kat began to struggle only to be pinned to the post. He wanted her pregnant?! Wait how did he know she took a pill?! Kat stared wide eyed up at Bucky.

"Relax doll, I can't get you pregnant remember? At least not until the pill wears off, then we can work on baby number two."

"We are not working on any more babies for a long time, and how do you know I took a pill?" Kat asked stunned. Did this mental bond extend to him? Was that how he knew?

"You were very nervous about seeing me. So nervous you forgot to check the weather apparently, but that pill you wanted to make sure in case we ended up in bed together." Bucky said gently stunning Kat even more. It was this weird new bond! She wanted to find out more but then both noticed the sound of the rain lightening up becoming lighter by the minute. Bucky wordlessly released her and retrieved her wet panties and capri's for her. Handing them to her Kat immediately began putting them back on but not without shivering as the wet fabric was now on her skin.

"The path back will be flooded," Bucky noted looking back towards the city, then he looked at her. "Come home with me."

The way he said the last statement made it sound like that was where she belonged, and Kat could find no reason to deny him. Still she looked back towards the city knowing Myra and Tess would be worried. Perhaps she could contact them and explain what happened.

"Tess will be fine, Myra rarely lets her out of her sight. Besides we still have much to talk about." Bucky pointed out. Kat for a moment was unsure of what to do, no doubt they still had some things to work out; but she did not want to get into another fight. Their relationship was already on shaky ground. However going back to the city was out, so Kat nodded in agreement.

"Alright, but only to talk. Nothing more understand?"

"Of course, just to talk." Bucky agreed. Seeing the rain become a light spring shower the pair left the shelter and rushed down the hill back to the hut in case it turned nasty again. Both made it to the small hut Bucky slept in and slipped inside before the weather got worse. Even still both got even more soaked. With both inside, they were glad to be in a warmer and more dry place. The hut itself was bigger than Kat imagined, but then again she had not taken note of the hut Bucky resided in. On entering the hut Kat could see some modern touches made to the place. To the right was a table and chairs, past that and further in was a curtain with a small bed no doubt for when Tess stayed over. Straight back was a chest no doubt holding Bucky's old gear and personal items, next to that was a small dresser, and next to that was a large bed. To the left was a small wash table. On the tables and dresser were lanterns that Bucky began to light so that they would not be completely in the dark.

As the lanterns were lit, Kat could see more clearly the simple home. It was a nice cosy place to live a simple life, and after everything Bucky went through he probably just wanted a nice simple life. As Kat looked around she shivered from her cold wet clothes, and Bucky noticed this. He went over to the dresser and dug out a large shirt for her coming back to her he handed her the shirt. "Here..."

"Thanks..." Kat said she set the shirt down on the back of a chair, and peaked back at Bucky waiting for him to turn away before stripping out of her wet clothes. Once he turned away, Kat stepped out of her shoes, then started taking her capri's off. "Nice place you have here..."

"Yeah, got help from the locals with what little I have learned to speak. Shuri is teaching me the language, but I am a slow learner." Bucky replied which meant he built this place. Kat didn't turn around to notice that Bucky had looked at her as he answered her. Nor did she know he watched her as she tried to squeeze out the excess water from her wet clothes. She draped her trousers over another chair to dry, then began removing her shirt and tank top. Stuck for something to say, Kat focused on squeezing the extra water out of her shirt and tank top before leaving them too to dry. That was when she reached for the dry shirt, only for a hand to catch her wrist, and she looked up at Bucky confused. The confusion did not last long as she saw the desire in his eyes, and Kat blushed realising she was just in her panties and bra.

"Bucky, you said we would talk." Kat said as he pulled her against him.

"Later..." Bucky replied his voice husky as his mouth came down on hers fiercely. Kat was not given the chance to pull away or resist as his metal hand came down to grip her bottom, and his flesh hand pressed into the small of her back effectively holding her in place. If she had doubted how much he missed her before, those doubts had been laid to rest. The fierce passionate kiss stole all logic and sense from her once more as he dominated her mouth. His tongue dipped in to taste her as Kat shivered from both the kiss and the cold. Her body instinctively pressed into Bucky's seeking warmth from the cold. Eventually Bucky was forced to release her mouth to allow for air. Kat took a couple of breaths before trying to speak once more.

"Bucky, I need to get dressed I am cold." Her words caused a devilish smirk to cross his lips, and for a second Kat was not sure why. Then she heard his thoughts. _"_ _You won't be cold for long doll."_ The thought was followed by the mental image of them in bed together nice, cosy, and warm.

"Maybe this was a bad idea..." Kat mumbled as she tried to step back, but Bucky held onto her not letting her get far. Before more could be said or done, Kat was picked up. It all happened so fast she had no time to react, Bucky had his metal hand gripping her bottom while his flesh hand gripped her thigh. She was quickly lifted up and had her thighs on his hips, her hands flew up to grip his broad shoulders to keep from losing balance. Then in a few strides Bucky was laying her on the bed. She might have tried to get up and move had Bucky not been there leaning over her blocking her escape.

"Sooo... talking. Maybe I should go first, then you, then me. I mean we have a lot to talk about-" Kat had been saying as Bucky removed his wet shirt revealing his well muscled torso, then he leaned down kissing her fiercely. As they kissed Kat did not notice Bucky kick off his boots only heard the soft thud of them hitting the ground. When he released her lips leaving her momentarily stunned, Kat was greeted with the sight of him undoing his trousers. With a quick yank Bucky was naked and kicking off his trousers and socks. He stood fully erect again stunning Kat who felt a undeniable need for him. Seeing the look on her face Bucky smirked at her as he climbed over her and again Kat shivered. Her rational mind kept telling her to stop this and that this would do no good. They needed to talk not bang each other senseless!

"Wrong again doll," Bucky said looking down at his stunned wife, "Talking can wait, right now there is a more pressing concern."

Kat looked up at him confused then he smiled. "I need to warm my wife so that she doesn't catch a cold."

After that his mouth was on hers muffling any protest she might have thought to make as his hands wondered over her. As he pressed his body against hers, Kat felt the kiss deepen as he nudged her legs apart. Suddenly she was no longer cold but instead very warm especially with his hot flesh hand running over her body. At one point her bra straps were yanked off her shoulders and the bra was pulled down just enough to reveal her breasts. Then his mouth was on her left breast as he sucked hard on the nipple and his stubble scrapped over her breast. His flesh hand held her right breast pinching the nipple there. Kat gasped at the contact and her body reacted without her full consent as she arched her back giving him more access.

"Bucky!" She gasped as she trembled all over and brushed against him feeling his desire for her. She heard a low growl as he released her breasts.

"Your bra." His voice came out gruff and commanding. Because of the bond she knew what he was demanding. She either remove her bra or he'd tear it off! Shivering at his demand, Kat shakily unclipped her bra which was a bit awkward since she was already lying down. She had no sooner unclipped it and began to remove it, then Bucky's patience snapped. The bra was yanked off and tossed aside. Sadly her panties were not so lucky, a sharp tear and the ruined fabric was tossed to the ground by her bra.

"Bucky!" Kat protested, but then he was kissing her again to silence her. The kiss was deep and passionate trying to show her how deeply he missed her and how desperately he needed her. Then she gasped beneath his mouth in surprise. She felt his hot fingers of his flesh hand pressing that sensitive bundle of nerves between her legs. With him touching her she had no resistance, she immediately became wet once more. However his flesh fingers did not stay long, the feeling of a hard metal digit inside her made her go wide eyed and gasped. She gave a muffled moan as she felt him move his finger in and out of her. Then when he released her lips she was finally able to ask. "W—Why are you touching me like this? You've never touched me with your metal hand before..."

"No, but I know you've thought about it and were curious as to what it would feel like." He replied in a husky voice as he moved his metal finger faster. Kat couldn't help it she gasped as he got her wetter, and she arched her back offering herself more to him.

"How do you know this?" She managed breathlessly.

"The same way I knew you took the pill, and seemed to know your intentions..." Bucky said as Kat looked up at him stunned as he pointed to his head then hers. She had been right it was some sort of mental bond. Despite his metal fingers playing her like an instrument she felt around mentally trying to understand more of this connection. Bucky himself was not sure how it worked or why he even had it. He wasn't a telepath or anything he just...knew her mind. He knew her intentions, hidden desires, and her feelings. Like their mind's were bridged or she had given him a key to her mind. It was not him reading her mind more like sensing the directions her thoughts took. Kind of like a film without sound.

"How? When?" She gasped.

"After I woke, I started dreaming of you. More than a dream though I could feel you, I just knew it was you. Like you were reaching out to me." Bucky explained as his mouth trailed down her neck and his fingers moved faster within her.

"Bucky! Ohhh!" Kat gripped the covers of the bed as she arched her back offering him better access to her. "If you don't stop I'll-"

"I know doll." Bucky whispered but still his hard digits pumped inside her. _'No, he wouldn't would he?'_ Kat thought shocked, but his fingers didn't stop or even slow down. Instead his thumb brushed over her sensitive spot making her gasp and cry out. _'Oh god! He is going to make me-'_ The thought was cut off as she gave a pleasure filled scream. Her body trembled as she felt the flood of pleasure hitting her.

After a long couple of minutes Kat recovered from her shaking and dizziness to look up at Bucky. She felt so embarrassed to have been touched so with his metal hand and to have enjoyed it. Sure he had come close before to using those metal digits, but he had never followed through until now. Her cheeks turned red and she couldn't look at him fully. He caught her chin in his flesh hand when he realise she was embarrassed.

"I thought you would enjoy it." Bucky said smiling at her.

"It was suppose to be _you_ inside me!" Kat said with a mixture of shame and annoyance. Sure she might have been curious to be touched by him like that, but to orgasm?! She never thought or even considered being pleasured like that!

"And it will be doll." Bucky said smiling at her, before she could fully think he had removed his finger and positioned himself. A split second later he thrust into her. He was no doubt overjoyed to know she wanted him inside her as she gasped and clung to him. Even after having his metal fingers inside her, nothing compared to the larger thicker member that was now pumping in and out of her. Forgetting everything else, Kat adjusted her hips to take more of him as she tangled her hands in his hair. She looked up at him dazed as he pushed deeper and smiled at her like he had outwitted her.

"You jerk... you did that on purpose." She gasped and threw her head back groaning in pleasure at what he was doing to her. He knew what she wanted and preferred, that she while curious about what it would feel like she would not want to be pleasured by his metallic digits. Instead she would want him inside her when she came undone, but he wanted to hear her say as much. He wanted to hear that he was the only one suppose to be inside her, and he knew she would eagerly want him afterwards. As soon as she pieced it all together she heard him chuckle against her neck as he kissed her throat.

"You've kept away for so long, doll. It only seemed fair." Bucky whispered against her throat. So that was what it was? He wanted to teach her lesson for leaving him so long? What about the lesson he was suppose to learn?!

"Only seemed fair?! What about what _you_ did?!" Kat asked angry and hurt, but before it could escalate into a full blown argument about who was right and who was wrong Bucky kissed her mouth hard with a demanding passionate kiss. His thrusts grew harder, faster, and fiercer as Kat gave a soft whimper. He couldn't read her mind in the moment, but he could tell when her thoughts became less...aggressive more gentle. So even though Kat knew Bucky was distracting her, she decided to welcome the distraction. Every instinct inside her told her to forget the argument for now and just enjoy him. So she wrapped her legs around him and she ran her hands over his back as her nails left light marks. Her actions urged him on as she clung to him.

She heard Bucky groan as he kept his mouth firmly planted on hers, and he really began thrusting hard and fast. All the while Kat shivered at his thoughts, he kept thinking about getting her pregnant. The thoughts made her shiver as she tried to break the kiss, but that just made him hold her tighter and thrust harder. If not for the pill Kat took, she would be panicking about now. Still Kat felt she had to put her foot down before Bucky got any ideas, so she thought what she wanted to say to him. _'We are not having more kids for a while.'_

 _'You sure about that doll?'_ Bucky thought knowing she would hear it.

 _'Yes, you are not getting me pregnant again.'_ Kat thought to him firmly.

 _'Sure doll whatever you say.'_ Bucky thought back not taking her words seriously. Before she could tell him off mentally, Bucky released her lips and grabbed her waist. In a sudden quick move he lifted her up onto his lap where it felt like she was impaled on him. A surprised cry left Kat's mouth as it now definitely felt like he was thrusting into her womb. Unable to do anything else Kat gripped his shoulders as he thrust hard and fast up inside her. Meanwhile he gripped her hips and ass to hold her in place.

"Relax doll, Yes I want to have more children with you, but we will talk about that later." Bucky let his words hang in the air a moment as he continued having her.

Then as Kat felt overwhelmed with pleasure, she cried out with each fierce thrust until it was too much. "Bu—ucky!"

The flood of pleasure that ran through her was followed by several harsh jerks and splashes of Bucky's seed until both were left gasping and shaking against each other. Clinging to him, Kat rested her head against his shoulder as she caught her breath and waited for the dizziness to stop. Breathing in his intoxicating masculine scent she just wanted to stay that way for hours. The thought of not releasing him made her smile as she thought. _'So much for talking things through.'_

* * *

The first thing Kat felt as she slowly returned to consciousness was the warmth of the well muscled body beneath her. The steady beat of Bucky's strong heart could easily be heard as her head pressed to his chest. Then there was his scent, and the feel of his strong stomach under her hand. Kat kept her eyes closed and continued to listen to his heartbeat. Pretending to be asleep she wanted to squirm as his hot flesh hand ran up and down her back slowly. Finally it became too much and Kat moved only a little before moaning as her body protested the action. Her body ached from the rough fierce sex with Bucky, it was not a painful ache so much as a pleasant reminder of what they had done.

After the long rainy day had turned to night with a light drizzle, Kat and Bucky spent most of it getting reacquainted with each other. The pair could barely keep their hands off of each other, and so it was not until that night that they finally fell asleep exhausted from their activities. Right then Kat was happy and content to just lay there with Bucky, there was still an uncertainty about their relationship. As if one wrong thing said could open up a can of worms and the pair would start fighting again. For the moment it was quiet and peaceful, Kat simply did not want to ruin that delicate peace by talking. Instead she slowly opened her eyes and was greeted by light shinning into the hut from the doorway. It must be early morning, meaning they had slept through the night after their sexual activities.

Sighing Kat decided to close her eyes and rest some more rather than risk ruining the moment. For a few minutes she merely listened to Bucky's heart beat, breathing, and the sounds outside. She might have dosed back off but the sound of the heavy cloth at the doorway being moved made her tense up as if expecting an attack. Her eyes opened as she caught a small head peaking in, it was a child staring back at her. His little face painted white as he stared at them. Immediately Kat blushed at being found in Bucky's bed completely naked with only the covers concealing them. However the child giggled and quickly ducked back out, a moment later the child called out in Xhosa outside.

What came next was Bucky chuckling. "Relax doll. We are not under attack. They do that, I think they are curious about me. I just wish I knew what they were saying especially 'Mhlophe Ingcuka'."

"I thought you were learning the language." Kat pointed out as she finally lifted her head to look up at him.

"I am but am not that good at it yet."

"It means White wolf." Kat answered laughing a little bit. It was a lovely title for him, he was her white wolf.

"And what was the rest that kid said?" Bucky asked curious. Now Kat was blushing as she recalled easily what the little boy had called out after spotting them. She immediately ducked her heard back down and making Bucky laugh. "C'mon I want to know. Tell me."

"He said: 'White wolf has a mate.'" Kat replied.

"Ah and you don't want to be my mate?" Bucky asked, for a mere second Kat thought he was offended, but in truth he was teasing her.

"No that's not... I just found it funny," Kat said with a sigh.

"Relax doll I was only joking. Why is it funny?"

"They call you White wolf," Kat said then smiled, "You're my white wolf and I'm your mate..." As she spoke she looked over his chest as she ran her hand over him admiring him.

Bucky smiled watching her, she looked so beautiful her long black hair with purple highlights was a beautiful mess of locks. Her soft lips pulled up into a smile, and her skin flushed pink. He was glad the fight was largely over with, and she was his again. So why then did she seem afraid to talk? Was she worried they would start fighting all over again? Wanting this underlying tension gone, Bucky grabbed her and rolled over so she was underneath him. Then he pressed his lips to hers eagerly kissing her as his hands ran over her body.

 _'Wait Bucky someone might peak in.'_ Kat thought to him worried one of the children might peak in and see what they were doing. Immediately Bucky released her lips, and pushed himself up onto his knees as he reached back and pulled a curtain at the foot of the bed around. The curtain slid on a rail across the ceiling enclosing the bed so no one entering the hut could see them. In the brief moment he was on his knees Kat got a lovely view of his naked body including his big thick erection. Part of her ached for him, but another part was already aching from their earlier activities.

With the curtain in place Bucky moved back over her and she trembled at the thought of him taking her again. She tried to get comfortable beneath him as he pressed her to the bed, and she adjusted her hips to accept him. A second later she gasped as he pushed into her and his lips pressed down on hers to silence her lest someone outside hear her. She trembled at the pleasure and pain of him having her yet again. She was still sore from the night before, but the pleasure far outweighed the pain. She knew she could never refuse him when it came to having her, no matter how sore she was. He just felt too damn good!

Immediately he pushed in fully and began pushing in and out of her as she clung to him and wrapped her legs around him. Muffled moans and cries could be heard between them as his thrusts grew faster and harder. Both the pleasure and pain grew, but Kat barely registered the pain since the pleasure was overwhelming. Her nails raked down his back as she kissed him back urging him on, then she winced as he upped the tempo. With a gasp he broke the kiss and looked at her concerned. "We don't have to keep going, you are allowed to tell me to stop if you don't want to."

"And deny my white wolf?" Kat asked breathlessly, "Never." With that she pulled him back down to her kissing him fiercely as she squeezed him. This was all the urging he needed to resume thrusting into her hard and fast. He didn't stop as she gave a muffled pleasure filled cry, nor did he stop when he gave a muffled groan and jerked hard inside her. The hot splash of his seed seemed to sooth the ache inside her as she trembled and squeezed him. A moment later they released each other's lips and were catching their breaths recovering from their latest session together.

"Why are you so quiet doll? You seem hesitant to speak." Bucky finally asked after a long stretch of silence. It took a long time before Kat answered. She laid there frowning as she worked through what to say.

"We never really talked last night. I just figured if I brought it up we would start arguing, and it seemed like _this_ would be how we were going to settle arguments." Kat said softly then bit her bottom lip.

"No we didn't really do much talking, we were a little busy." Bucky smiled then brushed some of Kat's hair from her face. A moment later he grew serious once more. "As for the argument we both made mistakes, we both handled things poorly; but here we are. I think we have worked through that argument pretty well and moved onto the more fun part... the make up sex."

Bucky whispering those last four words made Kat laugh and that underlying tension quickly vanished. Kat nodded in agreement as she said. "Well that make up sex is really incredible and does wonders for someone's mood."

"Well then I had best make you some coffee, let you recover, and then we can resume having make up sex." Bucky replied smiling down at Kat.

"Depends... it isn't that instant coffee crap. Is it?"

"And risk inciting your wrath or causing another fight? Never." Bucky replied, making Kat laugh. Stealing another deep kiss from Kat, Bucky rose slipped his clothes and boots then pushed the curtain aside. He then grabbed a kettle to no doubt boil some water in. "Relax this is Africa, they only have real coffee here. Now, don't you move, I'll be right back."

"I don't know the temptation to get dressed and sneak back to the city is awfully tempting..." Kat teased as she sat up partially her elbow bent to prop her up with her palm up to rest her head on as she laid sideways. She knew Bucky would be tempted to come back and have her again, but he was resisting it.

"You could try, but I would catch you before you got far. Then I would have carry you back here over my shoulder and tie you to that bed." Bucky pointed out sending Kat's heart thumping as she liked what he was suggesting.

"Wow Sergeant Barnes... you know how to tempt a girl." Kat said.

"Stay." He said firmly giving her a firm look, but she knew better than to believe it. He was fighting to keep from smiling.

"Yes sir!" Kat replied giving a salute, then added. "Or perhaps I should say 'Yes, White Wolf.'."

Bucky laughed and shook his head before opening the hut's cloth door, just before he left through the door he said. "You better stay. Otherwise it would be rather embarrassing for you to be carried over my shoulder back to our hut. Not a good first impression for the White Wolf's mate, is it?"

With that Bucky ducked outside leaving Kat alone for the time being. _'Hmm White wolf's mate...'_ Kat thought enjoying the sound of it more than she would admit. Rolling onto her back she got comfortable and stretched despite her little aches and pains from their 'previous activities'. With the argument over they could move forward. No more problems.

* * *

It was another day before the flooding waters blocking them from town ebbed away allowing Kat and Bucky to return to town. In the time before that they got some much needed time together rarely leaving the hut Bucky lived in. However it was not all carnal activities, the pair also discussed what they would do. With Bucky preferring this new quiet life, Kat agreed that the quiet village was the best place. When the final tests would be performed in a few days by Shuri and if proven that the HYDRA programming was no more; Kat agreed to living in the small rural village. It would be strange not having computers around her, she had always been in cities and around technology. However she would not miss the big cities and endless crowds of people, she would be glad to say goodbye to such places. However the change from her hideouts would be a little disconcerting. But this was a compromise with Bucky asking her not deciding for her, and since it was a compromise Bucky agreed with what she wanted to do.

HYDRA was still out there, and Kat's original promise and mission were not yet done. While Bucky himself did not want to keep fighting, he knew Kat was not willing to just let this go. Did it worry him? Yes, but he also knew it needed to be done. As parents both knew HYDRA could come back in force, and the last thing they wanted was for Tess to be put in danger as a direct result of ignoring a threat. Thus his side of the compromise was that when needed Kat would go out there and try to complete that long held mission of destroying HYDRA. Kat herself would never ask Bucky to keep fighting, he had been fighting for so long and simply wanted peace. She could not ask him to fight HYDRA, but if need be she would do the fighting for him. Some might have called this decision reckless asking her why does she keep fighting? She has a daughter to look after. Yes she has a daughter... a daughter HYDRA could drag away if left unchecked. The only way Kat saw was to completely destroy HYDRA and ensure they _never_ came back.

Besides she owed it to all those that died because of HYDRA. Not just her fellow lab rats, father, and sister; but those that HYDRA had killed over the years including Howard and Marie Stark. She had promised to destroy HYDRA and to break her word felt like she was dishonouring their memories. These would be the first of many compromises, and joint decisions made together. When they got back to the city they immediately went to Tess, she also seemed overjoyed at the idea of living with her parents rather than at the Royal palace. While the little girl loved being around the Royal family, Okoye, and Myra she wanted to be with her parents. The only reason she had not been living with Bucky prior to this was because they wanted to make sure the HYDRA programming was completely gone. No unneeded risks, so that meant the last test scheduled to take place in a few days.

With the decision that Tess would be with her parents it left a big question for Myra. There were questions on what the former HYDRA agent would do, but no real cause for concerns. When asking Myra what she wanted to do she said. "I am not sure... I might have joined Coulson's team, but feel I would never be welcomed amongst them. The Shadow Network offered me a job working with Sharon, but I am not too sure of that either at the moment. If it's okay I would like to stick around then if you need a extra hand or someone to watch Tess I am here."

Kat was able to guess why she was sticking around, while Myra didn't say it. She was silently hoping Shuri could fix her sterility even as she doubted it. That and the agent didn't really let on but she liked being the unofficial bodyguard to Tess. She might have been an enemy when they first met, but Myra was now a trusted friend to Kat. Perhaps also the former agent was just wanting some peace much like Bucky. Either way Kat was glad the red head would be sticking around.

To make things even better, shortly after arriving at the palace that day, Shuri approached Kat asking to speak to her about something 'important'. At first Kat thought it was in regards to Bucky worrying that the Wakandan Princess was going to tell her there was some HYDRA programming she could not get rid of. However that thought was quickly dismissed by how nervous and excited Shuri was. The pair came to be in Shuri's new lab as Shuri started straight faced.

"So... plasma coil?"

"What?" Kat asked.

"Which would you use A cohesive coil or a plasma coil for a weapon's charger?" Shuri clarified, was this some kind of test? A tech question? Thinking a moment Kat considered both briefly before answering.

"Depends, what's the energy distribution? Plasma coils have a lot of kick but can become unstable from overuse. Whereas the cohesive might last longer but have less bite." Shuri grinned at Kat like a Cheshire cat that got the cream.

"Alright you're in."

"I am in? In what exactly."

"Don't play coy with me white girl," Shuri said still grinning, "I expect you here every morning. We are going to have so much fun!"

"We are?"

Just then King T'Challa entered and asked. "So has Mrs. Barnes said yes?"

"She has, brother."

"I have... wait what am I saying yes too?" Kat asked looking between the King and his sister.

"Still playing coy, you're my lab co-worker genius!" Shuri said smartly.

"Oh why didn't you say that rather then ask that technical question?"

"Because it was a test to see if you can keep up with me. Which I think you are the only other person in Wakanda that _can_ keep up with me." Shuri replied.

"Thanks little sister." T'Challa said feeling a little insulted.

"Don't worry brother." Shuri said patting his arm. "You try." Then Shuri looked to Kat and pointed at her. "Eight o'clock every morning. Give me a moment and I will give you a tour of the lab!"

With that Shuri moved off to one of her tables and seemed to be cleaning up her earlier work while T'Challa smiled at Kat. "She has been wanting to ask you to work with her for weeks, and been waiting for you to return to Wakanda. Any longer and she might have asked me to go out and fetch you."

"Wow I wish I had known that I would have come back sooner." Kat replied both flattered and honoured that Shuri wanted to work with her.

"No you would not have. As Nakia pointed out you needed time, Mrs. Barnes. But I am glad you and Sergeant Barnes have worked things out. He was going crazy without you, Shuri was concerned it would impede his progress, now that you are here... I am certain his progress will be much improved." The King smiled then added, "And now I need not worry about my sister nagging me to bring you back here."

"No lying brother!" Shuri said having returned from her clean up to hear them. She came up and took Kat's arm and waved a hand at T'Challa, "Shoo Shoo! I need to give Kat a tour of her new work place. Tomorrow we will have much to do!"

With that Kat was dragged off by Shuri to look around the large spacious lab as T'Challa chuckled and left them to it.

* * *

 **Author's Notes:**

 **First off thank you for the lovely reviews, and am sorry it took so long to post this chapter. Sadly I am writing the chapters as I go now whereas before it was all pre-written. Some of it is in bits and pieces because I know what I want to do, but it is just fitting all the pieces together into a readable chapter. Also I am trying to space it a little to avoid a lengthy hiatus. Obviously we are not getting any more Marvel movies until 2019, and the next once is Captain Marvel. If the rumours and trailers are to be believed that is set in the 90s, and at that time Kat was still Three and a HYDRA lab rat. Thus she is limited in what she can appear in after Infinity War, until the second half comes out later in 2019. Also with Agents of SHIELD I also have to wait on season 6 to know if Kat can be included in that. So it is a lot of guess work for the Marvel movies and shows. However as said I have bits and pieces I can toy a little with Agents of SHIELD season 5, and our latest baddie to enter the scene, so while the writing is slow it is not officially on hiatus yet.**

 **As for this chapter I had multiple scenes written with Kat and Bucky, so it was very hard to complete this chapter. Some pieces of writing just would not fit, so I ended up ditching one piece or another to make it fit and flow right. Sadly it meant trading in one smut scene for another. the other thing was them finally making up so I had several arguments written out, but also had to pick and choose which to use. A lot of excess writing was thereby ditched. Hopefully you guys will like the end result.**

 **The other issue was working out what would happen afterwards. I knew I was going to expand on Kat's powers and how they might effect those nearest and dearest to her. Let me be clear Bucky is NOT a telepath. What he is getting from this connection is a type of mental awareness. He is aware of the connection, he knows her mind and senses her, but that does not mean he is reading her mind. For example when she thinks of not being able to return to the city she gets concerned for Tess, Bucky merely senses her concern and realises she is worried about leaving Tess. He is interpreting her thoughts not reading them. I know in some scenes it might seem like he is hearing her thoughts but that is just him sensing the direction of her thoughts and emotions.**

 **I think those might be the biggest concerns. Aside from that we also get to learn what the couple plan to do in regards to their future, and Shuri asks Kat to work with her in her lab. We have the Science bros in Stark and Banner now we get the Science Sisters. I had mentioned Kat and Shuri hanging out more so here we go.**

 **Anyway I will be working on the next chapter. Please let me know what you think of this latest chapter by leaving me a review. I do love hearing from you guys.**

 **Lesliezin**


	61. A Happy Peaceful Life

**Hello everyone,**

 **Here is Chapter 61, enjoy.**

* * *

 **March 8** **th** **, 2017**

 **Wakanda**

"Are we all set?" Shuri asked, as she looked at Kat who was typing into a computer just then. Today was the day, and it was becoming just as stressful for Kat as it would be for Bucky. Kat again peeked at her husband, worried about what was going to happen. He reclined back on a comfortable leather table, and was looking at her a little nervously. Both knew this was the last test to make sure there was no more programming. This test was a very big deal. Kat kept telling herself he had passed all the previous tests, there was no reason he should not pass this latest test. Due to the circumstances however they strategically scheduled it during Tess' practise sessions which Myra was more than happy to take Tess to. The former agent had practically screamed yes to taking Tess then mumbled she did not want to read the code words again. How many times had Shuri asked Myra to read the trigger words to Bucky?

Either way it was just them which made Kat more wary. If the Winter Soldier was activated she would not really stand a chance against him, and protecting Shuri? Kat shook her head she was worrying too much, nothing was going to happen. "I guess we are as ready as we will ever be."

"Good—Ah brother what are you doing here?" Kat turned having not heard the King enter the lab. He obviously favoured the 'sneakers' Shuri had made him long ago, and with the stress Kat simply did not hear or sense him mentally.

"I made the decision that I would come and see how this last test went." T'Challa smiled, clearly confident that it would work, but also he wanted to be present just in case. With him stood two Dora Milaje another added precaution, no doubt.

"We are just beginning," Shuri said then looked to Bucky, "Try to relax Bucky."

Bucky tried to smile at the princess then looked to Kat who smiled at him. "It's alright, I am right here. Nothing bad is going to happen."

 _'I am just glad you are here for this. I was worried you would still be away when this last test would be done.'_ Bucky thought to her, and Kat smiled. Meanwhile Shuri attached some small tab behind his ear and activated her tablet. She was setting up to monitor brain activity.

"Alright Sarge—uhh Bucky, as discussed we are going to give you a dose of adrenaline and elevate your stress levels. Then once at the optimum level the trigger words will be read. This is to see if stress or anxiety could assist in the trigger words success."

"In other words we want to mimic a combat situation and see if someone reading those words activates them." Kat said simply.

"You do not need to dumb down everything I say." Shuri pointed out, and got Kat laughing a little.

"Don't worry Bucky, she means well." Meanwhile T'Challa was trying hard not to laugh and was still spotted by Shuri.

"I see you laughing brother."

"You two are getting along so well. It s nice to see my baby sister being teased."

"You should see what happens when it is just the two of us here in the lab." Kat added grinning.

"Try to record it next time." T'Challa added then grinned at Shuri, who shook her head.

"Anyway getting back to the matter at hand. Are you ready Kat?" The question reminded Kat of what was to happen and she was looking to Bucky again worried before nodding. "Good. Begin the course of adrenaline and stress inducers."

Looking to Bucky he nodded that he was ready, but worried. Clicking some keys on the computer activated the injections that were fed into a tub in Bucky's arm. From there Kat watched carefully as the numbers climbed and the graphs showed spikes. Quickly he reached the elevated levels, and Shuri watching his brain activity nodded for Kat to continue. She did not need to refer to the paper Shuri had handed her, she already knew the key words said in Russian. Turning to Bucky she took a shaky breath before speaking in perfect Russian those dreaded words. _"_ _Furnace."_

Kat looked to Shuri who kept her eyes on the small holographic screen coming from her kimoyo beads. Seeing no change Kat continued. _"_ _Benign."_ Still no change, _"_ _Rusted."_

Aside from the drugs effecting Bucky there was no change. _"_ _One."_

Taking this as a sign that nothing was going to happen Kat continued saying the next three code words one right after another. _"_ _Daybreak. Nine. Longing."_

Shuri held up a hand as if to urge Kat to slow down or stop and Kat looked to her then to Bucky confused. Bucky did not seem to be reacting to the key words, so Kat looked to Shuri expectantly waiting to hear what was wrong. When the Wakandan teen did not respond Kat had to ask. "Shuri what is it?"

"Nothing... keep going."

Kat wanted to argue seeing the look on Shuri's face, but looked to Bucky as she said the next word. _"_ _Seventeen."_

Looking back at Shuri she saw the teen frown at what she was seeing and now even T'Challa was concerned. "Sister what is it?"

"Nothing to worry over."

"Well we are getting worried what is it?!" T'Challa argued while Kat looked to Shuri worried.

"I promise brother I will explain after the test has concluded." Shuri said, and Kat looked to T'Challa hoping in part he would say no to continuing. Instead he gave an exasperated sigh and nodded for Kat to continue. _"_ _Homecoming."_

Seeing no change and sensing no change, Kat was still hesitant to utter that last word. Meanwhile Bucky seemed just as scared as them especially with his adrenaline spiked and his stress levels elevated. He tried not to show it, but was waiting with baited breath for Kat to say the last word. _"_ _Freight Car."_

Kat watched Bucky carefully but nothing happened. Why had Shuri looked so worried?! Was the teen pulling a poorly timed prank?! If so it was not funny!

* * *

"What the hell just happened?!" Kat yelled, in all honesty yelling at the Wakandan princess in front of her brother the king was not the best idea. The Dora behind him seemed to take even greater offence, but as T'Challa held up a hand they stood down. The King too was not pleased as he looked to his sister.

"This had better not have been a poorly timed joke sister. You nearly gave all of us a heart attack."

"Oh please brother! You know me better than that!" Shuri pointed out then looked to Kat, "I am sorry I distressed you and Bucky."

It had been a few minutes after the test had ended with Bucky still reclining where he had been for the test. He was given something to counteract the adrenaline and stress inducers, and to help he was given some camomile tea. Kat stood next to him feeling even more stressed than he would have been on the inducers. Meanwhile T'Challa stood there watching his sister with his arms folded across his chest waiting for an explanation. Behind him the Dora stood motionless as statues. Now Shuri was moving about the lab as she entered into her explanation for what happened.

"Let me start at the beginning..." She said as she moved over to where T'Challa stood and past him to activate large holographic screens. "I had rewrote pathways on Bucky's mind to eliminate the responses to those key words. Which it seemed to be successful."

Once the screens were up and running T'Challa moved to the side with the Dora and the group began looking at the screens. Shuri continued talking as she typed. "However in the first test done to see if the key words would still work. I noticed a slight blip in activity... here."

Shuri had stopped typing and pointed at the screen. It was a chart of Bucky's brain activity and what she pointed at showed a small spike in activity. "I feared it to be some hidden HYDRA programming that needed to be removed, but after the test I could not find it. So I called for another test to see if it was an equipment issue—it wasn't."

Shuri went back to the computers bringing up a second chart on the next screen over. "The second test... and the third."

Now seeing three charts all with steadily growing spikes in activity was very concerning. Next Shuri put the remaining results on the screen. "I ran test after test to try and find this issue. We tried multiple scenarios to see if it would reveal the hidden programming. We induced him to sleep, dream, asked him to go without sleep. We tried all kinds of situations but each time the spike grew, until I realised it was not a spike caused by the code words. It was a spike in activity. I just could not understand why, then Bucky mentioned dreams and feeling you Kat. It led me to a theory, but with no proof I could not say for certain."

That was when Shuri pulled up the last three results including this latest test result. The tests before this last one showed the spike of activity was getting wider as if lasting longer, and longer with each test. Then there was the last it was no longer a spike, but near constant line of activity! Grinning Shuri pulled up more, and looked to Kat. "Know who's chart this is?"

Kat looked at the record name and was struck speechless, it was hers! It was a brain activity scan from when she was in a coma. Granted the activity on this scan was significantly higher and more constant than Bucky's the patterns were similar. "It was never HYDRA programming that I was spotting, it was you!"

The room got so quiet as Kat stared shocked at the screens. Finally Bucky asked. "So I am free of the HYDRA programming?"

"Yes, but I have even better news!" Shuri said excitedly. This got Kat looking at Shuri confused, what could be better than Bucky finally being free of HYDRA? The grin on Shuri was not dropping as she was glad to have their undivided attention. "Not only are the key words completely useless, and there is no external HYDRA programming hidden away. But even if I did miss something on the slim chance... it would not matter."

Shuri was still grinning and overjoyed at her discovery that T'Challa asked. "Why wouldn't it matter? If you missed something wouldn't Sergeant Barnes still be in danger of HYDRA?"

"Nope," Shuri said confidently, "Even if, and this is a big if; I missed something and HYDRA recaptured Bucky they would never regain control of him. Because of you!" Shuri said pointing at Kat.

"Me?" Kat asked stunned.

"Yes the spikes in activity steadily growing is this strange mental bond you have formed. Because of this bond Bucky has this protective barrier safeguarding him from outside influence. Even if recaptured, even if there was some hidden programming I missed HYDRA will never be able to regain control of his mind!"

The words stunned Kat even more as she stared at the screens and charts from those tests. This was even better news than she could have hoped for, not only was Bucky's mind free but it was also protected! Kat was still too stunned by it she had not heard Bucky get up or come to her. Instead she felt someone grab her wrist and she was pulled into a strong chest. Tearing her eyes from the screens, Kat looked up at Bucky who leaned down kissing her fiercely. He was just so overjoyed to finally know he was free, and that no one could control him again that he had to kiss her. He felt like a man just released from prison as he kissed her passionately. Getting over her shock she pressed against him kissing him back, equally overjoyed to have him and no one would ever take him from her again.

"Oi! No making out in my lab!" Shuri called out as T'Challa chuckled. Moments later T'Challa returned to his duties as King, visibly relieved that Bucky was free of the HYDRA programming, and shortly there after Shuri practically shoved Kat and Bucky out of her lab telling Kat to take the day off. Thus they headed for the training ground where Tess was practising with the other children. Up on the grassy hill overlooking the practice area Myra sat watching her. The pair came and sat by Myra as the former agent looked expectantly at them.

"So? How did it go?"

Still buzzing from the excitement of what they'd learnt, Kat explained what happened while Bucky just held her against him enjoying the closeness. Partially Kat still could not believe it, it felt like one of those dreams you wished were real and then you woke to disappointment. She must have wanted to pinch herself at least a dozen times already. Fortunately the more she talked about it the closer to reality it became, and Myra ended up smiling at the news.

"Wow! That is wonderful news. Now I know why Shuri kept performing test after test." Myra said, "So no more tests right? He is in the clear?"

"Yep completely free and cannot be put under HYDRA's sway again." Kat said, and Myra relaxed more.

"Oh thank God. I hated reading those fucking codewords." Myra said, "So Bucky? Are you going to call Steve let him know the good news?"

"Later, right now I want to tell my other lady." Bucky said nodding towards the little girl practising. Myra followed his gaze and nodded.

"She is going to be over the moon. Honestly at first she wanted to ditch practise."

"How did you convince her to go?" Kat asked.

"Okoye, I reminded Tess that the highlight of the General's day is coming to watch Tess practise, and that skipping could disappoint a certain Dora." Myra replied, "Tess didn't want to disappoint Okoye."

As it was Kat could just make out that very same General standing off to the side watching the girls practise. Tess really didn't know just how she had Okoye wrapped around her little fingers. From there the three merely watched the remaining practise session. At the end and after a brief exchange with Okoye, Tess ran up the hill. The little girl grew excited at seeing her parents and rushed up a little faster. As she was coming up, Myra rose from her spot, and said. "Well I think I will make myself scarce so you guys can have some alone time with Tess."

"You don't have to.." Kat replied.

"It's okay I was asked to see Shuri anyway. Congrats again." Myra said just as Tess reached them.

"Where are you going Myra?" The little girl asked.

"Well I am due at Shuri's lab, and you guys have much to talk about." Myra said, then held up her hands, "High five on your practise session. Looks like Okoye was impressed."

The girl gave her high fives as she giggled, then Myra straightened. "Well I am off, see you guys later."

With them saying bye to the former agent, Myra left them as Tess came closer and sat by Kat and in front of Bucky. The little girl knew today was important because of the last test and what it could mean. If her dad failed the test it could mean she would not be able to live with him because of the HYDRA programming, but if he was successful then there should be no further problems. The little girl nervously set her practise staff down in the grass by her, then looked to her parents. "So... how did it go?"

"It's confirmed now. You're dad is one-hundred percent free of the HYDRA programming, but do you want to hear even better news?" Kat asked, as she watched her daughter's eyes light up and she nodded, "Princess Shuri discovered that you're dad's mind is protected!"

"Really?!" Tess asked smiling.

"It turns out your Mom is protecting my mind through this connection we share." Bucky added.

"So not only is he free of the bad stuff, but HYDRA can never regain control of you're Dad's mind." Kat pointed out when Tess sat there stunned, then she was smiling.

"Does that mean we can finally live with Daddy?" Tess asked hopeful that finally the three of them could be together.

"Of course sweetie, that is the plan after all." Kat said and the little girl practically bounced with excitement as she leaned forward and into Kat and Bucky to be hugged by them. At long last things were looking up, and it seemed that the worst was over.

* * *

 **April 5** **th** **, 2017**

 **Wakanda**

Nearly a month after that last test things had moved quickly. Tess was overeager to be allowed to live with her Dad and Mom, and both Kat and Bucky were happy to make their daughter happy. So moving Tess from the palace to the hut was not a huge deal and Myra was happy to help out. With Kat there really wasn't much to even move, she mainly had a laptop bag and small duffel bag on the Quinjet. Most of Kat's stuff was still in New York at her old hideout, in fact Kat had wanted to return and gather some of her and Tess' items from there.

So shortly after getting Tess settled, Kat told Bucky she would only be gone for a few days to get some belongings. There was absolutely no intention of staying out beyond that. Still when she arrived back at the old hideout, it brought with it the years of memories. This was where the war against HYDRA began, where she made Aida, and where they had accomplished much. Amongst all her other hideouts this one held the most importance to her, and it held some very important belongings.

She had gone into the computer and gym area where on the rack sat her father's katana. It was one of the items she intended to take with her. Years ago Takai had been training her, and before the fight between the Avengers in Germany she would practice every evening after putting Tess to bed. It was past time to resume practising in memory of her father and sister. Picking up the sheathed sword, it was one of many items she took including, framed pictures of her loved ones, some more summer type clothes, and some other gifts.

However there was one item she considered deeply, the old worn book that had been Four's favourite. There was obvious water damage and the cover had to be taped back on. The list of things Four had wanted to experience inside the cover pages was barely legible. 'The Time Traveller's Wife', once long ago she had thought Four was the only one she was meant for only to meet Bucky. She held the badly damaged book in her hands, it like her; had been through so much. However things were different now, once it was a last reminder of her first love and who she used to be... a HYDRA lab rat.

Then an idea formed, she would take the book but bury it. Four would have liked Wakanda, and it would be a proper way to say goodbye. She had carried the deaths of her fellow lab rats for so long, it was past time to let go and move on. She also grabbed some more clothes for Tess. When done she reluctantly turned the lights off to the New York Hideout and left. The time of hiding herself and Tess away were now officially behind them.

She had actually given the list of hideouts to Steve Rogers for him and those on the run to use, and as Aida reported the Avengers on the run had made good use of them. Packing the belongings up and taking them aboard the Quinjet, Kat had immediately set course back to Wakanda. She arrived back later that day to find Bucky and Tess waiting for her when she landed. From there they helped her get the belongings to the hut, and together they were finally settled into their new quiet home.

However that was not to say that there wasn't any drawbacks. Because of the hut, Kat felt very insecure, she was used to security systems, defensive measures, and exit strategies. There were too many ways HYDRA could attack, and that concerned her. Sure she was happy, but she had lived too long with paranoia to just simply relax. It was just going to take time for her to adjust to this new way of living. Thankfully Bucky understood, he had dealt with looking over his shoulder for many years. He was still partially concerned with HYDRA coming after them, he just was no longer concerned with his mind being taken control of. Instead his concern had shifted to Kat and Tess and protecting them from HYDRA.

Still the pair never let the concerns bubble to the surface where Tess could see. Instead it was an unspoken concern that merely lingered at the backs of their minds. With time the concerns became less, but Kat kept a mental tally of signs to look out for of HYDRA possibly coming for them.

In the meantime Kat continued to work with Shuri and the pair seemed to get on well. The next project on the Princess' mind was repairing the damage done to Myra and hopefully restoring the agent's own ability to have children, a venture Kat could easily get behind. Thus far Myra stuck around as promised, but because Shuri wanted to fix her she stayed at the palace and visited their hut regularly. Often Myra would come to watch Tess at practise and chat with both Kat and Bucky up on that grassy hill.

On this particular morning Kat had taken to rising early before Tess and Bucky got up to go out back and practise with her katana. It was a good way to relax, and in the very early mornings the air was cool and crisp, it helped wake her up. She moved in a calm pattern Takai had once taught her pretending to be pitted against a foe. Gradually her movements grew faster and despite the chill she began to sweat.

After a long practise, Kat was breathing harder, but before she could straighten or move a pair of arms wrapped around her. Then an all too familiar husky voice whispered in her ear sending a shiver down her spine. "Naughty girl, sneaking out of bed. Leaving your husband to wake alone and...wanting."

The last word made Kat gasp as she felt something hard pressed against her bottom and nearly dropped her sword.

"But you were asleep." Kat argued.

"Yeah," Bucky replied with a chuckle and nuzzled her neck, "Then I woke and found you here. Practising... your hips moving. Your chest rising and falling. You all sweaty..."

"It sounds like you were watching me too closely." Kat teased, then her breath hitched as his metal hand gripped her hip and pulled her back against him making her feel him even more. She groaned as he brushed against her.

"Put your sword away." Bucky ordered, and Kat obediently sheathed the katana. As soon as the sword was put away, Bucky tugged her along towards the woods their hut was by. It was still too early for anyone to be up, and Bucky already knew Kat would hear anyone's thoughts if they got close. Soon Kat found herself pushed up against a tree, where she gasped when Bucky pushed her grey gym shorts and panties aside.

"Bucky... Tess might wake." Kat shivered as she heard the rustle of fabric behind her and heard Bucky's deep reply.

"Which is why I will have to hurry..." With that she felt him and gasped as he pushed into her a second later. "Shhh doll, you don't want anyone to hear us do you?"

From there Kat had to bite back her cries as Bucky took her fast and hard against the tree. As it was with a little girl in the hut the pair found the chance to make love less and less often. They were having to steal moments like this, which made it all the more exciting and passionate! Kat gripped the tree for dear life as she felt Bucky move in and out of her, but still he was showing restraint. "Don't hold back, Bucky. Please."

Her breathless whisper urged him to move faster and harder until it was a wild frantic love making session where Bucky had to cover Kat's mouth when she was going to scream. It was over in minutes with Bucky jerking hard into her and pumping his seed deep inside her. Both were left desperately trying to catch their breaths, and Kat even gave a protestant whimper when Bucky withdrew from her. Soon they were adjusting their clothing when Bucky chuckled. "I take it that means you enjoyed it, and didn't want me to leave."

"Of course, I love it when you're inside me. I always hate it when you leave." Kat replied as she turned around to face him, then with a playful smile she added by thoughts. _'In fact I desperately want you to fuck me until I pass out.'_

Bucky groaned, his thoughts telling her he also wanted to do that! Sadly fulfilling that particular fantasy was not in the cards at the moment. As if to remind them Kat heard Tess' thoughts as she woke up, and knew their daughter would wonder where they were. As if on cue the little girl's voice came from inside the hut. While muffled and hard to hear Bucky easily heard her while Kat merely read her daughter's mind. "Mommy? Daddy? It's time to get up."

Naturally the little girl would want to get ready, eat breakfast, and go to practise. It was now routine, and so both of them re-entered the hut. When asked why they were outside Kat told Tess she was practising with her katana and Bucky came to watch her. From there the family worked on getting ready for another peaceful day. Bucky made coffee out front, while Kat cleaned herself up and got changed. Tess merely got dressed since she usually had to have a bath after practise, then went to help her Daddy with breakfast.

Around the table they would eat breakfast and Aida would pop in via Kat's cell phone to give updates. Mainly the AI moved about the palace via electronics or hung out in Shuri's lab, but every morning the AI came to update them on current events. That particular morning the AI also replayed a news announcement that Tony Stark was engaged to Pepper Potts. While Kat was no fan of Stark anymore, she had long been a shipper for the couple so she was happy for them. She just hoped to never see Tony Stark again.

After that it was off to practise, as usual Bucky and Kat sat on the grassy hill overlooking the training area. Tess ran down to join the other children and the Dora Ayo, then about the same time every morning Myra would come from the palace and join them to watch Tess at practise. The three would chat about what was going on in the wider world. Often Myra would talk about what Sam and the others were up to. Other times the topic was on Shuri's treatment plan for Myra. Both Aida and Kat gave everything they had on Ethan Kovach and his serums he used, so that Shuri had all the details. Between Kat and Shuri they were still pouring over files and formulas that Kovach used to try and decode how Myra became sterile. Only then could they work out how to undo the damage Kovach had done to the former agent.

After practise, Kat would always have to part ways from Bucky. Sometimes Tess would go with her other times she would return to the village with her dad it largely depended on what Tess wanted to do that day. Go with mom to Shuri's lab and watch them work, or go home with dad and help him help around the village. That was pretty much how the rest of the day went until it got towards evening. Then when the work day ended, Bucky and Tess would sometimes meet Kat outside Shuri's lab, or Kat would return to the village. Often they ventured to town to look in the shops of the market or get dinner. Other times they prepared a meal out in front of their hut, and socialised with the other villagers.

Either way they would eventually return home and get ready for bed, only to repeat the steps the next day. It was a lovely peaceful way to live.

* * *

 **Author's Notes:**

 **First off thank you all for the lovely reviews and am sorry I have not posted in a while. I have been rather busy and most of my writing for the next chapters are in bits and pieces. I am still trying to organise them. I just managed to pull this chapter together and I know it is not as long as some of my previous chapters.**

 ** **The other thing I feel I need to mention is the passing of the Legend himself Stan Lee. I wanted to post a chapter to him, but was not quite sure how to go about it. Partially this chapter is inspired by living a happy peaceful life. Yes I know there is some smut in it, but I focused more on the scene with Kat at her old hideout and her having to move forward. Also what she decides to do with Four's book. That is meant for Mr. Lee a way of saying goodbye to a great man.****

 ** ** ** **I like many fans have taken his passing really hard. When growing up I did not want to be a actress, model or astronaut. I wanted to be like Stan Lee, a writer and creator, so regardless of all the fantastic superheroes he helped bring to life. Stan Lee was always My Greatest Superhero. R.I.P Stan Lee. We'll miss you dearly.********

 ** ** ** ** ** ** ** **As for this chapter I do hope you enjoyed it and please let me know by leaving a review. However if nothing else please join me by saying goodbye to a great and wonderful man.****************

 ** ** ** ** ** ** ** **Lesliezin****************


	62. All too Easy

**Hello everyone,**

 **Sorry for the delay. I will explain in the Author's Notes. Anyway here is chapter 62, enjoy.**

* * *

 **June 19** **th** **, 2017**

 **The Quinjet**

"Captain Rogers? Nat? Somebody pick up." Kat spoke into her mic as she finished the landing procedures. Then she frowned, Aida had told her that Steve left a message about a known HYDRA head. Working as a team, they were moving in fast to try and prevent one Richard Ivanoff from slipping through and getting away. However did that mean she was late to the party? Obviously Steve had felt the need to contact her. Not much was known of Ivanoff, to the public for years he played at being a humanitarian. Nevertheless his homeless shelters and refugee camps held a darker purpose... they provided him with limitless test subjects. A lot of the tests involved bio weapons and diseases. _'Yeah not so much of a humanitarian now is he?'_ Kat thought after having looked up the information. Or perhaps Steve had second thoughts about working with her. Her track record for slaughtering HYDRA personnel was pretty high, and Steve had a huge moral compass. She was about to click the button again when Nat's voice sounded.

"Hey Kat what took you so long?"

"Was going to ask you the same thing. I was beginning to think no one was home."

"Well I am here."

"Don't tell me bird man went for a flight."

"He is doing recon."

"Anything?" Kat asked.

"The mansion and small army Ivanoff has is impressive. However we noticed an issue. Something we never expected to see." Nat said.

"Yeah? What's that?"

"A couple of days ago he met with someone, then half of that small army left. Steve was concerned they might be targeting some place of importance much like Rumlow did in Nigeria." Nat explained, "Sending you what we have."

Getting up from the pilot's seat, Kat went to the computer and began pulling up the images and data they collected. One of the first images showed a Asian woman in her thirties Kat didn't recognise at all. As Kat looked over the information she frowned then Romanoff added. "We couldn't ID the woman until Red Wing was sent in to eavesdrop. Ivanoff called her... Leiko. She never uttered a word though."

Looking over the series of images Kat stopped at a picture of this Leiko handing an envelop to Ivanoff. "Looks like she is giving him instructions or a message."

"To what end? We have no idea and that is what worries Steve."

"Hmm if she is working for one of the others this is big. The Untouchable HYDRA heads never contact each other like this or work well together. I can see why Steve would be concerned."

"Any particular reason these HYDRA heads give each other a wide berth?" Nat asked.

"Self preservation mainly. HYDRA is generally a pit of Vipers, if you read some of Coulson's old mission reports he easily got some of the HYDRA leadership to turn on each other and even kill each other. We are talking about Untouchable HYDRA heads here... each one wields enough power and influence to run their own countries. Imagine if you put two of them in a room together, the temptation to take what the other has would be too great an opportunity to ignore."

"Makes sense, any idea what they could be planning?" Nat asked.

"Not a clue, I did digging on each of these heads. They all have their own fields, preferences, and agendas. For example Gregory Thatchet runs his grandfather's Oil business which is capable of providing oil to every country on the planet. He also researches new energy sources as a way to pull extra cash for HYDRA. While Nicolas Winston runs the largest food and agriculture company but it is far from for humanitarian reasons that he aids third world countries. Sure they help to feed the poor in those countries, but he has arrangements with those countries' governments to take the undesirables for HYDRA's needs."

"I see, so business wise they would have nothing to do with each other." Nat replied thinking out loud.

"Exactly. The only thing they would ever have in common is that they all have signed on with HYDRA." Kat replied with a shrug. Just then voices could be heard in the background as both Sam and Steve seemed to return from reconnaissance.

"We need to move fast," Steve's voice was heard, "Has Kat made contact?"

"I am here Steve." Kat replied through her mic.

"Kat good to hear you'll be with us on this. Even with a reduced army Ivanoff has quite the force guarding him. We need to move fast and find out what he is planning before he attempts it." Steve said.

"I'll suit up and meet you then. Send me coordinates for a rendezvous."

* * *

It had not taken Kat long to suit up and get to the location Steve specified. The location was rather close to their target's mansion. Kat was crouched by the brush watching the large luxury home. The new suit that was made for her as a collaborative effort by Shuri and Yuma felt different from her old one. The design was the same, but instead of it merely being bulletproof Shuri had said jokingly that she made it Arc reactor proof too. The suit had a vibranium mesh weave sewn into the fabric. Not as strong as King T'Challa's, but it would withstand more devastating attacks. However that did not mean she wanted to put her new suit to the test. Vibrainum was all well and good, but a hard enough blast with enough force could still hurt like a bitch. Kat chuckled as she thought of Shuri and Yuma: both would be eager to know how her new suit held up.

Getting back to the task at hand Kat looked at the impressive and well guarded mansion before her. She watched the diminished body of guards closely, calculating flaws in their patrol patterns and noting any weaknesses to be exploited. She might have continued, but even with things being as quiet as they were, Kat still heard them. _'This'll be fun.'_ Nat thought.

 _'I hope we can do this without incident. I already feel bad pulling Kat from Bucky and Tess.'_ Steve thought.

As they drew closer Kat smirked and sent her thought to them. _'Hey guys heard your thoughts coming. You guys are mentally very noisy.'_ A second later they came into view and crouched next to Kat.

"Hey Kat good to see you." Steve said smiling at her.

"Good to see you too Steve. Also you worry too much." Kat said, getting Steve to smile while Sam shook his head. Greeting aside they looked on the mansion.

"So what do you think Kat?" Nat finally asked, it was not hard to guess that the Black Widow wanted Kat's assessment of the fortress.

"Well you weren't kidding there is certainly a diminished guard detail, and I noted several flaws in their patrol patterns. Willing to bet there is state of the art security systems in place that I can override, but we would have to move fast. Infiltration would be best before making ourselves known otherwise if the alarms are triggered we could wind up easily being surrounded." Kat replied then pointed up at the roof, "See those? They are automated defence turrets, some are most likely for anti-aircraft others will target on the ground forces upon the alarm being triggered. If we can infiltrate the mansion undetected though, I can seize control of the defence turrets and turn them against Ivanoff's little army."

"Well that would certainly settle half the battle." Sam said eyeing the turrets warily.

"Did Red Wing also scout the building?" Kat asked.

"Yeah, the garage is on the far opposite end of the mansion, while there looks to be a service entrance just over there." Sam pointed out. Due to the distance seeing the service door on the building would be even harder, but Kat could just make out a large dumpster and guessed the service door led to the kitchen.

"Could you have Red Wing do a scan of the building?"

"Sure what am I looking for?"

"Electronics... or heat signatures from electronics. I need to know where the control room is for those turrets." Kat said as Sam sent Red Wing in using a new feature called Stealth mode. It made it impossible for the drone to be seen. While they waited Nat made light conversation as if they were meeting up at a cafe for coffee.

"So how is Tess?"

"A handful, she is practising every morning to become a Dora." Kat said.

"Yeah we heard isn't she a bit young?" Sam asked as he remote controlled Red Wing.

"Let me guess, Myra told you?"

"She calls Sam every evening. I am surprised they are not making kissy noises down the phone." Nat said, no doubt trying to tease Sam about his relationship with the former Agent. A fact Sam choose to ignore, or perhaps he was seeing something of interest via Red Wing. So instead Nat continued, "He does have a point though, Tess is a bit young isn't she?"

"You try telling a one year nine months and eighteen day old girl with the intelligence of a five year old and the the physical appearance of a four year old, no. Between both the super soldier serum and the Mastermind serum you would not think for a second that Tess is under four years old." Three said trying not to grumble then added, "Besides we figured it was best she know how to defend herself just in case HYDRA comes around. That and Tess has Okoye wrapped around her little fingers."

"How is Buck?" Steve finally asked, judging by his thoughts the blonde super soldier had been wanting to ask after his friend for a while.

"Much better than any of us could hope for." Kat replied, "Myra no doubt told you about the HYDRA programming being removed."

"That and your new found mental connection means HYDRA can never again reprogram his mind. Aida told us." Nat pointed out, then asked. "How exactly does that work?"

"I am going off of a theory on this one but... another Inhuman Lincoln explained how pre-terrogenesis humans with the potential to be Inhumans have inborn traits or talents. Mine was adaptability. Where I could take a new skill and not just learn it but improve upon it. It was why HYDRA's scientists thought I responded to the Mastermind serum so well. My theory is because of this inbuilt trait I am adapting to and mastering my Inhuman powers much quicker, hence the new skills."

"Makes sense." Nat replied with a shrug, but before the conversation could further Sam spoke up.

"Found it, it looks like the security room is located near the main entrance. To the right and a bit closer to the garage." Sam went into further detail as he had Red Wing do a complete scan of the area. Telling them that over a concrete wall at the back was a pool, patio, and spa. There was a door on the patio that looked to enter into the dining room by the kitchen. A lot of rooms near the garage meant that Invanoff kept both security and staff at the mansion meaning he was just as paranoid as his profile suggested. Upper level was harder to get details on some of the rooms did not have windows and those that did had the curtains drawn. Both levels had rooms that were complete guess work. However Red Wing also managed to get the structural details telling them where the rooms were. At least they would not be going in blind and they had an idea of where they would need to go to find Ivanoff.

"So how are we going to work this?" Kat finally asked looking to Steve.

"You and me go through the garage. I can get you to the security room to shut it down while Nat takes the kitchen entrance and Sam the patio entrance." Steve said after thinking it over for a couple of minutes.

"And I was hoping for Girl's night." Nat said with a shrug.

"Next time?" Kat asked, and Nat nodded. With that Nat and Sam went one way and Steve and Kat the other. Luckily around the large estate there were dense woods that gave the HYDRA head plenty of privacy. It made skirting the estate that much easier as Kat and Steve made their way around. The next part was waiting for the patrol to pass, then scaling the wall. When they were certain the coast was clear, they climbed the wall and dropped down the other side easily. They landed in the tall grass at the edge of the property opposite the garage. Both saw the patrol coming and laid down in the grass to avoid being seen. They waited for the guards to pass before heading for the building, soon they were pressed to the wall and inching along to the side door leading to the garage.

Rather than wait for Kat to override the locks on the door, Steve broke the lock, speed being of essence. Neither one wanted to wait around for the next patrol to spot them they slipped inside and ducked behind one of the many luxury cars. For the most part the garage was quiet as they listened for anyone further in. Hearing nothing of import Steve started to move, until Kat caught his arm. Someone was coming into the garage followed by another, she had heard their thoughts, and so redirected her thoughts to Steve. _'Four guys are coming in to slack off.'_

Sure enough the four guys headed for the back corner of the garage where they sat down by a crate and one of them began to shuffle cards for a game. There was no way to get to the door without being seen, so Kat looked to Steve. _'We will need to cut their game short if we're going to get out of this garage unnoticed.'_

 _I'll take the two on the right...'_ Steve started thinking as he was trying to imagine what to do, but Kat directed her thoughts to him.

 _'How about I distract them and you get ready to knock 'em out.'_ Kat suggested gaining a look from Steve as if he wanted to ask how she was going to distract them. However rather than explain Kat rose and went around the vehicle as she did she unzipped her suit some to show off some cleavage to help in her distraction. Then she undid her hair shaking it loose as she came up to the men. Immediately when they saw her they grabbed their guns and rose worried about how she got into the garage in the first place. Still Kat plastered a smile on her face and said in a sweet ditzy voice. "Hello, can you boys help me? I am lost... I was suppose to be at this rich guy's party like fifteen minutes ago..."

While she had been talking Steve snuck around the cars to get behind the group of men. Reading the four guys minds Kat knew three of them were well trained and were not buying the lost girl act which hardly mattered they were still being distracted by her. One of the larger ones aimed the gun at her. "Hands up."

"Oh is that a real gun?" Kat asked still playing dumb and holding up her hands in surrender, "What now? Are you going to frisk me?"

The one seemed to ignore her question as he got closer which is when Steve grabbed the guy furtherest away in a choke hold. Just as the guy reached for her, Kat moved in caught the stock of the rifle and kneed the guy between the legs. The guy on her left grabbed his radio to alert the guards to the situation in the garage when Kat attacked his mind causing him to cry out and drop the radio. She punched the guy in the face then turned back to the one she kneed earlier and kicked him in the side of the head sending his head smashing into the crate. Cards went everywhere and when she looked up Steve had knocked out the fourth guy. They quickly tied up the four guys leaving them in the corner, and Kat checked them for any keycards or keys.

"Really? Dizzy blonde distraction was your plan?"

"Hey it worked didn't it? They were distracted." Kat pointed out as she stood up and re-tied back her hair. Immediately Steve looked away embarrassed then cleared his throat.

"Kat, your suit..." Immediately Kat looked down then zipped up her suit.

"No telling Bucky I did that." Kat said embarrassed then headed for the garage door to enter the rest of the house.

"Wouldn't dream of it." Steve muttered, getting to the door Kat noticed a keycard and smirked as she swiped one of the cards she took off of one of them men they had knocked out. Luckily the hall they entered was pretty quiet as they had two options. The hall to the right or to move forward. Remembering what Sam said about the layout, both knew the Security control room was straight ahead and on their left by the main entrance. So while keeping an eye on the right hall both headed further into the mansion.

 _'This place is a little too quiet.'_ Steve thought, and Kat honestly agreed with him. For an Untouchable HYDRA head this was not just too easy but downright sad. She had expected the place to better guarded than Fort Knox! Getting to another door, Kat peaked out to find that this led to the entry hall of the house. To the right was a large staircase, past that Kat could just see the large windows to the backyard. Above was a large crystal chandelier over an expensive rug, oak table and vase. To the left was a door no doubt leading into the Security room. Steve spoke into his coms to find out the status of Nat and Sam, both replied saying they met up in the dining hall after the kitchen and patio. They too had run into some resistance but nothing they couldn't handle. With everyone in position the plan was simple, on Steve's signal Kat would move fast for the security room, Steve would cover her while Nat covered the entrance and Sam the stairs.

Sadly just as Steve finished speaking one someone yelled behind them and Steve told Kat to go while he took care of the guard that snuck up on them. So instead of Steve taking out the guy by the Security room, Kat rushed him. Jumping up as she ran into him the guy fell down onto the floor where she punched him, then rolled forward off him and leapt to her feet once more. As the first guy dropped down, his alarmed comrade rushed her. She ducked a swing and using the handle of her wrist dagger she punched him in the armpit, then twisted around to elbow him in the back of the head. The area exploded into an confusing melee.

Briefly Kat saw the flash of blonde hair and black as Nat fought, but turned back to the security room. Using the keycard she was entering just as the guy at the desk rose aiming a gun at her and she attacked his mind forcing him to drop the gun. As the guy stood still clutching his head Kat kicked him in the stomach and when he went to strike back she slammed his head into the desk knocking him out. Behind her she could hear more fighting as she went to the computers and pulled out one of her computer fobs. Putting it in, it ran an auto execute and a bar popped up uploading the override program.

"Kat!" Steve yelled a warning as she heard a guard's thoughts right behind her, she narrowly avoided a knife which slammed into the desk where she had been. That did it! Kat got mad and forgot her promise to play nice for the Cap's sake. The guy took more swings at her, as she twisted her wrist daggers around fully intending to use the blade. As the guy swung she ducked under and shoved one of her wrist daggers into his stomach then brought the other across his throat. _'So much for behaving.'_ Kat winced internally as she looked down on the dead man, then went back to the computers. She could still hear Steve and the others fighting beyond the room as the bar filled. Now having complete control of the systems she redirected the defence turrets to target the guards. Before she would have issued the kill command but with Steve here she just issued the turrets to disable the guards instead, hoping that would be enough. _'I really hate Steve's moral compass at times. If I get shot I am so blaming Captain America.'_ Kat thought to herself as she called out.

"Security Systems ours. The defence turrets will only target the guards for injury." Taking a moment Kat checked the security cameras for the various rooms and was surprised. Some of the cameras should have spotted them entering the mansion, but held...glitches? Or seemed frozen like someone had hacked the systems. What was this?! A trap? Kat frowned as she spotted Ivanoff on the upper level camera. Perhaps he could shed light on why he was so easy to get to, she thought to herself. Stepping away, Kat turned to the door. Even inside she could hear the guns shooting as she came out to find a large portion of guards knocked out and littering the floor. Nat had used a coat rack to bar the main entrance door, while Steve had moved the large oak table and wedged it against the door leading to the garage. It would buy them time as they wanted to get to Ivanoff fast.

As they moved up the stairs Kat explained about half the cameras simply not working and this worried them even more. Steve decided they would find Ivanoff and get out before they ended up trapped. They only ran into a few more guards before finding Ivanoff in his room. The HYDRA head had plenty of warning that they were coming and took shots at them via the gun he held. The guy was terrified and had terrible aim. Kat already knew they needed Ivanoff alive to tell them where the rest of his guard detail went, so she let Steve do the talking.

"Richard Ivanoff, put down the gun and give up."

"No! She'll kill me!" The man yelled, this got Steve, Nat, and Sam looking at Kat.

"I am not going to kill you, Ivanoff. We have questions for you. So put down the gun and surrender." Kat replied maybe she could attack his mind then rush him? However the man laughing stunned her. Why was he laughing? Did he think she was lying? It didn't last long when she heard his thoughts.

"No!" Kat rushed into the room as the man crunched something between his teeth. She got to him just as he collapsed and tried to get the capsule out, but it was too late he had taken a cyanide pill. In all honesty she thought HYDRA had stopped using that trick, but it was still effective as ever. Looking back at the others they were just as stunned until Sam happened to look out the front window.

"Uh guys..." Kat rose and came to stand by them looking out onto the front yard. That was when she noted the defence turrets were silent and had been for a while. Where were all those guards from before? It was like they left the moment they realised they were in the building! Kat should have been happy one more HYDRA head dead and gone, but this had been way too easy.

Looking to Steve, Kat frowned. "This was too easy."

* * *

 **August 18** **th** **, 1999**

 **Japan**

Lightning flashes outside the large windows of the Corporate office building followed seconds later by the loud growling rumble of thunder. The flash lit up the dark office where Satoshi Nakagawa sat in a large leather chair at his desk. The stern looking Japanese man looked down at the newspaper on his desk, not really seeing the words or pictures. Once when he was younger he might have reacted quickly, decisively, and most of all lethally to the news before him, but old age had robbed him of much and he was too stunned to act. That and his opponent knew just where and how to strike to disable him, it also would not take long for his opponent to move in for the kill. Instead the grey haired man with a withered stern face leaned forward and poured himself a scotch as he waited for the inevitable.

He had just leaned back and was sipping his drink when he heard the commotion outside as his guards yelled, then gunshots and cries of pain. A second later the large double doors opened and in walked that little whore that served his daughter. She did not even give him a glance as she stepped aside and next to enter was a woman in a black business suit dress and high heels. Her black hair was pinned up, but Satoshi already recognised his own daughter. She was a source of great shame to his family, and now here she was ruining everything she touched like a disease! Disgust was all he felt for this abomination of a daughter. Regardless Moira walked in with a smirk on her face and not a care in the world.

"Father." She greeted.

"You are no daughter of mine." Satoshi growled glaring at her, this only made her laugh.

"Just as spiteful as ever. I take it you read the papers?" She asked casually.

"Do you think HYDRA will allow some whore to-"

"HYDRA will fall in line, unless of course they no longer wish to have the Nakagawa family's support."

"We have always supported HYDRA ever since World War 2. If you think you can change the rules, you are mistaken they will not suffer you."

"Clearly you have not been paying attention father. A large portion of HYDRA already backs me," Moira came to walk around the desk and around behind her father as she spoke she leaned in closer, "And those that didn't... your associates? They met with unfortunate accidents."

It was then Moira looked down at the desk where the newspaper lay and chuckled at the image of a wrecked vehicle. The heading read: Billionaire dies after drunk driving accident. "I see you have read about my late husband's unfortunate accident, but that is what one gets when they drink and drive."

Satoshi's hands balled into fists as he glared straight ahead, he wanted to strike her for her own stupidity. However he would not give her the satisfaction of giving into his anger – she would get no emotion from him. Instead he asked. "What do you want?"

"I am so glad you asked." Moira replied then looked to her second who came forward and set a suitcase on the desk, she opened it and set a file on his desk. Closing the briefcase and setting it aside, Leiko opened the file and pushed it towards Satoshi. The older man looked it over as he realised it was a legal document signing over his company and everything to Moira. Immediately he shoved the document away.

"So long as your brother lives you will never be in line of inheritance!" This caused Moira to smile even more.

"I am so glad you said that." She then turned to Leiko who wordlessly went to the office door and opened it. Two men entered dragging a third, and to Satoshi's horror it was his son, Moira's older brother Hitoshi. The poor man had obviously suffered a great deal of torture. What remained of his business suit looked to have been put through a shredder and was covered in blood and sweat. The once strong man Satoshi knew to be his son was gone and left behind was a broken, whimpering, mess. The men dragged him to the middle of the office room right in front of Satoshi's desk where they dropped him and he lay in the fetal position sobbing.

"What have you done?!" Satoshi began to rise from his chair his composure gone, but before he could move to attack his daughter Leiko was there and he ended up shoved forcefully back into his chair.

"What I have planned on doing to you for years... breaking you!" Moira said coldly, then took a breath to calm herself, "You should have seen this coming. Did you think I would always accept whatever you decided? No no no that is not me." The whimpering on the floor drew both Satoshi and Moira's attention. However Moira stole a peak at her father then smiled. "He was always your favourite, you gave him all of your attention. Me? You barely gave me a second glance, I was just a tool for your to use to gain what you wanted."

She glared down at her older brother who had become so much like their father it was sickening. Both viewed her as a pawn to be used neither viewed her as a daughter or sister, and when she refused to be used she was the family's great shame. Was it any wonder that she hated her father and brother so? That she relished in their pain? She smiled at her father as she spoke again. "Better to sign those papers now, otherwise Hitoshi will not be in line of inheritance for much longer."

"You would not kill your own brother." Satoshi said trying to call her bluff.

"Why not? It would be a mercy now since he is a shame to our family. As it stands the only way for the Nakagawa line to continue is through me." Moira said and snapped her fingers at the two strong men. They immediately grabbed Hitoshi and pulled him up onto his knees by his arms. The man whimpered and cried as he was pulled up once more. However it allowed their father to see the large bloody stain covering the front of his trousers confirming he had been castrated. Satoshi''s line of succession was destroyed, the man sat back horrified and ashamed. His daughter had grievously dishonoured the family before, but now she had stripped Hitsohi of all honour as well. To the old man the family name and it's honour was everything.

For a long moment Satoshi sat in silence thinking. His allies were dead, his heir dishonoured, and his daughter stood the victor. Even if he refused to sign she would have ways of getting what she wanted. How else had she gotten this far? Perhaps though he could save face if only a little. He locked eyes with his son and received the briefest nod. "Will you allow Hitoshi to die with honour?"

"I will give him the means to commit Seppuku, but only after you sign." Moira replied softly. He pulled the documents closer and accepted the pen Leiko offered him. Clicking the top he wrote his name on the line and slid the document away. Leiko immediately picked up the documents and put them back into the brief case. Moira nodded to one of her henchman to give him a short sword to perform Seppuku, the large man placed the blade down in front of Hitoshi then stepped back. The young man despite the pain and injuries sat rigid on his knees and held his head high. He may have suffered great dishonour at the hands of his sister, but he would accept death like a warrior of old. Looking to his father he reached down and picked up the blade. He unsheathed it and was turning it towards himself when—Bang!

The sharp gunshot sound stunned Satoshi for a moment, then he watched the sword drop, and realised there was a bleeding hole in his forehead. A second later Hitoshi dropped to the ground dead. It was over, Satoshi's son died an honour-less death. The old man looked to his daughter who was holding the smoking gun as she looked down on her brother's corpse un-caringly. Even then in defeat and death, Moira would not give them anything approaching hope. Satoshi should have seen this coming too, but he had deluded himself into thinking she held any kind of compassion. The cold hearted whore looked at him with a raised brow then smiled. "I said I would give him the means to commit Seppuku, not that I would allow him the honour."

She handed the gun off to one of her henchmen, then added. "Nor you for that matter."

"Wha-" Suddenly Satoshi began coughing a lot, his chest felt tightly constricted. She had poisoned him! How though?! Moira noted her father confusion and answered the burning question he could not ask.

"The pen, father. It pricked your thumb when you pressed it." Immediately her father looked down at his thumb on his right hand and to his horror it was true there was a small red bump where something had been injected into him. "A very slow acting and utterly agonising poison. It starts with coughing fits, then blood..."

A second later Satoshi coughed into his hand finding the hot liquid of his own blood in his hand. Regardless Moira continued, "Next will come spasms of pain as the poison attacks the nervous system and paralysis seizes your ability to move."

As she described what would happen Satoshi pulled a knife from his desk drawer not wanting to die honour-less like his son, but by then it was too late. A spasm of pain made him scream as he dropped the knife and when he tried to reach for it he collapsed to the ground. The paralysis made it so he could only lay there an in agony. "Over the course of the next ten minutes you will suffer pain like no other and be helpless to stop it. Then the poison will turn corrosive eating away at your internal organs, it will look like a bomb went off inside you."

Satoshi could only look at her pleading with his eyes for mercy, but he found none. Moira came to sit by her father to watch his last moments and to utter some last words. Leiko watched on, but did not hear the conversation between father and daughter. Whatever was said hardly mattered to the enforcer, but she knew in that moment Moira had wanted something else and Satoshi denied her it. Thus the woman rose and walked away from the old man leaving him to die alone from that agonising poison.

As soon as they left the office and the doors closed they heard Satoshi's agonised scream. Leiko looked to Moira but found no remorse for what she did. Instead the woman was stone faced, then exhaled and smiled. "Hail HYDRA."

* * *

 **June 20** **th** **, 2017**

 **Japan**

The office had changed little in the last nineteen years mainly because Moira loved to think that her father and brother watched from down in hell as she ruled over everything they once held. The idea always made her smile as she looked down on the spot by the desk where her father slowly died an honour-less death. Sometimes she would even imagine her father still lying there writhing on the floor in agony. However now she would soon have everything she ever wanted back and her father could no longer stop her.

Just then the phone rang, and Moira sighed hating to be disrupted. She picked up the phone already guessing who was on the other end. "Yes."

" _It's me."_ Gregory Thatchet's voice came through sounding upset and stressed, _"_ _They got him. They got Ivanoff."_

"Unsurprising. The man was incompetent." Moira replied almost sounding bored.

"You said you would take care of this." Gregory argued.

"I said I will handle it and I will. As for Ivanoff he was a chink in our armour. One we did not need. We cannot afford to suffer fools now especially when we are being hunted."

"I—I suppose."

"Trust me I will take care of the problem." With that Moira hung up and looked to the monitor of her computer screen.

" _ **Uh guys..."**_ The voice came from a window on her computer screen as she watched through security feeds the mansion of Richard Ivanoff. The voice was that of Sam Wilson who was looking out the front window. She watched Kat come over and look out too then looked to Steve.

" _ **This was too easy."**_ Kat replied and Moira enjoyed hearing the voice of the young woman. She smiled as Kat turned and scanned the room which now had her facing the camera. Moira leaned forward touching the screen and video feed of Kat's face.

"You're welcome."

* * *

 **Author's Notes:**

 **First off thank you all for the lovely reviews and those just starting to follow the story.**

 **Also apologises for not posting around Christmas or the New Year. It has been very busy and** **I was suffering severe writer's block. I had a hell of a time writing the scene for Kat and co attacking the HYDRA head's mansion. Anyway Merry Belated Christmas and Happy 2019. I am hoping to be able to write more easily after this and get the remaining chapters out before moving into Infinity War territory. Hopefully this can be done before Avengers Endgame hits theatres. I had not intended to be struggling this early on in the story.**

 **As for this chapter I hope you all enjoy as said it was not an easy chapter to write. I also hope you enjoy the flashback and new baddie perspective towards the end.**

 **Please let me know what you think by leaving a review.**

 **Lesliezin**


	63. Another Day at the Lab

**Hello everyone,**

 **Here is Chapter 63, enjoy. Also please be aware this chapter has some smut in it, so M rating alter!**

* * *

 **August 2** **nd** **, 2017**

 **Wakanda**

After dealing with Ivanoff, Kat parted ways with Steve, Nat, and Sam. There was not much else to do after the HYDRA head crunched on a pill and killed himself. The mansion that had been crawling with security was suddenly vacant as if the guards had been warned to flee once they realised the Avengers were around. All that was left to do was to collect data and to leave before the authorities came to investigate. Still it left a bad taste in Kat's mouth, and even Nat agreed it had been way too easy to get to Ivanoff. Both women smelled a set up. As both had expected an even larger fight to get to the HYDRA head. Kat made two copies of the data giving one to Steve and keeping one to look over, however this had turned up nothing.

Why had Ivanoff sent away half his guard detail? Why had his security systems failed to pick them up on entering the building? Did he just become lax? Maybe he thought himself safe from being attacked? The more she thought about it the more she began to wonder if he had just slipped up. It shouldn't matter now, he was dead. One down, three more to go, right? Soon the thought of Ivanoff slipped from her mind as she returned to Wakanda. However weeks later Kat received another message from Steve. They had gone after Nicolas Winston: he had been travelling on business when they learned of the opportunity to get him. Thus there had been no time to contact her and invite her to the party. The group ambushed his convoy heading for a research facility, and found it unbelievably easy to overwhelm his guards. He had been travelling with a token force, and when it was clear Winston would be caught, the remaining guards fled. Sadly if they hoped for information Steve and co were disappointed when Winston shot himself in the head.

Again Nat smelled a set up and said as much, and while Kat had missed out on that mission she agreed with Nat. It should not have been as easy as that to catch an Untouchable HYDRA head. That now left two more, but Kat guessed both HYDRA heads would tighten up on security, no way would either fall into the same trap as Ivanoff and Winston, right? Unless... someone was setting them up to fall. The question was who? Another hidden HYDRA head? Now that was a scary thought. Regardless news on HYDRA went quiet as both remaining HYDRA heads no doubt took extra precautions. They would slip up eventually, but for now Kat decided to enjoy her life in Wakanda. She was a busy woman with Bucky and Tess, not to mention a certain Wakandan princess's birthday was fast approaching.

* * *

 **August 21** **st** **, 2017**

 **Wakanda**

"Are you sure?" Kat asked warily.

"I am sure mommy."

"I might have to disavow you if you are caught or captured." Tess stood there a moment thinking before she nodded firmly and replied.

"I understand."

"This mission will be very dangerous." Kat warned.

"I eat danger for breakfast!" Tess replied confidently.

"That's my girl. Okay your mission should you choose to accept it, is to keep Shuri out of the lab. This means even going as far as to use your super powers. I know I said not to abuse your powers before but this is an extreme circumstance. Shuri must not be allowed to enter the lab. Can you do it?"

"Absolutely!" Tess smiled up at her.

"Alright," Kat checked her watch, "Our window is closing. We got twenty minutes before Shuri gets here. Time starts now. Go. Go!" Immediately Tess ran out of the lab to stand guard outside while Kat got to work. The little girl took her job very seriously as she held her practice staff and stood straight just like Okoye often stood. Looking down the long hall illuminate by the blue glow from the walls, Tess watched carefully for anyone coming. At one point one of the Dora Milaje passed the hall and spotted her. The woman gave a funny look and came up.

"What are you doing?"

"Guarding the lab." Tess answered.

"Why?" The Dora asked.

"It's my mission." Tess replied getting a smile from the Dora who shook her head and walked on. _'Phew! That was easy.'_ Tess thought then froze Shuri was coming and she was early. Again Tess tried to look imposing like Okoye in her stance as the young princess came up.

"Tess? What are you doing out here?" Shuri asked, often the little girl was either with her dad, mom, or Myra. Rarely was the little girl by herself, so seeing her alone was unusual.

"My mission." Tess answered.

"Your mission?" Shuri asked looking amused as Tess nodded, "And what is your mission?"

"No one can enter the lab." Tess replied getting Shuri to smile, but when the princess tried to step by Tess moved to block her, "Sorry but that means you can't go in."

"But it's my lab." Shuri pointed out, then seeing Tess was not going to move she asked. "Did my brother put you up to this?"

Immediately Tess came up with a plan to stall Shuri. "Did you know the average cat has 32 muscles in each ear?"

"Of course he did..." Shuri grumbled then clicked on her kimoyo beads to contact T'Challa. A moment later the image of King T'Challa appeared answering his sister's call. "This is not funny brother."

"What do you mean?" T'Challa asked confused.

"Don't you play coy with me."

Tess wondered how long she could keep this up before her mother was done. She didn't really pay attention to the conversation between T'Challa and Shuri, but soon T'Challa showed up with a couple of Dora following behind him including Okoye. _'Uhh-oh.'_ Tess thought looking up at T'Challa and doing the respectful cross arms gesture that T'Challa returned before coming forward to kneel down to Tess' level.

"And what are you doing here?" He asked.

"My mission."

"Ah and what important mission are you doing?" T'Challa asked.

"Guarding the lab." Tess replied.

"And who asked you to guard the lab?" T'Challa asked.

"My mommy..." Tess said hesitantly.

"Kat asked you to do this?" Shuri asked a little annoyed at Kat.

"She said no one can enter the lab, and to use my super powers if need be." Tess replied.

"Super powers?" T'Challa asked now thoroughly amused, "And what are your powers?"

"Being cute." Tess said, by then Okoye was fighting hard not to laugh or smile. T'Challa however could not resist laughing as he smiled at Tess.

"Having witnessed how devastating your powers can be first-hand," T'Challa pointedly looked at Okoye.

"Bah!" The leader of the Dora scoffed as T'Challa looked back at Tess.

"I think it safer if I don't interfere." The King said also enjoying teasing his little sister. He looked to his sister with a mock apologetic look, "I don't want her using her powers on me."

"Brother-" Shuri was about to argue when there was a beep from Tess' own kimoyo beads, and immediately the little girl moved aside.

"You can go into the lab now." Tess said and Shuri moved past. At this point T'Challa just wanted to know what was going on so he followed his sister into the lab. Behind him Okoye and Tess followed as Shuri came down the stairs to find Kat at one of the other tables.

"Alright what was the big idea keeping me from my lab?" Shuri asked as Kat turned to face her.

"Good morning Shuri."

"Do not 'good morning' me. You did something, now what is it?! You better not have messed up my lab." Kat stood there feigning confusion as Shuri looked around but nothing was out of place. The lab was spotless except for a case on Shuri's desk.

"I didn't do anything I swear." Kat replied, still acting innocent.

"What is this?" Shuri asked pointing to the case on her desk.

"What's what?" Kat asked playing dumb though her eyes were shining.

"This." Shuri pointed at the case having come to stand next to it.

"Oh that! That is nothing..." Kat shrugged. Shuri just gave her a look then turned to the case. While looking at the case Kat stole a peak at Tess and gave her a quick thumbs up mouthing the words. 'Mission accomplished' which T'Challa noticed. Meanwhile Shuri opened the case and gasped at what was inside. It was a new pair of Panther Gauntlets since she had not had the chance to make another pair after Killmonger destroyed hers. These ones looked identical but were obviously upgraded. There was a card inside that said simply 'Happy Birthday, Shuri.' Written in a selection of crayons by Tess and had pretty hearts around it.

Finally Shuri looked back at Tess and Kat smiling. "You little sneaks."

By then T'Challa was chuckling, this whole situation that called him away from a boring council meeting with the Elders simply arguing was just so Kat could finish work on Shuri's birthday present. If anything the King could not bring himself to be mad because he enjoyed getting away and having a laugh at his sister's expense. This was a first time occurrence that his sister had called him and he had not been sure what to expect. Sure the two geniuses got along great and would tease each other or pull the occasional prank on one another; but T'Challa enjoyed the thought that someone challenged Shuri intellectually. Come to think of it he was sure Shuri enjoyed having an intellectual sparring partner too, otherwise Kat would have been kicked out of the lab long ago.

"Do you like them?" Tess asked eagerly.

"They are beautiful!" Shuri replied.

"Mommy made some adjustments to the original design." Tess said enthusiastically. The words got Shuri looking at Kat wanting to know what she did.

"I would like to show you, got ahead and put one on." Kat said and Shuri immediately picked one up and put it on. There was a brief blue glow that spread over the gauntlet then disappeared. "Alright now don't worry this has already been thoroughly tested, but I need everybody to stand back. Shuri if you would hold out the gauntlet..."

Kat went and picked up a Vibrainium sword and came closer to Shuri. "Just relax hold the gauntlet out as if you are firing at an opponent."

Shuri nodded trusting Kat, so nobody was too concerned when Kat readied to swing on the gauntlet. With a strong quick swing Kat brought the sword down on the front of the gauntlet, but rather than harm Shuri or the Panther Gauntlet there was a loud clang. The sword Kat held looked to have been snapped in half. The other end of the sword laid on the hard floor. Shuri looked at the gauntlet not finding a single scratch on it, then looked to Kat who smiled.

"Upgraded with the same tech as the sonic stabilisers used in the tramways to transport Vibrainium, and the very shields that help protect and hide Wakanda. The shield activates when put on, encasing the gauntlets in a protective shield that is both invisible after activation and completely impenetrable even to Vibrainium based weapons." Kat explained then held up the broken sword before placing it on the table. "Now before you ask if that would destabilise the gauntlets, no it's a one-way shield allowing the gauntlets to be both protected and perform their original functions of blasting bad guys into next week."

"That is amazing!" Shuri said impressed by her new gauntlets. Looking thoughtful T'Challa mused to himself that he saw other potential applications for this tech: like upgrading the very shields around Wakanda. Perhaps it was time for just such an upgrade he continued, looking to Kat the king realised she was not actively reading anyone's mind so he would have to bring the subject up later to both her and Shuri. Instead he decided to ask another important question.

"Are you, James, and Tess coming to the celebration tonight, Kat?"

"Of course they are! Even if I have to ask Okoye to have the Dora drag them there!" Shuri said before Kat could reply.

"Which to save Okoye the trouble we'll be there." Kat added, that was when Myra came in from a side door to the lab carrying a tray of coffees. The woman came in looking down at the tray in her hands and started talking before looking up.

"Hey Kat, finish Shuri's present—Oh! That uhhh I knew absolutely nothing about." Myra said when she looked up, "And I did not take my sweet time getting to the lab to pick up Tess." However it was too late as Shuri realised Myra had been in on the ploy to keep her from her own lab. Setting down the tray on the table, Myra looked at her watch.

"Wow! Look at the time. Tess it's time to go, we got a full day of goofing off ahead of us, and these two have sciency stuff to do." Myra gestured to Kat and Shuri, then took her own coffee from the tray.

With that Tess gave Kat and the others hugs then left with Myra for a day of 'goofing off'. However once they left T'Challa pointed at the door they left through and asked. "She is coming too, right?"

"Of course." Kat replied, with that T'Challa smiled and let his sister and Kat resume their work. Finally with the lab empty save for Shuri, Kat, and Aida who made herself known. The three of them resumed work on various projects.

"Aida a bit of mood music if you would." Shuri called out letting the AI pick the music they would listen to while the worked. The first song to come on was 'Bad Reputation' by Joan Jett. When Kat was not able to get to the lab for whatever reason Aida had become a helpful lab partner to Shuri, and so the AI was becoming a more permanent resident in the lab. When the lab was not in use the AI often transferred to the Quinjet to check the other hidden bases Steve and the others used, she was also known to be helpful around the palace. In short Aida and Kat might not have been in constant contact with one another like before, but the pair had adjusted well to their new lives in Wakanda.

It was a couple hours into their work that Shuri finally spoke, "Alright I believe I have the upgrade to the Sonic Spears. Wanna test it out?"

Kat nodded, "Sure sounds fun."

The pair moved to the left side of the lab where a practice dummy stood that they used to test new weapons on. Shuri handed Kat the spear, and she was just aiming it when she noticed the teen was recording via her kymono beads. "You're recording?"

"For research purposes." Shuri said with a shrug she was trying to make it sound so innocent, but a smile tugged at the corner of her lips. Now Kat stood the staff up so that she was partly leaning on it with the dangerous end in the air. Shuri was also fighting hard to avoid thinking about the Sonic Spear. This made Kat raise a brow at the teen before giving a sigh.

"You know I can read your mind right?" Kat asked as she continued to play innocent, and Kat slid open the panel for the controls of the spear. Sure enough the surge was enough to send someone like her flying back across the room. "Nice try, Shuri."

The teen groaned disappointed as Kat lowered the settings then took aim at the practice dummy. She fired the spear, but she was knocked back by the kickback of the weapon. Landing on her back stunned she heard Shuri laughing, and she had still been recording. The sneaky teen had played her as she groaned. "Delete that recording."

"You checked the surge power levels but not the outward dispersion!" Shuri said still laughing, as Kat sat up and looked to the practice dummy. It was on fire, and Kat pointed at it.

"Shuri..."

"Oh shit!"

Shuri rushed over to the side and grabbed a fire extinguisher to put out the flames. Kat slowly got to her feet hating that she fell for Shuri's prank, when she looked up the teen finished putting out the flames on the dummy then put down the extinguisher. "Well that was a success, at least we didn't set off the sprinklers this time."

Kat looked past Shuri to the fire alarm placed just above the dummy for safety reasons, smoke was still coming off of the dummy and Kat saw the green light on the alarm go red. "Guess again..."

Shuri just looked back when the sprinklers connected to the alarm rained down water on them making Shuri scream in shock while Kat burst out laughing. "See? Your prank backfired! Aida record this..."

"Don't you dare!"

"Record it and send it to T'Challa, he will love it!"

Thus ended their day of researching new tech, the lab soon looked like a rain storm hit the inside. The water would have to be soaked up and the lab cleaned meaning no work for tomorrow either. However T'Challa did enjoy watching his little sister's prank backfire on her. Now though Kat was coming back to the hut in the village early and soaking wet.

She knew she looked like a drowned cat, her clothes were completely soaked! Her shoes squelched as she walked down the dirt path. It was a good thing it was still nice and warm otherwise she would have been shivering all the way home. As she neared the hut she found Bucky had been bringing firewood to their hut and he stopped short when he saw her. He smiled able to easily guess what happened, and yet he still opened his mouth to ask.

"Don't ask." Kat said.

"Who did it this time? You? Or Shuri?"

"Shut up," She grumbled and went to move past him, but he caught her arm and turned her around to face him.

"And where do you think you are going doll?"

"To get changed. I am all wet." Kat pointed out.

"Yeah, you are," Bucky smiled as he pulled her close. His arms slipped around her waist to hold her to him, "Just the way I like you...all wet."

As he spoke he had leaned in and then pressed his lips to hers eliciting a moan from her. From there the kiss deepened to a fierce passionate kiss as his tongue delved into her mouth. Kat was now shivering for an entirely different reason as she pressed to him. He bit down on her bottom lip before he released her from the kiss. "I'll have to get you out of those clothes, doll."

"Bucky-"

"And dry you off..." As he spoke Kat heard his thoughts as he imagined stripping her down and drying her off on the bed with his tongue.

"Bucky!" Kat gasped and smacked his arm, which only made him laugh and imagine keeping her in bed until this evening by pinning her to the bed. He imagined all the ways he could have her since they would be alone. It was only 1pm, and the evening celebration was not until 7pm, seven hours! He would have seven hours to keep her in bed and at his mercy, it caused that familiar ache inside her. That need only he could fill, it made her want to run into their hut. However instead she playfully squirmed in his arms. "Behave yourself, White Wolf."

"Awe doll you should know by now... I never behave with you!" Before she could get lose or move away Bucky lifted her over his shoulders and walked towards their hut with purpose as Kat gave a little cry and tried to suppress her giggling. Carried into the hut, Kat was dumped onto their bed.

"Bucky I'll get the bed wet with my clothes." Kat complained, in response he pulled her to her feet and immediately began unbuttoning her shirt. "Bucky..."

"Shh it's vital that I get you out of these wet clothes as soon as possible." Bucky interrupted as he yanked off her shirt, then her tank top. Both items were quickly tossed aside, then he was taking off her bra. Once her bra was tossed onto the growing pile of clothes, Bucky undid her belt and capri jeans. With a growl he shoved her onto her back on the bed and grabbed both her panties and Capris yanking both down her shapely legs and off to be tossed onto the pile. Her shoes came off in the process of removing the bottom half of her clothes. Now completely bare, she watched in fascination as Bucky pulled off his shirt revealing his beautiful arms and chest. Just letting her eyes run over his chest and down his stomach was making her shiver as she watched him unbuckle his own belt.

She bit her bottom lip as her eyes were glued to his hands as they undid his jeans. A moment later and he pushed the remaining clothes he wore off revealing just how much he wanted her. Then she had an idea, something she never tried before and now when she saw him hard suddenly she wanted to. "Wait Bucky!"

She got up onto her knees on the bed and came closer placing her hands on his chest. She didn't transmit her thoughts to him. She didn't want him to know what she was intending to do yet "There is something I want to try. Close your eyes, please."

After a moments hesitation Bucky closed his eyes, and Kat kissed his lips. She didn't stay there long, but instead slowly kissed down his neck. Her lips continued down his hard chest as she let her tongue dart out at certain points before dipping lower. Over his smooth stomach she kissed as she crouched lower, already she could hear Bucky's breath catch as he tried to keep from groaning. Then a sharp gasp came as Kat ran her tongue overs Bucky's erection, from root to tip. A moment later he groaned as her hand gripped him and her mouth slide over the tip of him.

"Kat!" Bucky gasped as he tangled his hand in her hair and gripped the back of her head. From there she began sucking on his tip as her hand stroked the rest of him. It was a new experience, but once she was excited to try out as her mouth glided over him. She also would pull away taking her mouth off to run her tongue over him, licking around the head of him then returning to the tip. Finally her mouth would take him in again, and she tried to take more of him each time. She must have been doing good because she Heard the pleased sounds coming from him and was encouraged to go faster and suck him harder. "Nnnh! Kat stop..."

He may have been asking her to stop, but his thoughts spoke otherwise. He imagined yanking her close and her taking all of him as he would cum. Even she liked the idea of tasting him which meant she didn't stop her actions. She continued like this for a few moments, and would have enjoyed tasting him; but he pulled out of her mouth. Both hands grabbed her upper arms and tossed her onto her back on the bed.

"Bucky!" Kat protested, but before she could say more he was over her. Her legs were pushed apart and he thrust hard into her causing a surprised cry at how fierce he was being. Before she could recover from him filling her he was trusting away wildly, she wanted to pull him close but Bucky had her pinned to the bed, again she gasped. "Bucky!"

"You shouldn't tease me like that doll... I can't help myself when you do that." His husky voice said in her ear just before he began thrusting hard, fast, and wildly.

"I—I wasn't te—easing!" Kat gasped out then he was going faster and it felt like he would burst into her womb, "Oh god!"

Knowing she was close, Bucky pressed his lips to her to muffle her screams of pleasure. Then he groaned as he felt her tighten around him and before she knew it he was jerking hard inside her feeling his hot seed splashing into her. Once their lips parted and they both caught their breaths Kat finally spoke.

"I wanted to pleasure you..." She pictured her mouth still on him and tasting him when he would cum. She sent him the mental image making him smile.

"Awe doll, only if I get to do the same to you." Bucky said after a moment. Kat for a moment didn't understand and gave him a funny look. He pointed at his head, and Kat looked at the imagine of him licking and tasting her. The image made her blush a deep red as she struggled with what to say making Bucky smile at her. "Later. Right now. We still have six hours left..."

Kat's eyes went wide as she giggled. "Mmmm super soldiers and their stamina."

The funny part was they ended up being fashionably late for the celebration that evening.

* * *

 **August 16** **th** **, 2017**

 **Japan**

The limo ride was uneventful as the driver drove her to her secret hideaway. After ousting two of her fellow HYDRA heads there was no doubt Gergory Thatchet would have caught on that she was not taking care of the problem but offering them up on a silver platter. Thus the need to move to a more secure location in case Gregory got any foolish notions of attacking her. With Moira sat as usual Leiko silent as ever, neither woman spoke much. For Moira it was merely thinking and muling over the one now known as the Guardian Avenger, Leiko however simply could not speak. It was a sad affair that led to her second being unable to speak, but Moira did not dwell on the past. No she needed more knowledge, and the only way to get it was to sacrifice some pawns in a large game of Chess. Most recently she had let leak Nicolas Winston would be travelling to his Laboratory in Norway, now it was just a matter of waiting to see if the bait was taken.

They had learned much from offering up Ivanoff. Signals from around his mansion told them not one but two Quinjets had come to Ivanoff's location. Two distinct Quinjet transponder signals were picked up. It was new tech developed by the science teams in her family's company that allowed them to learn this. But why had there been two Quinjets? Would they not have arrived one? Beyond that not much could be gleamed from the footage, and Moira had watched it repeatedly. She studied the Guardian Avenger extensively wanting to memorise everything and learn ever detail she possibly could. However more information was required.

As if on cue her phone rang and after the first ring she answered. "Bring me good news Lee."

The man on the other end was another loyal servant of hers named Lee, the man was a tall well muscled Japanese man with an calm icy voice. "She was not there. The Avengers came, but not her."

Moira held in her rising anger well but her posture stiffened telling Leiko their leader was not pleased.

"I see." Moira said stiffly, "Do not worry we have one last pawn we can use. Return home." Moira hung up but was gripping the cell phone with white knuckles. She pressed the back of her hand to her mouth thinking for a long silent moment. "She was not there. What does that tell us Leiko?"

The mute held up both hands together with three fingers on her left hand and one on her right, but then she separated her hands showing the three fingers on one hand moving away from the one finger on her right.

Moira smiled, "Yes, that is correct. She is not with the Avengers. They summoned her to Ivanoff meaning she is alone. Which explains why the sensors outside Invanoff's mansion picked up two different transponder signals. Two Quinjets, and now we will soon know the transponder signal for the Avengers Quinjet. We just need to lure her back out and we can get a lock onto her Quinjet."

 _'Last chance, I only have one pawn left. Patience and sacrifice to reach the end goal. I will need to play this... delicately.'_ Moira thought smiling out the window.

* * *

 **Author's Notes:**

 **First off thank you Fin-Fish Jun-Tensi for the lovely review.**

 ***** **Snif Snif* Nobody else reviewed! I feel so neglected...** ***** **Snif Snif** ***** **Okay I think I am better now.** ***** **Blows nose** ***.**

 **As for this chapter and things to note, well first off we get a slight overview of what happens after the last chapter with Ivanoff. Then we get into some funny moments... I looking into Shuri but could not find an actual birthdate, so it is 100% made up. Also the scene with Kat getting her daughter to run cover for her, is a type of call back to one of the other Marvel movies, I'll let you guys guess which one... in the reviews :P**

 **We also get a funny prank scene shortly after since Kat and Shuri have been working together for a while. Don't worry this is not the only time they work together, it is just I am also trying to move the story along some. This is another call back to one of the other Marvel movies. Again you guys can guess which one. I wanted to show how the pair work together and some of the antics they get up to. Also for those wondering they do set off the fire alarms and sprinklers often.**

 **Then I thought it past time for a bit of smut between Kat and Bucky before the more dangerous stuff happens. This chapter was mainly to show just what Kat gets up to in Wakanda, her friendship with Shuri, and relationship with Tess. Also you could say it is the calm before the storm. This is hinted on at the end where we get another scene with Moira the main baddie.**

 **Anyway I hope you enjoy this chapter, and please do leave a review. I love my reviews, please. Pretty Please!**

 **Thanks,**

 **Lesiezin**


	64. Called on Once Again

**Hello everyone,**

 **Here is chapter 64, enjoy.**

* * *

 **August 25** **th** **, 2017**

 **Wakanda**

It was in the early morning when the air was still crisp that the katana sliced through the open air, Kat had been getting up early every morning to continue using her father's sword. It had become part of her daily routine, that and Tess'. Out of the corner of her eye, Kat spotted Tess doing practice steps with her practice staff. She really didn't need to practice much, later in the morning she would go to her class to learn and practice more. It was fairly obvious that Tess simply enjoyed practising at the same time as her mom. It was rather cute watching Tess act so serious and concentrating as she swung that staff. In fact it was difficult not to watch the little girl... she was just so cute!

Most of the time Kat would look ahead and focus, it was just at times when she would steal peeks at her daughter. Another routine was if Bucky woke he would sit down on the stump behind their hut watching them. Before Tess had caught onto the routine Kat had, Bucky often came to have his way with Kat. Now though he merely enjoyed seeing his two ladies practise with their respective weapons. Even then he was quietly chuckling as Tess swung that staff, his thoughts mirroring Kat's as he thought she was so adorable when acting like a Dora.

Meanwhile Kat continued to practise herself but remained aware of where Tess was so as to avoid coming too close. Soon another person's thoughts came into her head: the thoughts were Myra's. So a moment before the former agent came into view Kat stopped, lowered her katana, and turned to face her. Sure enough a yawning Myra came into view. The woman didn't look like she had slept much and her thoughts were... troubled.

"Morning." Myra said then took a drink from her travel mug.

"Good morning Myra." Kat said even though it was still too early for many in the village.

"How is practise going?"

"My ladies are doing great." Bucky replied proudly as he smiled behind his mug.

"I'll be ready to go in a minute Myra." Tess said eagerly.

"Go? It's a bit early Tess." Kat said.

"I am going to go practice with Aneka, remember? I told you about it yesterday." Tess said, and Kat immediately remembered the little local girl that came up to them after practise with Tess. The pair had become good friends, and Tess later explained how worried Aneka was that she would not be accepted to become a Dora. For some girls this was the dream, it was a great honour to be accepted into the ranks of the Dora Milaje. Right now Tess and Aneka were in the initiates class of those that were to be considered, failing meant the girls just didn't have what it took. So because Tess and Aneka were such good friends both wanted to succeed. Thus Tess spoke of training with Aneka to hopefully ensure they would succeed.

The little girl in question was a sweet girl, and Kat was glad Tess would have a friend. Some of the other children gave Tess a wide birth and did not like the fact an outsider was even in the Initiates class. Some parents even complained, but after speaking to Okoye they backed off. The leader of the Dora Milaje was not one to trifle with, and the message was clear Okoye had the final say. Aneka's parents also came up and were very friendly too, so Kat was certain Tess would not be at risk.

Which was a relief considering Myra would not be with Tess after dropping her off with Aneka. The former agent was due to have her blood tested at Shuri's lab. Both Shuri and Kat were trying to use a biochemical solution to increase Myra's success of recovering her ability to have children. The first three stages was to give her these treatments gradually increasing the dosages, then if and only if she responded well to the treatments would they try to perform structural repair via surgery. Thus far the results were very promising she was already on stage two and if all went well Myra would be on stage three after today. Hence the reason why Myra was nervous.

It would be stressful all around, Kat was very nervous about letting Tess be unsupervised. Sure she would be with Aneka's family, but it just was not the same as Bucky, Myra, or herself being there even if it was only for a few hours. _'Relax nothing is going to happen, Tess will be safe.'_ Kat told herself as she smiled at Tess. "Of course, you two have fun okay?"

"Okay mommy." Tess came up and hugged her mother, then went over and hugged Bucky.

"Have fun princess." He whispered.

"I will." Tess replied then came over and took Myra's hand.

"See you in a bit Kat."

"Yep and stop worrying. It is just a blood test and you are responding well to the treatments." Kat replied making Myra smile. After that Tess and Myra left, and Kat turned away to resume practising. For a few minutes it was silent as she swung the katana with precision, then she gasped as a pair of arms wrapped about her waist.

"Alone at last." Bucky whispered as he buried his face into her hair and neck. She heard him take a long sniff of her hair as he pulled her against him. The katana was immediately lowered, and Bucky took the blade away. Then she felt how much he wanted her pressing against her bottom and shivered. Reading his mind she saw him remembering the first time he caught her practising. He had pushed her against a tree and taken her from behind, seeing that image made her breath catch as she trembled all over. Purposely she brushed him making him groan and she did it even more trying to drive him wild.

"Is this what my White Wolf wants?" Kat teased.

"Yes and a lot more." Bucky said huskily as his metal hand gripped her hip and thrust against her. If not for their clothes he would be inside her right then.

"A lot more?" Kat asked shakily, already she wanted their clothes off.

"I want to get you pregnant." He growled, Kat shivered as if a bucket of ice water had been thrown on her. Not because he could get her pregnant right then, she was still on those pills Queen Ramanda gave her, but this conversation was cropping up every once in a while now.

"Bucky we talked about this." She tried to pull away, but Bucky held her to him.

"I know doll, but I want a normal life with you. Well as normal as we can get... I want-"

"A boy." Kat interrupted knowing exactly what he was hoping for.

"Or another girl and two boys..."

"Bucky!" Kat giggled.

"Please Kat. I want to have more babies with you and have a normal life... just think about it." Bucky pleaded, then resumed kissing her neck. A moment later he added, "For now... we can just practise making more."

Kat gasped then Bucky pulled her into the tree line where no one would see them.

* * *

It was later that morning that Kat finally got to the lab to find Shuri already working. The Wakandan princess had her back to the entrance and Kat tried to sneak in and pretend she had been there the last fifteen minutes. "You're late."

 _'Damn it.'_ Kat thought as she went to the work table. "Yeah I know stressful day."

"Let me guess Myra is sweating bullets about today's test."

"That and Tess is at her friend's practising. We have never really let her out of our sights. Even at the SHIELD base the playground Aida was monitoring her." Kat said as she prepared for Myra's arrival.

"She'll be fine. She is safe here in Wakanda, and do you honestly think Okoye would let anything happen to her." Shuri said laughing a little. Between her and T'Challa they teased the General of the Dora about her soft spot for Tess. Truth be told if anyone intended to harm Tess it would be a race between herself, Bucky, and Okoye as to who would get them first.

"Yeah I am sure you're right, it is just difficult letting her out of my sight." Kat said then shivered as she remembered what Bucky wanted.

"And?" Shuri asked turning to face Kat, the young teen knew something else was bothering Kat.

"And what?" Kat asked.

"What else is bothering you?"

She had just set down a packaged sterile needle, gauze, and other items for a blood draw on a tray when she licked her lips. "It's nothing important."

"It's something so out with it."

"Bucky wants to have more kids." Kat replied after a long pause.

"That is wonderful..." Shuri started then noticed the look on Kat's face, "What is it?"

"I just am not ready for that. I am not ready to settle down and have more kids. I mean I love my daughter, I don't regret having her or anything..." Kat said worried that Shuri would think her this horrible person for not wanting to have more kids, "I want to stop HYDRA first, I want to ensure that we are safe and I can't do that pregnant. And then there is the possible future dangers..." The more Kat spoke about her reasons the more it sounded like mere excuses. Was it wrong of her simply to not be ready for that? She was so used to everything going wrong that she was afraid to just be happy. Almost like she was afraid to relax her guard, it came from having to live in a constant paranoid state of being ready for anything. Some people must have been getting tired of it, but Shuri just stood there listening. Then once Kat stopped talking the young teen took a moment before finally saying what she was thinking.

"Have you spoken to Bucky about this?"

"I have, but every once in a while he brings it up. I guess he is hoping I will change my mind."

"Have you explained why you are not ready?"

"Yeah... sort of," Kat replied then sighed at the look Shuri gave, "It's kind of hard to explain to him when he gets a sense of what I am feeling or about to say. I sense what he wants but... he has spent the last fifty plus years being controlled by HYDRA. He doesn't want to fight anymore, he just wants a normal peaceful life."

Kat sighed then licked her lips. "Whereas me? There was never peace before, I have been fighting all my life. Relaxing? Settling down? Doing normal things and leading a normal life? It's..."

"Foreign." Shuri supplied when Kat trailed off, and when Kat nodded and sat down in one of the swivel chairs as the teen came to stand in front of her and continued. "Back when you were you getting married, Aida told me you were scared. Not of marrying Bucky, but everything was going right and you were certain some monster was waiting around the corner to destroy everything. You are still expecting an attack, and perhaps even when HYDRA is gone... you will always expect an attack. But you can't stop living just because of this. Now if you are not ready for more children, okay. There is nothing wrong with waiting, but talk to Bucky. Get him to understand that while he may be done fighting, you are not and you want to wait on having more children. Okay?"

Kat nodded, she knew Shuri was right she just hoped that Bucky would understand. Before more could be said though that was when Myra entered the lab. "Ah speaking of which here is the one we are trying to heal so that she can have children."

Myra smiled a little as Shuri ushered her over to a reclining chair. Seeing how nervous she was Shuri added. "Relax Myra. It is just a blood test and possibly a stronger dose of the treatment."

Straightening Kat picked up the tray and came to the other side of the reclining chair where she set the tray on a table and helped Myra roll up her sleeve. While Shuri used her kimoyo beads to perform a overall scan of Myra and check her vitals, Kat put on some gloves and ran a sterile swab over the injection area. Meanwhile Shuri kept talking. "Your vitals look good Myra. Have you experienced any side effects the past couple of months?"

"No nothing really." Myra replied as Kat finished drawing the blood and pressing the gauze to her arm. Quickly putting a band-aid over the injection site Kat got up and put the vial of blood in the machine. The results would only take a few minutes to come in with Wakandan technology. Coming back Kat sat by Myra while they waited.

"I bet Sam is pretty excited, huh?" This attempt at casual conversation made Myra even more nervous as she began stuttering.

"Let me guess that was his response." Shuri teased, but Myra's thoughts said otherwise. She hadn't told Sam about the treatments at all!

"You haven't told him." Kat said and Myra shook her head before looking down ashamed. Shuri stared at Myra stunned then asked.

"You haven't told him? Why not?"

"I was waiting to see... I didn't want to get his hopes up." Myra said softly, both Kat and Shuri looked at one another then Kat started to speak.

"Myra-" A beep stopped her as the results came in and Shuri looked at her beads. She smiled at the results.

"This is good, you are responding better than anyone hoped for..." From there Shuri showed Myra's results and explained in more detail how well the treatments were working.

"In other words we can begin stage three." Kat finally pointed out.

"And this stage will be much shorter than the first two," Shuri added, "This final stage we give you one injection... a type of booster shot if you will. Then you will have to wear a distress watch and take it easy over the course of the week."

"We need to monitor you to a certain degree since the dosage is higher, but at the end of the week if you are responding well... we can do the corrective surgery as soon as then." Kat finished.

"That soon?" Myra asked stunned

"All the more reason to tell Mr. Wilson what you've been getting up to." Shuri teased, "So shall we?"

"Okay..." Myra said relieved that thus far everything was going smoothly. Again Kat prepared the needle and injection while Shuri continued to monitor Myra's vitals. This time the needle was merely to connect Myra to a drip containing the stage three injection. Since she already performed a blood draw on the other arm, Kat and Shuri switched places and Kat found a vain to use. Soon Myra was hooked up to the drip.

"Just try to relax Myra." Kat added as Shuri watched for any changes. When it was clear nothing negative was going to happen Kat smiled at Myra. "I will go get that distress watch..."

She was only gone a moment then came back and opened the box. Taking the watch out she held it up. "This watch will monitor your distress levels, but will also keep tabs on your vitals. Should your distress go too high Aida will immediately know. The watch also has a tracker so should this happen Aida can send aid to your location. Never take it off, it's waterproof so don't even remove it to shower. If you do it will give a flat-line signal and that will make Aida virtually pee herself. You will have a very pissed off AI if you scare her like that."

With that she put the watch on Myra's preferred wrist, and called up to Aida. "Okay Aida activate the distress watch."

They performed some checks to make sure the watch was working properly, then Shuri added. "Also if you feel the watch is giving false readings come in immediately so that we can take a look and ensure it is working properly."

"Okay got it. No taking the watch off and if it acts up come in right away." Myra said looking at the watch warily.

"Don't worry it is only for a week and then you can come in and we can do the corrective surgery." Kat offered. Once the drip bag emptied they unhooked Myra and she was getting up to go about her day. Right then Kat wanted to urge Myra to tell Sam about the future surgery at least, but just then Aida interrupted.

"Incoming call from Steve Rogers, he is asking to speak to you immediately."

"Don't tell Sam, please." Myra whispered, and Kat nodded after a moment.

"Alright patch him in." Kat said while Shuri busied herself by cleaning up the area. A moment later Steve's voice came in from the speaker much like how Aida's voice did.

"Kat?"

"I am here Steve. What's up?"

"We've got another hit."

"Gregory Thatchet? You think it is another set up?"

"Hard to tell, we think he is running scared. He left his estate and went to his corporate offices in Venezuela. That was three days ago, he has not left since. Like with Ivanoff he has a reduced protection detail, but Redwing's scans indicate a defence system in the building. The problem is it is in a civilian population."

"So we would have to strike at night when people go home to avoid civilian casualties." Kat said thinking.

"We would also have to be quick, local authorities catch wind..."

"They would seek to arrest us." Kat concluded, "Have Sam send the scan of the building to Aida. She can patch it into the lab." It only took a few minutes and then a halo-display of the Corporate building was shown. It was one of those high rise buildings with forty floors, state of the art security. There was just the main entrance with most of the building being large glass windows. The roof appeared to have a helicopter landing pad. It looked like any other Corporate building, but that was what HYDRA wanted. They enjoyed hiding in plain sight.

"Someone would need to cover the roof, to avoid Thatchet escaping. Communications would need to be cut so they can't call for help." Kat said thinking carefully. _'This could end up being a couple of days..'_ "This one might take a bit longer to crack."

"That was what Nat was thinking." Steve said.

"Okay, I will pack an overnight bag and meet you there." Kat said after a moment, she gave an apologetic look to Shuri but the teen just smiled at her.

"Have fun."

Soon after Kat returned to the hut to pack her things. Since this mission would take a couple of days, Kat decided to take her katanna with her to hopefully practise in the mornings while away. Once packed and ready to go, she would not just up and leave, not without telling Bucky or Tess what she was doing. So she took her bag and met them on the field where she and Bucky usually watched Tess at practice. Seeing the bag Bucky immediately knew what was going on as Kat came up and sat by him in the soft grass. "Let me guess Steve called."

"Yeah," Kat replied softly, " Thatchet is holed up in his corporate building in Venezuela. It might take a couple of days to figure out how to get to him."

"I don't like it," Bucky said as he watched Tess as she practised with her class.

"I'll only be gone a couple of days-"

"The last two were too easy to get to. Something is off about this, even Romanoff says it feels like a set up."

"I know..."

"Then don't go."

"I already told Steve I would meet them. I'll be okay." Kat said trying to reassure Bucky.

"Someone is playing you guys!" Bucky said sharply.

"I know, we are trying to figure out who and get answers." Kat said trying to keep it from escalating into a full blown argument.

"Stay. Don't go back out there..." Bucky urged after a lengthy silence.

"Steve, Nat, and Sam are out there. They are either heading to or are in Venezuela now. Do you really want me to just call them up and tell them no?" Kat asked.

"Yes!" Bucky said without hesitation. She knew leaving Steve out there high and dry was not something Bucky would ever do. He sighed knowing he could never do that to Steve, so what made him think she could?

"You're asking me to do something you would never in a million years do yourself!" Kat pointed out getting mad herself. "If Steve called you, you and I both know you would be rushing out there!"

"But he didn't call me, he called you!" Bucky replied.

"Because he knows you are tired of fighting! He doesn't want to pull you back into another fight! He cares about you-"

"But he will call my wife to go fight HYDRA." Bucky interrupted coldly.

"Because I agreed to!" Kat's voice rose significantly effectively silencing Bucky, It was then Kat got up from the grass and looked down at Bucky as she snatched up her bag. "You may be done fighting, but I am not! As long as HYDRA lives I cannot relax and rest! You want a normal peaceful life, okay! I get that, but I can't because I am living in fear of a monster waiting around the corner to destroy everything!"

For a long moment the pair were silent as Bucky stood to face her and seemed to be reigning in his temper. "And when these last two HYDRA heads are dealt with?! Will you settle down then? Start a family with me?"

She knew what he was asking, he was bringing up the subject of having more kids. "That isn't fair Bucky!"

"Why is that?" He asked coldly.

"Because I am not ready for that! You keep asking, dropping hints, creating those mental images when you know I am reading your mind! I have tried telling you before I AM NOT READY!" Kat yelled the last as she had to wipe her eyes. By then she was too mad at Bucky, this was the core of the argument she felt, not her going off with Steve and company to deal with HYDRA, no it was really about them starting a family!

Taking a shaky breath, Kat sniffled as she asked. "That is it isn't it? You won't listen to me."

"Kat-" Bucky started as he realised he had pushed her to much, he reached for her.

"No!" Kat stopped him and took a few steps back. She looked up at him hurt that he would push her like this. However if he could push her, he could also deal with how much she resented him for it! "Fine..."

The word came out on a whisper as if choked out of her. Thus she repeated it louder. "Fine, if that is what you want. When the two HYDRA heads are dealt with, we'll have more kids... as many as _you want_."

The way the last two words were said made it clear, it would be what Bucky wanted but not what she wanted. Immediately Bucky felt sick and a painful twist in his heart, she would give him what he wanted even if she didn't want to. No! He could never do that to her force her to do this before she was ready. He was going to say no to what she had agreed to, he opened his mouth to do so.

"Mommy?" Tess' voice stopped him as the little girl came up prepared to give Kat a hug, but seeing the look on her mother's face caused the little girl concern. Immediately Kat wiped her eyes and looked at Tess with a forced smile.

"Hey there princess."

"What's wrong?" Tess asked looking between her parents worried. It meant she had not heard the argument between them at least.

Kat came forward and knelt down in front of Tess. "I have to go help your Uncle Steve for a bit, but I will be back in a few days okay?"

Tess immediately thought this was the reason her mother was upset, as she nodded saddened as well. The girl came up hugging her mom as Kat hugged her back and kissed her head. "Be good for your dad and Myra okay? I'll be back before you know it."

"Okay mommy." Tess replied, Kat watched Tess go over to stand by her dad. She might have hugged Bucky too but was still too upset with him. She knew he wanted her to read his mind that there was something he was begging her to hear, but she couldn't. She didn't want to hear whatever he had to say, no matter how apologetic she felt he was; it would not make up for forcing her to agree to his wishes. So she let him see the look on her face as she regarded him, and he knew she refused to read his mind. With Tess present it meant there was a buffer there and he could not simply tell her what he wanted to say.

Thus he would get his wish as many kids as he wanted, but her forgiving him? That would be highly unlikely.

* * *

 **August 26** **th** **, 2017**

 **Outside of Caras Venezuela**

The Quinjet touched own deep in a wooded area not far from the coordinates Natasha had sent to Kat. It had been a long flight with Kat having to think about how she and Bucky were forced to leave things. Both absolutely refused to fight in front of Tess, so the argument ended the moment the little girl came up. It meant that the argument was far from resolved between them, but Kat was merely glad to be away once more. Still she dwelt on what was said before and the promise she made under pressure. She also remembered the hurt look on Bucky's face when she refused to read his mind, the image stuck with her. Closing her eyes she could still see those last few moments over and over regretting her choice to not to hear what he wanted to say.

 _Kat forced a smile onto her face for her daughter and gave a small wave before turning away to leave. She only took two steps when her daughter had called out to her. "Wait mommy, aren't you going to give daddy a hug goodbye?"_

 _The innocent question made her heart twist as she turned back to face her daughter and husband. She wanted to. God knew she did, she just wanted to forget the argument of the last few minutes and go to Bucky. She wanted to feel his arms around her as he pulled her close and kissed her, but she was stubborn. She felt if she did go to him she might forgive him for pushing her into agreeing to have more children. And she did not want to forgive him for that, so she ignored the hopeful look Bucky had as she smiled down at her daughter. "We already said our goodbyes, sweetie. I just couldn't leave without seeing you."_

 _Tess smiled unaware that her mother had not hugged her father goodbye at all. It was then Aneka ran up distracting Tess a little as Kat looked to Bucky. He looked like he had gotten punched in the stomach and was forced to ignore the injury. Regardless she said more firmly to Bucky. "I will see you both in a couple of days."_

 _With that Kat turned and walked away hearing Tess and Aneka call out "Bye!"_

 _All the while she felt Bucky but refused to hear his thoughts. Once far enough away she let some tears escape, and just wanted away from this place. So she picked up the pace and headed for the Quinjet. She knew if she dallied for too long Myra would come to watch Tess and Bucky might try to talk to her before she left. So she left as soon as she possibly could, and once in the air she breathed easier._

Was she still upset? Hell yes! However Kat looked at her distress watch which gave a normal reading, so her emotional distress was not hindering her at least. After a lengthy flight she had had a chance to calm down and re-evaluate the situation. She decided that once the mission was over maybe Bucky would cool down and they could talk reasonably about this. Sure she promised to give him what he wanted, but she also knew deep down he would never force her into this. Thinking logistically about it, Kat felt it best if both of them had some breathing room and time to themselves. Otherwise it could become a worse argument where things could be said that both would regret.

Besides she needed to be calm and collected if she was going after a HYDRA head, and Bucky had a way of making her emotionally distressed. She certainly did not need a repeat of the HYDRA convoy in Russia. On the way over she cut communications to have time to herself, not wanting to be interrupted. Only now did she open communications to contact Steve and the others.

"This is Quinjet 147, Steve? Nat? Anybody home?" Kat said into the mic after taking a moment to calm down. For a few seconds nothing then Sam's voice came in loud and clear.

"Good to hear from you Kat. Sorry to call you away from your vacation, you ready for more bad guys shooting at us?"

"Depends, your bird costume gonna hold up okay? Or are you gonna need me to save you?" Kat teased back.

"Ha Ha Hilarious." Sam replied sarcastically.

"Can't take it don't dish it Bird-man." And just like that it was time to push the terrible argument to the back of her mind and get to work. They had another Untouchable HYDRA head to take down.

* * *

 **Author's Notes:**

 **First off thank you Fin-Fish Jun-Tenshi, arrienna89, and David Fishwick for the lovely reviews. I am glad to hear you guys are enjoying the story and hope to keep hearing from you as new chapters are posted.**

 **As for this chapter we get to see a bit more of Kat's daily life as well as her and Shuri trying to help Myra with her sterility. Then she is called on once more to deal with a HYDRA head... though she and Bucky do not leave on the best of terms. Begging the question who's side would you be on in this instance? Kat's? OR Bucky's? Or do you think both need to simply reach common ground and compromise?**

 **I'll let you guys pick in the reviews. As for the last chapter I mentioned referencing other Marvel movies. The first reference was to Ant Man an the Wasp. When Kat spoke to Tess about the dangerous mission and Tess said 'She eats danger for breakfast.' In the movie Cassie said she eats fear for breakfast. The two girls would get along great if they met in person.**

 **The second reference was when Shuri tricked Kat, it was reminiscent of how she tricked T'Challa in Black Panther. Only Kat realised what Shuri was plotting and thought she had avoided the prank whereas T'Challa walked right into it.**

 **That aside I hope you enjoy this latest chapter. Please tell me what you think in the reviews and don't forget to tell me who's side you would pick in the latest argument in this chapter.**

 **Lesliezin**


	65. So Much for Stealth Mode

**Hello everyone,**

 **Here is Chapter 65, enjoy.**

* * *

 **August 26** **th** **, 2017**

 **Caracas Venezuela**

Shortly after making contact with Sam, Kat grabbed her bags and katana. She locked up the Quinjet and activated the stealth mode so that it would remain unseen. Walking for some distance she found a dirt road and waited. According to Sam the Shadow Network had had a guy deliver a van as their ride, so she expected to be picked up soon. Before too long she sensed the Avengers ahead of her hearing the vehicle pull up. Steve was driving with Nat riding shotgun, so they pulled up by her and Sam opened the side door to allow her in.

"You know your Shadow Network buddies could have picked a better ride." Sam said in greeting.

"Sorry a Ferrari or Jaguar is not discrete enough, but hey if you prefer walking next time Sam... I'll let them know." Kat said as she climbed in and took a seat. Soon they were driving as Nat turned in her seat to talk to Kat.

"The van's a good choice. Sam is just sore I called shotgun first." Kat had to smile at that as Sam gave an eye roll. "Anyway we got a couple of rooms at a motel, hope you don't mind bunking with me."

"Sounds good, Sam probably snores... good luck Steve." Kat said.

"We also checked out the area around the building... police station is five blocks away." Steve said wanting to keep on track even though his thoughts suggested he was a little amused.

"Anyone know response time?" Kat asked.

"We haven't gotten that far." Nat replied, "But we are willing to bet they are being paid extra by Thatchet so..."

"Less than a five minute response time." Kat nodded. Since Venezuela was a Spanish speaking country, Kat felt she had to ask."Anyone else speak Spanish?"

"I do." Nat replied.

"A little." Steve added, but Sam shook his head.

"Well then I guess it is down to us." Kat said looking to Nat. While it was great that both of them could speak the language it also reminded Kat of one of the SHIELD agents. "Suddenly I miss Yo-yo."

"Heard anything from them?" Steve asked as he drove.

"Not for a very long time. Last I heard Coulson had stepped down as Director and some suit had taken over. Daisy was soloing it for a bit, but back in May she signed the Accords. Neither Aida or I have heard from them since, and with the new Director we have minimal monitoring systems. Short of an assault on the Playground we won't be alerted." Kat explained, she did miss them but they would be under law to arrest her now. So she could only watch them at a lengthy distance.

From there they talked further about the building in question until they reached the outskirts of town and got to the motel Nat mentioned. It was a dingy place, but Kat had seen worse. The room she would share with Nat had two single beds against the wall on the right on entering the room. By the window was a table and chairs. Past the two beds was a bathroom and on the left side was shelves and a old T.V.

"So which bed did you call dibs on?" Kat teased with Nat pointing at the bed by the window. So Kat went over to the other bed and put her pack down. From there she got comfortable on her bed and leaned against the headboard. It was hot and humid, while the crappy air-con was kicking up a storm. Nevertheless she pulled her tablet and began researching the building.

"I take it someone is not happy you're here." Nat said picking up on some telltale sign that Kat was not even sure she showed. The Black Widow was certainly good at getting information and reading people. Kat still remembered being interrogated by Nat back in Germany, even without mind reading abilities the Avenger could still pick out details. Suddenly Kat felt like she was in an interrogation as she looked to her screen trying to focus, but Nat stood there waiting and watching her until she sighed and put the tablet aside.

"I am trying to focus on the mission, if I think about the problems at home I might wind up dealing with emotional distress and I think we both know what that will mean." Kat said hoping Nat would drop it, and thankfully she did. She must have known the dangers that would pose for Kat, otherwise she might have pressed the issue.

"I just want to make sure you're gonna be okay." Nat relented showing concern for her teammate.

"I will be, I fully intend to deal with the issues at home after we get Thatchet and figure out who is offering them up on a silver platter. I just don't want to be caught off guard like I was in Russia is all." Kat reassured which seemed to help Nat relax her cross armed position. From there the subject was dropped as Kat noted a cafe not far from the building. It was a good place to start when scooping a HYDRA owned corporate building.

"You like coffee?" Kat asked holding up her tablet to show Nat. "This place is competing with Starbucks..."

"Sam did warn me that you're a coffee fiend."

* * *

 **August 29** **th** **, 2017**

 **Caracas Venezuela**

Over the next three days the group staked out the building studying it closely to learn where and how best to strike. Nat must have talked to Steve and Sam because none of them asked how Bucky was doing. Either that or they were all business wanting to get to Thatchet and get some answers. Regardless Kat was glad no one asked as it allowed her to focus on the mission and push the argument she had with Bucky to the back of her mind. The cafe turned out to have some really good coffee which also helped when staking out the secure building. Sadly the streets were busy during the daytime hours, not only that the city seemed crazy. Violence flared on a regular basis, whether it was street crime, or protesters or even beggars, the city appeared very volatile. When they weren't dodging bullets, the street itself between the building and cafe was usually jam packed full of cars honking and wanting to get to their destinations. The people walking and riding bikes certainly didn't help in that regard. It was a very public place, Thatchet had chosen his location well and since the man never left the building it meant they could not intercept him.

The only way they were going to get this particular HYDRA head would be to get into the building. Hence reconnaissance and watching the building while pretending not to watch the building. As usual Nat sat at the other end of the cafe, while Kat pretended to be bored and toyed with her phone. In truth though Kat was doing some light hacking by taking control of any cameras in the area to get her a better view of the building. Thus far she had learned there were a couple of cleaning ladies that came in the morning, then a second team at night. Running the algorithm against them proved negative. They were locals hired on unaware that their boss was a HYDRA douche bag. She also learned the overweight security desk guard had a weakness for doughnuts, and the other tall security guard loved playing computer solitaire. The guards at the elevators and doors were a bit more... disciplined.

At night Kat would return to the room and watch via the hacked cameras to avoid causing suspicion. Most the employees that worked in the business levels of the building left by 6 p.m. at the latest, but not the security. They would be rotated, but there was always about eight guards not including the security desk guard on duty. The other thing they learned was the response time for the cops was three minutes, so if they attacked, communications would have to be cut fast or run risk of the local police trying to arrest them. The city might be shot to hell, but the police were efficient.

It was not a impossible egg to crack, it fact Kat was willing to bet that once communications was cut and she had control of the security systems it would be rather easy. _"_ _Anything?"_

The question came over the comms ear piece from Steve.

"Coffee is really good, the lady that makes it should work at Starbucks. You should try it." Kat replied as she picked up her mug and took a drink to hide her lips as she spoke.

" _I meant about the building..."_ Steve replied but he also sounded amused.

"Usual, eight man team in the lobby heavily armed with a security desk guard. Approximate fifty plus employees in upper levels... night time infiltration is the best option. Three minute window to cut communications so that the local cops cannot help."

" _Okay, Sam upper levels?"_

" _I think Thatchet is getting restless... take a look."_ Sam said as he had Red Wing transmit to their phones. Sure enough the man they were after Gregory Thatchet was pacing in his office as he spoke to another man. The more he spoke the angrier he got as the man in front of him was no doubt telling him something he didn't like. Then Thatchet picked up a paperweight from his desk and threw it at the man.

" _Talk about anger management issues."_ Nat replied.

"Hang on..." Kat said using her phone she froze the image and enhanced it to get a better look. It was off of a reflection in the background that Kat saw the computer screen. An partial email... _'Nice attempt, but your ploy failed... to serve your last purpose...'_

What all the e-mail pertained to Kat could only guess, but she sent the image to the others. "Looks like that is what has his panties in a twist. Maybe he knows who is handing his buddies over on a silver platter and tried to stop them?"

" _Looks that way, it also looks he is on borrowed time..."_ Sam said

" _We need a way in before whoever decides to attack."_ Steve added, _"_ _Suggestions?"_

"The cleaning ladies." Kat suggested.

" _I doubt they would help us get into the building."_ Nat pointed out.

"True, but more than once I noticed both night crew cleaning ladies leave angry and cursing. Meaning their loyalty to their employer is strained especially if they are overworked and under paid." Kat pointed out, "Often that is all that is needed to infiltrate a highly secure building... look for the under appreciated."

" _What are you thinking?"_ Steve asked.

"Both ladies frequent a bar two blocks over after their shift's end. No doubt to drink away their sorrows of having to work for an asshole. I am currently looking into more details on them... Ah bingo! One is a single mom... ouch son has cancer paying for treatments... barely scraping by. The other... taking care of her mom... Hmm couple police reports looks like dad is an abusive drunk. Both most likely want out of the shitty situation they are in, so turning on their current employer is not so out of reach."

" _Think you can get them on our side?"_ Steve asked.

"Most likely... hey Nat wanna go clubbing?" Kat asked.

" _Sure."_

* * *

Later that night both ladies got dressed up to go to the local bar that the two cleaning ladies frequented. Kat dressed in jeans, a low cut mauve coloured shirt and black leather jacket. She changed her colour clip to blonde. Meanwhile she gave Nat another colour clip to alter her own hair colour and she decided to go brunette. The bar was a rather dingy place that looked to be frequented by truck drivers, not partying girls. As it was it looked like it had seen better days, it even had an old jukebox that was playing music from the eighties. There were a number of regulars drinking as they sat at stools at the bar, but Kat noticed the two cleaning ladies sat together at a booth. At this range Kat could read their minds as she casually walked past them to the bar. Meanwhile Nat took a booth down from them to hear what they would be saying.

"Get me a strawberry Daiquiri." Nat called out cheerily in Spanish.

"Yeah yeah I know. You order that every time." Kat laughed replying in that same language making it out that they were friends and were doing a type of pub crawl. All the while thinking it was unlikely this bar would do such a drink. Meanwhile she came up smiling at the bar tender. "Hi could I have a Strawberry Daiquiri, and I will have a... Hard Lemonade."

The guy nodded and opened the small fridge behind the bar getting a bottled version of their drinks. Kat paid him then went and sat down across from Nat. The pair pretended to be chatting about their day or where they intended to go but in truth Nat was listening to the conversation between the two cleaners while Kat listened in on their thoughts.

 _'I swear if that fat tub of lard smacks my ass as I am leaving one more time!'_

 _'That rich bastard refuses to leave his precious office. Then whines when he makes a mess. I have a son in hospital! I have better things to do then deal with some whiny rich asshole!'_ Discretely Kat delved a little deeper without being noticed both women were tired as Kat got more and more details. They needed a ice breaker. A way of establishing contact that would not scare the two women off. It came in the form of the heavy set desk security guard that liked to grab or smack younger lady's butt. She had tried filing sexual harassment charges only to be threatened with losing her job. She even went to the cops when the guard started showing up at her other job trying to pressure her into dating him. A place called Nora's Diner. The one relief for the poor girl being stalked by this security guard was she had not worked at the Diner today, and the older cleaning lady walked with her to and from work to keep her safe.

Gaining enough information, it was during Nat talking about where they should go next that Kat replied. "Maybe we should take it easy. I mean I wanna go to those places too, but I am still creeped out by that disgusting pig we ran into earlier."

Nat didn't need to be told to play along as she immediately knew what Kat was doing. She gave a shrug. "It was nothing... really. Besides I just want to forget about it and get on with our vacation."

"Still maybe we should take a day and just order pizza or something? Also as much as I loved the cheesecake from Nora's I really do not want to go back there if that creepy guy is there again." It was mentioning the diner that got the ones behind Nat listening.

"I am not going to let some creep ruin our having fun, Rachel." Nat said opting for a nondescript name.

"The guy smacked your ass and asked if you were free later. Plus he kept looking you up and down, I am surprised the fat bastard didn't start drooling." Kat pointed out, now they had the full attention of the two cleaning ladies as the younger one turned in her seat and tapped Nat on the shoulder.

"Um excuse me, but what did this guy look like?" Kat immediately sent the mental image pulled from the girl's head to Nat.

"He... was dressed in some type of uniform. A nasty tan colour with blue. Slicked back dark hair."

"He looked like Jabba the Hutt in human form, and thought he was a supermodel." Kat added rolling her eyes.

"Bert?! Did his name tag.. say Bert?"

Kat pretended to draw a blank as did Nat. "We never really got a good look at his nametag, but this older lady that runs that place called him by name."

"I think it was Bert..." Nat said looking back at Kat, then at the two. Immediately the ladies looked even more disturbed.

"Why? Do you know him?"

"Unfortunately, we both do." The older lady grumbled. That was how they got to talking to the two cleaning ladies, and after some drinks the pair loosened up telling Kat and Nat more and more about their miserable jobs and the crap they had to put up with. They continued talking into the late hours when the bar would be closing. It was then with both women having drank a bit much and being too tired to head home they came back to the motel with them.

The next morning both awoke in the motel room to find that the pair they had talked with were Avengers. This part could go one of two ways. Either the ladies would refuse to help and try to run for the cops, or they would help. As it was shortly after they fell asleep, Kat made some phone calls to the Shadow Network to help both women. The younger lady's father would have a rather unpleasant conversation with a Shadow Network Enforcer, and be told to walk while he still had use of his legs. While the older lady's son's hospital bills and treatments would all be paid for. To top it all off the boy would be moved to a better hospital to receive the help he needed. Both would have to be moved out of Venezuela for their own safety.

As it was both were stunned to wake up in the motel room and come face to face with the Black Widow and the Guardian Avenger, but at least they weren't screaming bloody murder. When it was explained what they wanted and what they were willing to do to help the two women it became clear that both cleaning ladies would indeed help them.

Thus far their plan for getting into the building was off to a great start.

* * *

 **September 1** **st** **, 2017**

 **Caracas Venezuela**

It was later that night when both the evening cleaning ladies entered the lobby for their night shift at the large Corporate building. The streets outside were empty due to the hour as both came into the pristine lobby. As usual the fat security guard at the desk gave a creepy grin as he looked up the younger woman and even reached out smacking her ass as she passed the security desk going through the metal detectors. As usual she jumped and glared at him which made him laugh as she continued on. He knew she could do nothing about it without getting into trouble. He leered at her as she walked away getting onto the elevator to go upstairs. The boss always demanded his room be cleaned first so this was not unusual. He even watched her on the elevator camera as they rode the elevator up some floors.

Sadly the fat bastard had to turn his gaze from the screens when a pizza delivery guy showed up, so he did not see them get off the elevator on the right floor. Instead both got off on the third floor where offices were located. Entering one office rooms the younger one shut the door while the older one went to the computers and turned it on.

"Remind me again why I had to play the younger one?" Nat's voice asked as she pulled off the nano mask.

"Because if he touched me I would have killed him." Kat's voice came from the older woman as she plugged in a computer drive and it auto executed. From there Kat pulled off her own nano mask. Seizing control of the security systems, Kat locked down the building so no one could escape, "Don't worry I am sure Steve is teaching him proper respect for a lady right now."

Sure enough the 'pizza delivery guy' had just finished knocking out the guards on the ground floor and was plugging in another pen drive. A second later Kat heard Steve's voice over the coms. _"_ _Okay it's plugged in, now what?"_

"Relax Steve it auto executes the program: you need not do anything. Yep... communications is now cut and security is in lock down mode. No alarms to the cops meaning we are in the clear to proceed." Kat said typing some more commands into the computer, "Also Steve that security guard at the desk is very disrespectful could you give him a kick between the legs for Nat?"

" _What did he do?"_ Steve asked.

"It's nothing Steve. Never mind." Nat replied wanting to focus on the mission rather then revenge.

"Spoilsport." Kat teased. From there Nat and Kat suited up not wanting to take a building in the maid clothing. Luckily no one had given the two 'cleaning ladies' a second glance. Both women had told them earlier that they sometimes carried duffel bags with a change of clothes, so none of the guards really batted a eyelash when they brought in their own duffel bags. The bags in question were specially lined to conceal their weapons and gear, so the metal detectors picked up nothing. Ditching the maid uniforms, Kat also locked down some of the upper level rooms to restrict Thatchet's movements as well as thin the numbers of the guards some. With some of the rooms being in lock down some could not escape the rooms they were in, and that would mean less guards. However there was also the problem of roaming guards in the hallways to deal with.

As they were leaving the office to start working their way up the floors, Sam's voice came in. _"_ _Alright I am in position. Roof is now cleared."_

"Great going bird-man." Kat teased. As planned Kat and Nat hit the stairwell rather than the elevator. Due to the building being put into lock down it meant the bad guys knew they were here, so taking the elevator would be...hazardous. As it was the guards would head for the stairs and halls to the elevators to intercept any unwelcome guests. After staking out the building for three days, Kat knew the bulk of security was on the ground floor and first couple of levels, which Steve would no doubt be taking care of right now. This left the smaller patrols to Kat and Nat, while Sam might also have a security detail on the roof along with patrols.

"This is gonna be fun." Nat said as they entered the stairwell.

"Yep finally we get to have ladies night." Kat said as they started making their up. They only made it up a couple flights of stairs when five guys came out of the side doors. Nat was fighting with her batons, while Kat pulled her wrist daggers. It was when Kat kicked a guy in the face that Nat asked before hitting another guy.

"So wanna talk about it?" Kat immediately knew what Nat was asking.

"What here? Now?"

"Well it is girl's night. No time like the present for a girly chat." Nat shrugged. Just then she slammed another guy's head into the stairwell railing and he slowly slid to the floor, "I am a good listener."

"I... Bet!" Kat replied as she used the door on the last guy against the wall, slamming the hard metal door into him hard with each word she spoke. Then when the group were down both women continued up the stairs like noting had happened.

"You know you feel better if you talk about it." Nat pointed out.

"I guess... just no tattling on me." Kat relented.

"Girl scout's honour."

"He wants more kids..." Kat replied, due to her locking out the security any camera or monitoring equipment was now a useless bunch of junk. She wasn't taking chances since they already knew this was a set up. So in the stairwell they could talk in freely without fear of outside parties overhearing.

"And you don't." Nat said calmly as they got onto the next stairwell and had to fight some more patrols. The conversation continued between delivering punches and kicks.

"I just am not ready for that." Kat continued as she kicked a guy between the legs then shoved his head into the wall, "Maybe in another year or two?"

"Or maybe not at all? You are kind of a workaholic." Nat pointed out before hitting another guy with her batons that sent him falling down the stair.

"I am not that bad," Kat started as a guy grabbed her from behind. Using her feet she pushed off from the railing forcing the guy into the wall then elbowed him. As she got loose she continued talking as she kneed him in the stomach. "I. Just. Have. Priorities!"

Once the second group was dealt with they continued up with Kat adding. "And besides you know how I require coffee?"

"Yeah..."

"Seven months! Aida read coffee is bad for pregnant ladies. Seven months without my caffeine fix!"" Kat pointed out, then she ran ahead as the door opened to the stairwell and kicked it shut on the first guy coming through.

"The horror." Nat replied as she rushed up on another guy coming out of the door.

"I know right?" Kat replied thinking Nat totally understood. As more guys came out, Kat ducked under a guy swinging on her to punch him in the stomach then in the face. "You can imagine how much of a nightmare I was then."

"Whereas right now you are calm and relaxed!" Nat grunted as she broke another guy's hold and hit him in the throat.

"Exactly!" Kat said then tripped up the last guy making him hit his head on the railing, "I'm a kitten in comparison right now."

"You're not a kitten." The downed guy groaned then got punched by Kat.

"Well I hope you both reach an agreeable compromise soon." Nat offered unsure of what advice she could give Kat. It just seemed unfair to side completely with either of them as both had good reasons for what they wanted. She knew Kat had problems accepting a normal domestic lifestyle, so getting her to agree to more normal things like having children would be hard. As for Bucky it sounded like he was asking for too much, but after so many years under HYDRA's influence; she understood his need for normalcy. Thus the conversation was dropped as the pair faced another group of hired thugs.

* * *

Thirty-eight minutes and forty-six floors later, Steve had caught up to them and Sam was still guarding the roof. Thus far everything had gone according to plan, as they neared Thatchet's office. The HYDRA head that ran the largest Oil Corporation didn't seem fazed when they burst into his office. In fact he was looking out the window sipping a brandy and smoking a cigar. His guards both readied to attack until he spoke. "Don't bother we already know who would win this fight."

Kat gripped her guns and looked to Steve and Nat, but they looked just as confused. Did bad guys usually give up this easily? That was when Gregory Thatchet turned around to face them, the man was middle aged of Afghanistan decent. His greying black hair was slicked back as he wore a suit and regarded the Avengers with a sigh. "Should have known that bitch would win. She has always won. Even Strucker and Whitehall got put in their places when they were stupid enough to cross her."

"You know who set you up?" Steve asked coming closer. Thatchet moved to his desk and was refilling his drink.

"Of course..." He took a drink, then continued. "Should have known she would sell us out, but what could we have done? None of us dare move against her that was for fucking sure."

"Who is she?" Kat asked needing a name, but could already guess who Thatchet spoke of. The very last HYDRA head—Moira Nakagawa. He was just about to answer when gunfire ripped through the office window and Thatchet. Immediately Steve, Nat, Kat, and even one of the guards ducked for cover rather than be hit with a spray of bullets. Steve managed to flip a large oak table onto it's side for him and Nat to hide behind. While Kat ran and rolled behind a large marble pillar. The surviving guard ducked behind the front of Thatchet's desk. The gunfire was non-step as Steve yelled into the coms, but already Sam was moving to stop the attack.

Moments later the barrage stopped leaving the office riddled with bullet holes, and a second later Sam spoke. _"_ _Everybody okay?"_

"We're good, Kat?" Steve asked.

"I'm fine."

" _Good to hear. Looks like this was rigged, it uh has some sort of camera on it..."_

"Take a picture and send it." Kat replied getting up and stepping out from behind the pillar about the same time Steve and Nat rose. Sadly getting answers was going to be a lot harder, Thatchet was dead. The first shots hit him making him into Swiss cheese! No doubt armour piercing rounds since the windows were undoubtedly bullet proof. The guard laid there by the desk trying to help his fellow guard who also was not lucky enough to survive. A moment later Sam sent the image.

"Remote activated and controlled via webcam. The gun was set to take out this room." Kat frowned at the set up. Why did they wait to take out Thatchet then? Was the assassin hoping to kill them too? Or were they merely waiting? If they had intended to kill them, it seemed rather sloppy. Taking out her sniper rifle, Kat went to the window and aimed out looking through the scope. She easily found Sam and the rigged automatic gun, it had a perfect view to shoot Thatchet... so someone had staged this. Looking at the mounted gun Kat noted how it was set up, not just remote connected, but it looked like it was recording everything and transmitting it. "Hey Sam the side panel right side of the gun. See that wire... unplug it."

She watched Sam do as she asked. "Good now it is no longer recording... the black box it was attached to unhook it and take it. With luck we can track whoever set this up."

While Sam did that she put back on her sniper rifle after compacting it. Steve was already questioning the surviving guard. "Do you know who did this?"

"I think so, Thatchet kept going on and on about Moira Nakagawa. Saying they should have banded together years ago and gotten rid of her."

"Why would she do this?" Nat asked as she looked around the desk.

"That is what Thatchet couldn't figure out. Near as we can tell she is just trying to save her own ass. All I know is some weeks ago, this Leiko bitch showed up and handed my boss a letter. She left without saying a word. Thatchet freaks and comes here. He hired some people to take out Moira, but they failed."

"Leiko?" Kat asked remembering the name of the woman that visited Ivanoff and Winston before their untimely deaths.

"Moira's second, some mute bitch. Don't know much about here beyond that."

"You said Thatchet mentioned 'they should have banded together to take her out.' Who?" Nat asked.

"The other HYDRA heads. Pierce, Strucker, Whitehall, Mallick... all of them!"

"So why didn't they?" Kat asked, there was not a lot of information on Nakagawa, and what little there was was guesswork. The guard started laughing as if the answer was obvious.

"Fear. They were scared shitless of her!" The guard said now looking scared himself, "She is not just a head of HYDRA. She is a god damn nightmare!"

" _We will need to move. No way did the cops not catch wind of the attack now."_ Sam said via the coms.

"Alright we're moving out." Steve said as the guard sat against the desk looking defeated. However before more could be said the guard spoke first.

"I am so dead... they'll kill me for this." It left them with a dilemma, leaving the guard to his fate was out. He was the only one that might be able to tell them more about Moira and how best to stop her. So when they finally did escape the building via Sam the guard was taken too. Back at the motel Kat copied the data from the drive connected to the mounted gun. One copy was for her and the other for them. After that it was time to pack up and beat a hasty retreat before the authorities located them. It was at the motel that Steve intended to take the guard and data to the Shadow Network while Kat could return to Wakanda. Between the Shadow Network, Kat, and Shuri they should be able to decrypt the data and learn more about Moira.

It was a good plan, but Kat wanted a bit more time away from Bucky. Sure she wanted to simply go home, but she was still upset with him. Besides it would only be a couple more days away. What was a couple more days? She'd go to China, visit the Shadow Network and Sharon, give them the data, and put the guard at a safe house. Easy. So despite Steve's worried look and asking if she was sure, Kat volunteered for the job even saying that this way they could take the data to Shuri in Wakanda and Steve could visit Bucky while Sam got to see Myra. After that it didn't take much to convince them.

Thus it was at that road where they had picked her up from days before, that the group stopped the van. Getting out Kat and the guard turned to Steve, Nat, and Sam saying goodbye. "I will see you guys in a couple of days if you're still there."

"Alright, be safe." Nat replied.

"And keep in contact." Steve added.

"You too." With that they drove on heading for their own Quinjet while Kat guided the guard to her own jet. The poor guy was definitely scared of Moira because he was cooperating completely. Getting back to the clearing, Kat took her jet off of stealth mode and opened the landing ramp. The pair got on and she closed the ramp. "Okay sit down and strap in. We got a long flight ahead of us."

The man obediently did as he was told, with Kat taking off her pack and getting in the pilot's seat. Soon they were in the air heading for China, and finally the man began to breath easier. If taking the typical airline flight, it was an eighteen hour flight, but on a Quinjet about three hours could be shaved off. However since this Nakagawa lady was turning out to be very dangerous Kat decided a more scenic route was needed to hopefully ensure no one followed. For Kat it was merely an extra precaution to fly through the US skirting Canada then arcing across to Russia and back down to China.

It would mean stopping to refuel a couple of times, and a lot longer flight, but Kat figured it was worth it. She called ahead to the Shadow Network to land at private airstrips along her route for refuelling. For the most part the flight was uneventful, with only the stop to refuel before taking to the air once more. So what happened next was completely out of left field. They were just leaving Russian airspace. Kat had been leaning back in her chair listening to the music she put on while the jet cruised on automatic pilot. The guard had fallen asleep in his chair and so Kat drank her coffee as she looked out at the night sky. This was what she needed nice peace and quiet to think.

She might have continued to just sit back and let her mind go, but then an alert on her phone had her look at it. It was something to do with the SHIELD base: the Playground. She knew there was a lot of new activity because of Coulson stepping down as Director. She hated the fact some suit-wearing politician was now calling the shots. Nowadays she tended to ignore alerts for the Playground. Sure she had Aida monitor them and keep surveillance in the base; but there was not a lot they could do. Still it had to be something to warrant a alert to her phone. Running her fingers over the screen Kat opened the alert. The images made her sit up it looked like...flames? Maybe the hidden camera was malfunctioning? She would need to contact Aida and ask her about it, but right then was when something far more important happened, at first Kat had to blink with surprise, there was a blip on the proximity radar. A ship out here?

She knew it wasn't a standard airline, she had studied their routes to avoid them. She was about to have the sensors she added to her jet do a scan. Maybe it was Coulson's team? Just as she hit the key to have it do a scan, she saw it launch missiles at her!

"Shit!" She screamed, dropping her phone and taking the controls. She pushed down into a dive to evade the incoming attack. Immediately the consoles were beeping in warning as red lights flashed. _'How is this possible?! Stealth mode is on!'_ Kat wondered, as her passenger jolted awake as the ride got bumpy. It was a good thing she had asked May about some of the more 'intense' stunts and flight manoeuvres the SHIELD agent had pulled off. That and she had not just watched Peterson, but also May pilot jets before. Otherwise they'd already be a flaming ball of metal falling to Earth.

Still the missiles were heat seeking, she needed to out manoeuvre them. Maybe get them close enough to hit each other. Meantime she hit the button to send out a signal. This was one of those moments where she could not afford to be picky. The channel was a secure one that would contact the Shadow Network, the SHIELD base, the Avengers or Aida and Shuri. "This is Quinjet 147, we are under attack by an unknown craft!"

Sending the jet into a spin toward the ground, Kat gripped the controls. Then heard the explosion as the two missiles hit each other. Sadly they hit a little too close rocking the jet. The blast hit one of the back engines which meant they would be crash landing soon. It just depended on how badly they wanted to crash. In pieces? Or mostly intact?

Kat pulled up hoping to make the landing a little smoother. "We've been hit! Going down just past the Russian border entering North Korea! Anyone read me?!" No response came, but she knew the signal was getting out. The communications array was upgraded by both her and Shuri, she just was not receiving a response. Someone must be blocking her from receiving, they were being jammed! Luckily with the Wakandan upgrades they could not stop her from transmitting. She read off her coordinates hoping that anyone listening would be able to find her. "Anyone receiving this we need immediate assistance please hurry!"

By then Kat found herself crashing through treetops and having to focus on not dying. The guy next to her was screaming as she tried to keep the craft steady, but there was only so much she could do. With a loud crash the back of the Quinjet was torn completely off as it slid to a halt.

* * *

At some point Kat awoke her head hurt like hell and she felt dizzy. She tried to blink away the drowsy feeling as she felt something hot and wet running down from her temple. No doubt blood, she must have hit her head in the crash. The flash of light behind her made her wince as she tried to look and see what was going on. Men with flash-lights? Did Steve and the other come to rescue them? The lights were too damn bright! She couldn't make out the clothes they wore, but something told her this was not Steve or the other Avengers. It also wasn't SHIELD, or the Shadow Network. It just seemed too soon for a rescue party. Unless... how long was she unconscious for?

She wanted to keep her eyes open, but the room was spinning! So she closed her eyes but tried to keep listening. She heard the guard beside her groan before his words spilt out. "No! No! Please!"

Followed by a gunshot, the loud bang making her skull throb and her ears ring. Knowing she would most likely die, Kat had no strength left and allowed herself to slip back into the black blissful void called unconsciousness.

Unaware of the words that one of them men with flash-lights said. "We found her."

* * *

 **Author's Notes:**

 **First off thank you Fin-Fish Jun-Tenshi, Guest, and David Fishwick for the lovely reviews. As always I love hearing from you guys. I am with you guys on the couple compromising and finding common ground. Both have very good reasons for what they want and don't want, so they need that happy medium.**

 **As for this chapter there are some things to mention or possibly address especially since this chapter has ended on a cliffhanger. MwwwwHaHaHa! (Clears throat) Sorry couldn't resist.**

 **I knew early on I would want Kat to be paired with Nat because both would definitely work well together, and Kat would feel she could relax more and be slightly more vicious with her opponants. In the words of Nick Fury: 'Romanoff is comfortable with everything.' So if Kat broke bones or did more damage to the ones she is fighting there would be less of a problem than say with Steve. That being said Kat has been known to break bones if not outright kill her enemies. In her own words she 'likes to play rough.' However even with Nat that instinct is being curbed. The other thing is the fights in the stairwell is reminiscent of the Lemur Star scene out of Winter Soldier, where Nat is 'multi-tasking'. I thought it would be funny to see them holding a conversation while on mission and fighting.**

 **Next is the issue of towards the end of the mission, Kat being faced with going home. Yes she has already been away for days and no it is not like she wants to avoid going home. But she is still angry with Bucky and his pushing her, so her way of saying 'I'm still pissed off,' is to give Bucky the cold shoulder. However it is also to give herself time to think about things, so that she doesn't go home and just start yelling at him. So she volunteers to take Thatchet's surviving guard and the data to the Shadow Network. The reason for the detour, is not just to give herself more time either. She knows that Moira Nakagawa is behind the setups so she knows she has to take precautions especially since the guard is a potential witness that can tell them even more intel.**

 **Which brings us to the end situation, Kat being shot down. I can already imagine some readers protesting. Firstly yes the Quinjet was in stealth mode, and yes Kat did upgrade her jet with Wakandan tech. BUT it is still a Quinjet, not a Wakandan ship like T'Challa's or anything. If it had been a ship like T'Challa's shooting Kat down would have been impossible. No tech no matter how advanced is gonna beat Wakandan tech not with Shuri around.**

 **Last here is another brain teaser for all those Agents of SHIELD fans out there. Based off of Kat mentioning Coulson's team and the alert she gets before being shot down... When in the t.v. series is this taking place? This is just a point of reference to give you all an idea of what is happening in the MCU. So what episode is happening just before Kat is shot down?**

 **Please let me know what episode you think it is, and let me know what you thought of this latest chapter.**

 **Lesliezin**


	66. Not a Chance in HYDRA

**Hello everyone,**

 **Here is chapter 66, enjoy.**

* * *

 **September 2** **nd** **, 2017**

 **Unknown Base**

The first thing, Kat felt was the pounding of her head. At first she didn't want to move. As her memory quickly returned, she also realised her senses were dulled. Perhaps she had been given a sedative? However her body did not feel like there was a lead weight on her which was normally how she felt after being drugged. Aside from minor aches and pains her body felt fine. However something was missing... the soft white noise hum! She had grown used to her Inhuman powers, she often ignored what others thought not wanting to intrude upon them. Thus their thoughts became a soft muted white background noise. Only right now it was not there! She strained her mind trying to sense the familiar noise, but all she heard was a electrical hum coming from her wrist.

What truly scared her was not the lack of white noise, but she could no longer sense Bucky or Tess! Her eyes snapped open as she sat bolt upright. She tried to pull on the tether she always felt with them but there was nothing! She strained to sense them, but there was only that damn electrical humming noise! She looked down at her wrist to the source of the noise to a small metal band clamped on her wrist, it had a small red light on it. If not for the soft hum, Kat might have mistaken it for her distress watch. Studying the device it looked like a monitoring device, but also... Kat frowned as she noted the design and how it had a type of calibration code on the top.

To her horror she realised this device was suppressing her powers, but judging by it if she tried to remove it there would be a nasty response that she would not enjoy. So she tried not to freak out or get it off of her wrist. Looking around the room she found herself in a small grey cell, sitting on a bed. The only other amenities were a toilet and sink. There were no windows or doors which kind of reminded Kat of the holding cells at the SHIELD playground. God she wished she was with that group, but something told her she would not like where she was. _'At least I am still in my clothes and not some nasty lab rat outfit.'_ Kat thought taking in her jeans, boots, and shirt. Sadly whoever dumped her in here had been thorough, she had no weapons.

Moving around the small cell, Kat felt along the walls. _'Solid concrete, small air vent in the upper corner. Lights protected by a metal grate...'_ Kat thought as she noted everything about this cell, and was frowning even more. No way was she escaping from this room on her own, not unless whoever took her let her out of this room. One could always hope right? The only other thing to notice about her situation was whoever took her wanted her alive, otherwise why would they see to her injuries? The cut at her temple had a large band aid there, but despite that Kat was not about to relax her guard.

Someone had somehow tracked her jet despite it being in stealth mode, shot her down, and brought her here. She might have continued to look around even more had the wall across from the bed not become transparent revealing a woman in a black suit-dress on the other side. Yep this definitely reminded Kat of the holding cells at the SHIELD Playground. She had no doubt that just because she could now see into another room did not mean she would be able to escape. Fitz had once told her that an energy field ensured no one escaped the SHIELD cells, so she was willing to bet they had a similar set-up.

Regardless Kat focused on the woman, she had seen pictures of Moira Nakagawa before so she knew who she was. This was not good, it meant she was once again a prisoner of HYDRA. Already Kat was internally freaking out about this, but for now she focused on remaining calm. Meanwhile the older Japanese woman looked her over and smiled at her. Finally the woman moved closer to the shield between them. The click of her heels echoing in the chamber as Moira continued looking at her from head to toe. Then seemed to remember what she was suppose to do.

"Hello, it so wonderful to finally meet you. I am-"

"Moira Nakagawa, I know who you are lady. So skip the formality and just get to the point." Kat said already creped out by this meeting.

"Yes, yes of course you know my name. You have been hunting HYDRA for so long. I apologise for the way we are meeting, I had hoped for a better setting... but my second Leiko is right I should not take needless risks," Moira said sounding truly regretful which made this even more disturbing. The HYDRA head then smiled brightly as if still overjoyed to be meeting her. Was she a fan or something? Why the hell was she smiling?! "I am just so excited to finally see you. I never thought I would, but fate finds a way. You are so beautiful!"

"Uhhh thanks... I guess." Kat replied growing even more creped out. Rather than continue to be thoroughly disturbed by Moura, Kat added. "Well as fun as this is, is there a reason I am here? An autograph or something since you seem to be having this fan girl moment."

Moira laughed smiling even more. "You're funny. Even after everything you experienced you still have a lovely witty sense of humour."

"I am sorry do we know each other?!" Kat asked taking offence to this woman acting as if she knew her. It was only then that Moira straightened and the smile slipped.

"We met once... long ago." Moira replied which was utterly confusing because Kat could remember everything and she did not remember ever meeting the HYDRA head. Before Kat could argue that Moira was lying, Moira continued with a heavy sigh. "I am sorry. Ever since finding out you were alive, I had envisioned this perfect meeting. Not this."

With those last two words she gestured to the chamber they were in. However Kat frowned what was wrong with this woman? Her dossier never mentioned she was a couple bottles short of a full six pack! "I had wanted to take you from that awful facility long ago but-"

"Whoa! wait a minute! Look I don't drink the same psycho beverage as you, so how about an actual explanation."

Moira sighed and seemed disheartened but nodded. "Right of course. You deserve an explanation. I just don't want you to think me this terrible person for giving you away."

 _'Too late! Wait, giving me away?'_ That was when Kat felt like she might be sick as Moira continued to go over her worries leading up to her explanation. Some of it Kat simply tuned out because she realised what Moira was trying to say. _'My mother! No, no this—It can't be!'_ But then she remembered Aida never reported her mother as dead.

"So here it is... I am your mother." Moira said smiling joyfully. _'Is this woman actually hoping for a joyful family reunion?! She donated me to be a HYDRA lab rat!'_ Kat thought disgusted not showing a ounce of joy at finally meeting her mother. With a perfect memory, Kat remembered everything she suffered when she was merely a lab rat. All those years being told she did not exist, watching Four and Six suffer and die in front of her, the horrible fate she narrowly dodged; was because of her 'parents'! At least Pierce was dead, and on some level Kat had hoped someone else would kill the HYDRA whore that birthed her. Still the woman continued to talk no matter how horrified Kat got. "I know this is a lot to take in, and I have so much more to tell you. There is just so much to explain-"

"No!" Kat replied finally having enough and silencing the HYDRA head, "There is nothing to explain, because no reason is good enough! You are an evil HYDRA whore that gave your own child to HYDRA! You don't get to explain anything, and I will never listen to your pathetic excuses!" Kat yelled at her, then after taking a moment to catch her breath she added. "You're just another monster that should be put down like the rest."

The woman looked like she had been slapped in the face, as she took an involuntary step back. She obviously did not expect this reaction from Kat. Honestly what other reaction was she suppose to have?! To Kat Moira was just another HYDRA head to be destroyed, she could never view her as her mother anymore than she could view Pierce as her father. They were not her parents, both had lost that right long ago. Thus the only reaction Kat could have was to outright reject Moira. For a few moments the HYDRA head stood there stunned then looked hurt as she looked down. Then she spoke before looking up at Kat. "I know you are upset, but if you just let me explain-"

"Explain?!" Kat snapped, "Explain what?! How I was an inconvenience?! How I didn't fit into your evil plans?! So instead you hand me off, maybe HYDRA would find better use for me! Or are you gonna explain being a HYDRA lab rat away?! Being repeatedly told I didn't exist! How about my friends Four and Six?! You gonna explain how it was necessary that they suffer and die?! Oh wait, I know! You are gonna explain how Six being raped by the guards shouldn't matter... she was just another lab rat right?! Or how about how dear ol' daddy dearest was gonna put me in a breeding program, wanna explain that one?! After all he was the to say I was a lab rat nothing more or less!"

Moira covered her mouth seeming to get even more upset, then after a moment seemed to compose herself. "I understand how upsetting all of that must have been, but you survived. I finally have you back after all these years and thinking you dead after your jump from the bridge. I know some of what HYDRA did was necessary, but you were never meant to-"

"JUST STOP!" Kat screamed not wanting to hear it, then calmed herself as best she could given the circumstance. "Get it through your thick skull, you will _never ever_ get me back! You lost me when you handed me over to HYDRA. And you have no fucking clue what I suffered, but you are right I did survive. After my little jump I found out HYDRA killed _my family_ and I swore to crush all of you which _I view as_ _necessary_!"

"I was hoping you would at least hear me out..." Moira said sounding hurt and disappointed. Sure she was no doubt hoping for more than that, but it was clear that the reconciliation she imagined was not happening.

"This may sound like my being unreasonable, but I have a lifetime of reasons to say fuck you!" Kat replied coldly. Again Moira looked devastated then the wall went back to appearing to be concrete, which Kat took to mean the conversation was over at least for now. Still meeting her 'mother' was emotionally exhausting as she backed up until the back of her legs hit the bed and she flopped down to sit. She needed out of here! She looked at the device on her wrist wondering how to get it off. The electronic hum suggested if she tried to remove it she would be shocked by the device, but perhaps she could still find a way to call out mentally. She just needed time and to focus. Since she would be stuck in this cell why not try?

Scooting back onto the bed she crossed her legs and tried to get into a meditative state to help her focus. Like with all her bad memories she must push Moira from her mind to focus on reaching out to Bucky.

* * *

Moira left the interrogation room deeply shaken by what she had planned would be a happy family reunion. She had not doubted that she would have some explaining to do, but to be outright rejected?! Her daughter never even gave her a chance! Pierce, that fool had he even recognised his own daughter?! Or did he simply not care? It hardly mattered the rest of HYDRA was dead now, but now it was apparent the damage had been done. There was no way Kat would willingly listen to Moira. Her daughters words still stung her deeply as she considered how to get her daughter more 'cooperative'. That was when a hand was placed on her shoulder, and Moira knew who it was before she turned around. Giving a weak smile as she turned Moira came face to face with a concerned Leiko. Wordlessly her second handed her a handkerchief which Moira gratefully accepted to dry her eyes. "Well that reunion did not go as I thought it would."

That was when Leiko partly turned to allow Moira to see a pair she recognised. One was a tall gaunt man with dishevelled dark greying hair, and the second was a tall muscle bound brute with a shaved head.

"No!" Moira said not wanting to consider it, "I couldn't!"

Leiko stepped closer and pointed to her ear, "Just to get her to listen?"

"We can persuade her to listen." The tall man replied with a slight bow to Moira. The HYDRA head then looked back at Leiko for reassurance. Finally Moira nodded though she still didn't like it.

"Very well, but no permanent damage."

"Of course my lady." The tall man said then the pair left Moira and Leiko, "I hope this is the right thing."

The pair were not left long before Lee came up. "Lady Moira we found something."

Moira nodded and the two ladies followed Lee into a type of research lab. A long window showed into the lab letting Moira see lab equipment lining the walls on the left and right sides. Under the window and in the middle were an island of counter tops. There were some doctors working in the lab, but the focus as they entered was the suit and items found on the Quinjet on a metal table past the counters. Upon seeing Moira one of the doctors came up greeting her.

"We found some interesting things while going over everything brought to us."

"Show me." Moira replied. The doctor went around the table as he explained.

"We checked the black box on the Quinjet to locate where Kat has been, but she erases the logs to no doubt hide where she has been. But just because our guest takes that extra precaution does not mean we could not find her. As you recall my lady, you had us tracking both Quinjet transponder signals."

"I remember you also saying she just appeared seemingly out of thin air."

"Yes my lady outside Wakanda," The doctor replied excitedly, then moved to the suit Kat wore laid out on the table. "We ran multiple tests on this suit, and based off of older images... this suit is new. Her suit has received some upgrades."

"What kind of upgrades?" Moira asked.

"The Vibrainium kind."

"Wakanda." Moira breathed, now knowing that her daughter had ties to the country of Wakanda, but what? She needed to know and perhaps she could get Kat to listen to her without much hassle. Turning to Leiko and Lee she smiled at the pair. "Time for a new mission."

While Moira looked at both of them Leiko began shaking her head no. The silent protector of Moira did not like the idea of both being sent from Moira's side. "Now, now, Leiko, you know I hate separating you two. Siblings should never be separated especially after what my vile brother did..."

Moira stroked Leiko's check remembering how her cruel brother attempted to rape Leiko and when she screamed he cut out her tongue. In the end the siblings got their revenge on the older Nakagawa sibling, but still Moira felt bad for her bodyguards. "I will be fine, you and your brother reach out to our network of contacts. The newly appointed King T'Challa has recently made waves and enemies with his new policies. Find some of those enemies to gain entry into Wakanda. Find out what my daughter is hiding from me."

Both nodded and gave slight bows before leaving the lab to start their new mission of infiltrating Wakanda. Meanwhile Moira turned back taking in more and more of the items pulled from the wreckage. No doubt a salvage team was still scouting the crash hoping to learn more, but for now Moira ran a hand over the blackish-purple suit admiring it. Then she noticed another item one Katseye had never been known to use—a katana.

Moving around the table she lifted the weapon to inspect it closely. It was a well made blade, much like her own family katana only when pulling the blade out of it's sheath some of the engravings said this blade belonged to one 'Takai Osaka'. She recognised the name from the files dropped on the internet, it was the name of the man that took Kat in for three short months before being brutally murdered along with his daughter Amaya. Moira gripped the handle, as she considered the long dead man with grudging respect. He had shown her daughter the love of a father, he had protected her and died for her according to the reports. Carefully she laid the katana back down trying to show respect to the long dead man.

Continuing to inspect the items that was when Moira noticed a backpack on one of the other tables. The casual clothes had been pulled out and dumped onto the table, but as Moira came closer she hit something with the toe of her high heel and looked down. A small black velvet box? No doubt it must have fallen from Kat's backpack. Bending down Moira picked it up then opened it to in to find two rings. An engagement ring and a wedding band. A smile began to form as Moira realised her daughter was married. _'Oh I have no doubt Leiko and Lee will find some interesting developments in Wakanda.'_

* * *

 **September 2** **nd** **, 2017**

 **Wakanda**

Landing back in Wakanda, Steve had not expected to be back for some time. With Kat insisting on taking Thatchet's guard and her copy of the data to the Shadow Network he figured the data should be brought to Shuri right away. However because they were wanted criminals and were no doubt reported as being in Venezuela, the group decided to ensure they were not tracked back to Wakanda. They travelled to several other locations before heading to their intended destination. Besides King T'Challa had an open invitation policy where they were always welcome back. Steve just never wanted to wear out his welcome by staying too long or bring trouble to the peaceful country. So they decided they would stay to deliver the data and visit. Hopefully by then Kat would be back and they would be heading out. He also hoped that this argument between her and Bucky blew over. He didn't know what it pertained to, but he knew that whatever it was they needed to work it out together. Distance between the pair never solved anything, instead near as he could tell distance merely made them more passionate about each other. Or perhaps he merely thought of it that way thanks to Sharon, who had said the pair could fight like cats and dogs one moment then the next act like love struck teenagers again.

At least this way he could visit Bucky and Sam would would get to see Myra. As it was Sam had it bad for the former HYDRA agent turned ally. The pair would phone each other every day, and afterwards neither he nor Nat could help but tease Sam about it. Since this was a social call, the group was dressed in casual clothes as they stepped off the jet. Since they had called ahead King T'Challa and his Dora Milaje were waiting. "It is good to see you again King T'Challa."

"You as well Captain Rogers." T'Challa said as the pair shook hands. After greeting Sam and Natasha, T'Challa was leading the group to Shuri's lab, "I understand your mission has been a success."

"It has mostly. Unfortunately Thatchet was killed before he could reveal much, but we believe Moira Nakagawa is the one setting up her fellow HYDRA heads." Steve said as they entered the building with the Dora following.

"Kat is currently heading for China to deliver a copy of the data, and a talkative guard to the Shadow Network." Nat added.

"Ah no doubt to avoid Barnes." T''Challa chuckled.

"Yeah another lover's spat." Sam agreed, "How is Romeo holding up?"

"Barnes is well, but he has tried multiple times to contact Kat. Even asking Shuri to contact her, but unfortunately for him I believe Kat senses when he tries calling." The group entered a elevator and were taking it up to the floor they would need for Shuri's lab.

"Ouch." Sam said suddenly feeling bad for Bucky, "Never piss off a telepath you're connected to."

"Indeed, Kat left soon after saying goodbye to Tess."

A scoff came from the leader of the Dora. "She practically ran for the jet."

Just then the doors opened to a new floor, and T'Challa led them down a couple of halls and straight to Shuri's lab where the teen was working. When the doors opened she looked up at the group and smiled already knowing why they were there.

"It is good to see you." Shuri said to the three Avengers coming around the counter she was at as they descended the stairs, "I am told you need me to decrypt a drive?"

"That's true." Steve said smiling at the teen.

"Steve is also here to check in on Barnes since there is trouble in paradise. Make sure he is not weeping too much," Nat added then remembered Sam, "Also Sam was getting love sick without Myra."

Shuri gave a light laugh understanding the situation completely as Steve handed her the copied data drive. It was then the AI Aida made herself known to the Avengers. "Currently Myra is out with Tess. I have informed Bucky of your presence and he is on his way to the lab. I will inform Myra and Tess once he has arrived since he asked to be able to speak to you first.."

"Thanks Aida." Steve said, while Shuri busied herself with the decryption. Soon enough Bucky entered the lab. Steve was glad to see his friend, but he could tell something was off. Bucky looked tired as if he had not been sleeping well. Still the man smiled at him as he came up. Since Steve was not sure how Bucky would receive him, they merely shook hands. "Hey Buck."

"It's good to see you Steve."

"You too. How have you been?"

"Alright for an old guy." Bucky said trying to crack a joke. Again there was an awkward silence before Sam spoke up.

"Yep Romeo is in the dog house." Steve looked back at Sam annoyed, but then looked to Bucky.

"Is everything okay? Nat noticed..."

"I screwed up." Bucky sighed not needing to hear Nat's appraisal of the situation.

"Which is why Kat is now avoiding him." Aida interjected making Bucky frown. All the while Shuri continued to work but also paid close attention to the conversation.

"What is it now? Forget to put the lid down on the toilet seat? Forget to take out the trash? Did you make her cook and wash the dishes? That last one is a big no-no." Sam continued to tease.

"Sam." The warning came from Nat, which got Bucky looking at her. The Black Widow knew what the problem was, he could tell as he groaned.

"She told you?"

"We had a little girl chat while fighting the security detail in the stairwell of the building Thatchet was holed up in." Nat explained.

"She also confided in Shuri and I before Steve called." Aida added. Great! That meant two ladies and a AI knew the problem.

"Oi! Aida you weren't suppose to say anything! We were keeping out of it, remember?" Shuri said looking up at where Aida's voice came from.

"Oh right... forget what I said. We don't know anything about Bucky pressuring Kat to have more children." The AI added quickly.

"Aida!" Shuri yelled, then looked back at the others, "Ignore her she is... glitching."

However it was too late, Sam gave a low whistle and winced at the new information. "Alright Bucky's new permanent place of residence is the dog house. Better get used to the confined space..."

"I wasn't-" Bucky started but then Myra and Tess entered so the subject was dropped like a lead balloon.

Immediately Tess rushed up to Steve happy to see him. "Uncle Steve!"

While Steve did want to continue the conversation with Bucky he knew better than to bring it up in front of Tess, so instead he smiled down and lifted Tess up to hug her. "Hey there Tess."

The little girl wrapped her arms around Steve hugging him. "I missed you!"

"What about me? Did you miss me?" Nat asked before Steve could reply. Knowing the little girl would want to hug Nat he set her back on her own two feet. He noticed Myra come over and hug Sam giving him a quick kiss.

"I missed you most!" Tess replied running up and hugging Nat.

"Hey you missed me too right?" Sam asked feeling neglected despite the hug and kiss he got from Myra.

"Mmmm I guess. Myra missed you more." Tess replied purposely teasing Sam, "She kept checking her phone."

"Hey that is classified intel." Myra said pointing at Tess who giggled.

"Speaking of classified... I got it!" Shuri said, then frowned, "Hmm looks like it was also coded. Breaking even an old HYDRA code like this will take longer."

"I will begin immediately." Aida said, but then Myra stepped forward.

"Old HYDRA code?"

"Yeah we got it from a remote operated gun used to kill one of the untouchable HYRA heads." Steve explained.

"Can I take a look? I remember some of the codes HYDRA used to use." Myra asked, and when Shuri nodded she came around the counter to the computer. As she clicked some keys she looked at more of the coded message. "Woah you weren't kidding... this code hasn't been used in years. They've upgraded since then. Not sure why the newer codes are easier to break, this one was a Unisef code they stopped using back around 1999? My dad used to talk about this being the best code around..."

"So why do away with it?" Nat asked.

"Well the thing is everyone in HYDRA was using the code. Meaning it was a lot easier for anyone in HYDRA to read the coded messages. I don't know the full details, but one head of HYDRA... Nakagawa or something like that; he, his son, and son-in-law died in one night along with all of his supporters. Immediately the daughter was suspected, and rather than have to deal with her several other HYDRA heads decided to take her out of the picture. Sadly they used this code to coordinate their plans and she intercepted the messages."

Myra paused still translating the code, the suspense was killing Sam so he asked. "So what happened?"

"She cleaned house. Before they could put their plans into motion she struck. A further eight heads of HYDRA died in the course of three days. The daughter was ruthlessly efficient in clearing the table. Strucker and his associate List had to go to ground for a year and even then were afraid to resurface. As an extra precaution Strucker's son was never brought into the HYDRA fold for fear that his son would end up dead. Meanwhile Whitehall narrowly escaped the attempt made on his life, but his second, before being replaced by Bakshi; was slaughtered and left in his safe house as a warning. For those that survived like Whitehall, they got a nasty present with a warning not to cross her, the rest died. After that the code was no longer used and despite the HYDRA leaders acting all big and bad they were terrified of her."

This new knowledge put Steve on edge. "Nakagawa? Moira Nakagawa?"

Myra looked up from the screens and snapped her fingers. "That's her name, it was on the tip of my tongue. Few within HYDRA's leadership spoke much of her, but they all feared her. She was this big cautionary tale."

"That was the one Thatchet spoke of before his untimely demise." Nat pointed out now worried too. This made Myra freeze and look up.

"What happened exactly?" Myra asked, and so Nat explained how the first two HYRA heads seemed too easy to get to, like it was a set up. Then when they got to Thatchet he knew who had betrayed them. However when Nat explained how Thatchet died Myra seemed to go pale.

"What is it?" Sam asked growing concerned for his girl.

"I think you missed the point, Moira Nakagawa doesn't make mistakes. Everything she does, every action she takes has a purpose... a reason. Thatchet's death was sloppy because she intended it to be. She wants someone's attention."

"Who's attention?" Steve asked.

"I don't know. I am guessing yours?" Myra answered, then resumed translating the code. It took a few minutes more, but once translated Myra knew what it read. "Okay it is an old phrase HYDRA used with a password. 'The path to peace is littered with the bones of...' Myra stopped a moment shaking her head she typed in the words as she said them aloud, "The Unworthy and Impure."

Immediately it unlocked the files as she straightened. "Yeah I know what a load of bulls—garbage."

She had to readjust her words with Tess present. Shuri took over typing into the computer as it called up the video recording of Thatchet's office. They watched the events of that night when they broke into his office and spoke to him briefly. Someone then remote activated the gun and it began shooting at the office. Moments later Sam flew in and disabled the gun, but the cam still was working. In fact as Kat moved closer to the window and looked through her rifle's scope the camera actually zoomed in on her and remained there. It did not stop until Sam had done as Kat asked and removed the drive from the gun mount.

"Well that was not creepy." Sam noted, Shuri checked the back logs. The mounted gun and camera had been set up for nearly a week prior according to the date it started recording. Nearly a whole week, and only when they broke in did the person on the other end of the remote hit the kill switch! "I would say she is definitely trying to get someone's attention, but why?"

Myra could only shrug, she was no longer with HYDRA to know the inner-workings of what any of them were doing. She could only guess that the HYDRA head was trying to get the Avengers attention, but even she wondered why. Finally Steve asked. "Is there a lot known about the Nakagawas?"

"I can answer that," Aida spoke up, "During World War two the Red Skull was losing favour with Hitler as well as factories to a certain Captain and his Commando unit."

Steve and Bucky both smiled at that as Aida continued, "The records are little and few especially with how the Nazi regime viewed other ethnic backgrounds as... lesser. Even the Red Skull prescribed to this view wanting to ethnically cleanse the world of those viewed as inferior, but he also knew Hitler would not tolerate him for much longer and with him losing resources he would need help. So he sought aid and found it in the form of one Japanese general Akio Nakagawa. General Nakagawa was too facing disfavour with the Japanese Emperor. He wanted to redouble their efforts to take all of Asia rather than attack the US. He had a firm hold in Manchuria but after the attack on Pearl Harbour and more and more resources being taken away from him; he also needed aid."

Aida paused a moment to let the information sink in, then continued, "Nakagawa was a brilliant military leader, not only that but his family was one of the most prominent Samurai families out there. For his rivals they claimed his title as General had merely been handed to him, but according to his military record that is simply not true. He rose quickly through the ranks to General and was credited with never losing a battle he planned and led. One of his more defining moments was he promised the Japanese Emperor he would win him all of Asia."

"It sounds like Nakagawa and the Schmidt would not have allied together in any other circumstance." Steve noted.

"And they would not have given half a chance, but Emperor Hirohito and Adolf Hitler had grown displeased with both men. They both needed new allies, so as much as they cared little for the others goals... they would ally together."

"Something like... the enemy of my enemy is my friend." Sam said.

"Yes, thought I am guessing that given the twisted belief of Bushido back then and the beliefs the Red Skull held, both men found common ground. Who knows maybe the pair were able to look past their issues and become more willing allies. Either way Schmidt invited Nakagawa and his forces into the ranks of HYDRA. From there I can only speculate that when the Red Skull was killed, the Nakagawas helped to keep HYDRA alive even as members of HYDRA infiltrated SHIELD. Without them HYDRA most likely would not be the problem it is today." Aida concluded.

"Obviously they kept in touch." Nat pointed out.

"True, Akio Nakagaway has been dead since 1967. His son took over continuing the age old alliance to HYDRA and running the largest technology companies out there until 1999. Now Moira Nakagawa is running the show." The room fell quiet as the group mulled over the information trying to understand why Moira Nakagawa would be trying to get their attention. Again Shuri replayed the footage trying to see if there was something she missed. In the meantime Tess had been playing with her toy cat Sake and not really paying attention to the entire conversation. She just happened to look up at the recording in that moment to see what few others noticed.

"Why is the camera zooming in on mommy?" The seemingly innocent question sent a collective chill down everyone's spines. Moira Nakagawa was not trying to get the Avengers attention, she was trying to get Kat's!

As if to prove just how true the fact was Aida immediately spoke concerned. "Incoming open transmission. It's from Kat."

A moment later the panicked voice of Kat filled the room. _**"**_ _ **This is Quinjet 147, we are under attack by an unknown craft!"**_

"Mommy?" Tess asked scared, as Nat tried to send a response.

"Kat we hear you. We are on our way. Give us your location."

" _ **We've been hit! Going down just past the Russian border entering North Korea! Anyone read me?!"**_

"Mommy!" Tess called out and seemed to get scared at the horrible transmission, so Myra immediately moved to comfort the little girl.

"We read you, can you give us coordinates?" Nat replied, but for some reason it seemed like Kat could not hear them. Still she was smart to read off her coordinates.

" _ **Anyone receiving this we need immediate assistance please hurry!"**_ Kat said just before the transmission cut. The entire time Bucky had been too shocked to move or speak as he heard Kat's panic and was suddenly terrified of losing her. He kept asking himself: 'What had he done?' Why had he picked a fight with her? Why had he pushed her? She would be home now if not for that meaningless argument! All he knew was he would give anything to have her back, and the ones who had shot her down better pray she is alive!

* * *

 **Author's Notes:**

 **First off thank you for the lovely reviews Fin-Fish Jun-Tenshi and Guest. As always I love hearing from you guys and that you are enjoying the story.**

 **I am saddened to notice that no one tried to guess which Agents of SHIELD episode was referenced. But as said I would give the answer in this chapter. For those that watch and follow the show. The episode that is being referenced moments before Kat's jet is attacked is Season 4 episode 15 'Self Control'. Remember how Kat mentioned 'nothing short of an assault' on the Playground would cause them to be alerted? Well the LMDs blowing up the playground would certainly be noticed. Sadly there is little Kat can do about it, she currently is dealing with her own problems. Mainly it is just to let fans of the show know where exactly the story is taking place in reference to the show.**

 **Now onto this chapter. I know some might find issue with some things in this chapter, but let me first point out that this was very difficult to write. I had several drafts and a lot of them felt wrong, in the end I just tried to keep in mind how Kat would feel about meeting her 'mother' and the type of person Kat is.**

 **In short when it comes to HYDRA she is not a forgiving person, so no she is not even going to want to give Moira a chance. I at one point had to stop and think: 'if I were in Kat's shoes would I be forgiving of this woman?' Truthfully trying to imagine that situation, I do not think I would want a thing to do with Moira. I know some fans might say Kat is being unreasonable towards her own mother, but given everything that has happened to Kat from chapter one onwards and the fact that she can't forget anything ever. I believe this is exactly how Kat would respond to Moira. Kat thus far has felt nothing for her biological parents, heck she sent a bottle of expensive whiskey to Fury as a thank you for killing Pierce; so why should she feel anything for Moira?**

 **I think that is the biggest issue in this chapter, and believe me I am still a little concerned I did not get their first meeting right. As for the other issues these are just minor ones... Such as Steve, Nat, and Sam arriving in Wakanda. Geographically speaking the group would have had a much shorter flight to Wakanda whereas Kat is bouncing from continent to continent before being shot down. However as briefly mentioned in the narrative since the group is wanted they too would have had to fly indirectly to Wakanda before heading there. The group would not simply head straight for Wakanda, they are a cautious bunch.**

 **Well aside from that I do hope you all loved this chapter and I look forward to hearing from all of you. Pleae let me know by leaving a review.**

 **Lesliezin**


	67. Who Plays Rougher?

**Hello everyone,**

 **First of this chapter holds graphic scenes of torture and violence so please be aware.**

 **Anyway here is Chapter 67, enjoy.**

* * *

 **September 3** **rd** **, 2017**

 **Unknown Base**

It was difficult to know how much time had passed when there was no windows or sunlight. Nor did Kat have a watch, and on waking up here she was not even sure of the day. She knew the S.O.S signal got out, so someone was going to be looking for her. However, relying on being rescued was not her strong suit. As much as she loved Bucky being her knight in shining armour she was never the 'damsel in distress' type. She had tried multiple times to focus on Bucky and contact him through their connection, but the power restraint and meeting her mother had thrown her emotions in a blender!

What did Moira Nakagawa want?! A loving mother-daughter relationship?! That was never going to happen! It also reminded her, she had a daughter of her own to get back to. Tess, she needed to escape this place! As it was she hated that once again she was at the mercy of HYDRA. She paced the small room trying to think of a way to escape, and wondering what Moira would do now. The answer came in the form of a hissing noise from the vent as some sort of sleeping agent was pumped into the room. _'Fucking great! Cowards can't even face me head on...'_ A moment later and everything went black as she had little choice but to breath in the gas.

When next Kat woke she awoke in a uncomfortable metal chair. At first she didn't move much from her head bowed posture. She looked down to find her feet strapped in place. Discretely she looked to her wrists which were held down by metal bands. The power restraint was still there just higher up on her arm. Judging by the sounds there were two people in the room with her. One was off to her right laying out tools on a type of surgical table, the other stood against the wall on her left. It didn't take much to know what they were planning to do. The old HYDRA method—torture the person.

Peering up she saw the surgical tray holding scalpels, and various items including a syringe and bottle of something but she could not see the label. Pretending to remain unconscious seemed pointless so Kat spoke up. "You know if you are trying to scare me by showing me your shiny toys, you are going about it all wrong. No,e the best way to scare me—make me watch a political debate. Five seconds into a politician claiming to do what is best for the country and I will want to shoot myself."

The tall gaunt man chuckled as he continued meticulously laying out the tools. "Ah I wondered what type you would be. The one that shows bravado, how cute. However it matters little, they all break in the end."

"Yeah well I have faced worse than you and muscles over there." Kat replied.

The man merely nodded amused, "Allow me to introduce myself I am Semot and this is my assistant Vic."

"Is that short for Vicky or Victoria?" Kat asked.

"We help Lady Nakagawa with problems. Often forcing a person's compliance, or by extracting information. This is a special case though, our lady merely want you to listen to her. So before we begin are you willing to hear her out?"

"You know with this persuasion tactic I am even more inclined to tell her..." Kat said after a moment seemingly to be deep in thought, "To go fuck herself."

"Very well," Semot said reaching over and picking up the syringe, and vial. He prepared the needle and fluid before scooting closer on his doctor's chair. There was nowhere for Kat to go as he grabbed her arm. A moment later Kat felt the sting of the needle piercing her skin, and the contents being pumped into her veins. As the bastard set the needle aside he continued talking. "Now that we have a few minutes for the serum to take effect... This is one of my own creations. Lady Nakagawa loves the many poisons and concoctions I create for her. This one stimulates the pain receptors, so when pain in inflicted you feel it even more. Once the serum takes effect my assistant shall take over."

"Got a double espresso dose? I think Vicky here is gonna hit like a girl." Kat said.

Semot chuckled, "Depends... the longer you refuse Lady Nakagawa the higher the dose will be given."

With that Semot nodded to Vic who stepped forward. The big muscle-bound man came to stand before her. Even though she prepared herself to receive a punch nothing quite prepared her for the over-induced pain. It felt like the man had hit her with a Vibrainium club and her ribs shattered! Kat gasped as the pain made her double over. Obviously he merely punched her and there were no broken bones, but try telling her body that one.

"Still refuse, Lady Nakagawa?" Semot asked casually. Kat coughed a little as she regained the breath that had been knocked from her. _'These bastards are fucking idiots if they think I will listen to that bitch!'_ Kat thought as she took a moment then started laughing which was mixed with a cough. She mumbled something causing Semot to ask. "What?"

"I said Vicky hits like a little girl!" As she looked up at the doctor, she could see that certainly pissed off muscles. Sure it hurt like hell, but it also pissed her off! Every attempt to force her compliance would only make her refuse more. They might have tried Whitehall's old compliance brainwash, but as Jemma Simmons once surmised mentally impairing effects simply did not work on her. This meant that the only other way open for them was torture, Kat guessed; but not even that would work. She lost count of how many times 'Vicky' punched her. She even pissed him off enough with her witty remarks to where he punched her causing a split lip, and a bruised cheek.

The one good thing to come from enraging Vicky was Semot had to pull him back at one point. She didn't catch all that the doctor said to his assistant, but she was pretty sure he said they weren't allowed to permanently damage her. Luckily as the hours went by the pain inducer wore off making her able to take hits more easily. Still Vicky was a big guy, and she was not exactly the biggest woman out there. In short it still fucking hurt!

Finally the doctor grew tired of this as he looked impatiently at his watch. It was as she was recovering from the latest punch that Kat just couldn't resist. "Awe what's the matter doc? Got a hot date? Oh wait I am sorry ugly ass evil HYDRA doctors like yourself only have blow up dolls."

Another punch from Vicky made her double over as the wind was once again knocked out of her. "Ow! Okay I get it!" Kat relented as Vicky straightened, "You're pissed off because it's you guys' date night and I am intruding."

That was a mistake as Vicky punched her, but since Kat lacked her powers or the ability to fight back all she could do was sling insults. Take the little victories where you can get them and all that. Recovering enough Kat looked to Semot. "You might want to get him some flowers, and take him to an all you can eat restaurant. Show him how much you really care."

Vicky was about to punch her again as Semot rolled his eyes. "That's enough."

Kat tried not to show it, but she felt relief that they were done for now. Her body would no doubt be black and blue all over. "We will leave you here to rest. Tomorrow, it will be... what did you call it? Ah yes a double espresso dose of the pain inducers. Tonight you might want to reconsider listening to Lady Nakagawa."

With that the two men packed up and left her in the chair. Typical dick move make her sleep in the torture chair for the night. Once again she was left with only the soft hum from the power restraint. How long had it been now? She knew Bucky, the Avengers, the Shadow Network and Coulson's team had to be looking for her right? Well maybe not Coulson's team—just before the crash she received an alert from the Playground. Flames were on the screen from one of the hidden cameras they left there. But surely the others got the message, right? She would know for certain if she could sense them, but the damn power restraint blocked her!

 _'Try again? What else is there to do?'_ Kat thought as she tried to get comfortable and closed her eyes. She again pushed the humming from her mind, she desperately needed one person in particular to hear her. Her connection was deepest with him, nothing should ever be able to come between them not even this fucking power restraint. She poured all her energy and focus into reaching him hoping he would at least hear her. She wouldn't be able to maintain this but if she could just get one word one thought to him it would have to be enough. _'Bucky...'_

* * *

 **September 3** **rd** **, 2017**

 **Royal Talon Flyer**

The next few hours seemed to drag on forever for Bucky as he heard the last words from his wife over and over again before her transmission cut and she crashed. Her panicked plea for them to hurry edged in his mind. He was terrified that those would be the last words he would ever hear from her. _'No! It can't end this way!'_ He remembered the last time he saw her and felt even worse as she looked at him hurt and angry over their argument. She had bitterly agreed to what he wanted even after telling him she simply was not ready. It was always Kat that had a perfect memory, but now it was him that feared their last memory would be that horrible argument. Immediately after she agreed to have more children, Bucky had wanted to tell her that he didn't want to have more children against her will. He wanted them both to want more, but he never got the chance to speak and she refused to read his mind.

Mostly he was left alone with his thoughts now that they were in flight to the coordinates. After the transmission cut, Steve, Sam, and Nat were talking of leaving immediately while Myra tried to calm down Tess. It took him a moment to get over his shock, but he came up and knelt in front of Myra. The little girl peaked back and immediately turned and hugged her daddy still upset to hear her mother in danger. Before Tess knew what Kat did was to protect them, but never had she heard her mother in danger before. This was new and scary for her as Bucky held her and gently shushed her. He whispered calming words telling Tess it would be okay and he would bring her mommy home. However before any of them could make for the door, Aida spoke. "Wait! Her jet... it was in stealth!"

The AI's words made them pause in thought, but it was Shuri that spoke next. "Meaning they somehow managed to track her."

"If this was Moira Nakagawa's doing that means since the beginning when you guys went after Ivanoff; she has somehow figured out how to track the jets. You cannot take the Quinjet, she might shoot you guys out of the sky next." Aida concluded.

"She is right, if this woman set up the previous three HYDRA heads then she is tracking your jets." T'Challa finally added concerned.

"We don't have a whole lot of choice, we have to rescue Kat." Nat replied, hoping that her new friend was still alive.

"There is, we do not take the Quinjet but my own." T'Challa replied, "I am coming with you Captain."

Okoye wordlessly would follow her king anywhere, and so it was decided. While they went to prepare to leave, Bucky tried to calm his daughter down and reassure her that they would find Kat and bring her home. It wasn't easy since Tess had heard the transmission too, but he promised to find her and bring her home. He just hoped he would not have to break that promise. As always Myra agreed to watch Tess, and no doubt the former agent would do everything in her power to distract Tess.

Within hours they were in the Royal Talon, King T'Challa's personal flyer. Okoye was flying while Aida offered up what knowledge she had on Moira Nakagawa. The AI had also refused to stay put as she coordinated efforts with the Shadow Network. Sadly the Network was the only others to respond to Kat's S.O.S.

"Still nothing from Coulson or the SHIELD team at the Playground." Nat said frowning as she tried contacting them yet again, but there was only static.

"We had received an alert moments before Kat's S.O.S." Aida replied.

"Could it be Nakagawa?" Sam asked.

"Hard to tell, but I don't think it is her. There was no previous contact with Coulson's team so she would not know of them to attack them. Though I will not deny this is troubling." The AI reported.

"Kat said nothing short of an attack on the playground would warrant an alert." Steve pointed out.

"Precisely, but as said Kat had eliminated all contact with Coulson since the Accords. The only other things to note was that SHIELD was announced to be coming back under a new director, some suit called Jeffrey Mace. It was announced to the public three months ago and was met with a lot of back lash. Daisy Johnson ended up in the news prior to that as a vigilante named Quake, and Kat asked me to monitor her, but there has been zero contact since. It makes no sense..."

"So most likely the two events are unrelated." Nat said wondering just what was happening at the SHIELD base.

"In any case they can't help us." Sam said, "What about the Shadow Network?"

"I spoke to Shado, she has contacted Sharon. They are on their way to the coordinates, but they are not really fighters. Only their enforcers and Sharon might be able to offer combat support." Nat continued as Steve noticed Bucky sitting towards the back and came over.

"We'll find her Buck."

"I hope so." Bucky replied still hating himself for that now stupid argument.

"Earlier you said you screwed up, want to tell me about it?" Steve asked, Bucky groaned as he ran his fingers through his hair and rested his elbows on his knees. He explained how the argument was originally about her jetting off to help Steve and how he felt it was a trap. He simply didn't want her to go, but as they argued it came back to the argument about having more children. Towards the end she bitterly agreed, and he tried to tell her he didn't want to force her to have more but Tess arrived and the argument was dropped.

"I should never have pushed her. I just want us to have a happy normal life." Bucky concluded.

Steve nodded in silent agreement even though he knew the harsh truth which was Kat and Bucky would never have a normal life. Sure they could settle down have more kids, but after everything they had gone through normal would always be just out of reach. "I understand Buck, I do. Also I am sure you both will want more kids one day. It will just take her more time to come around to the idea is all."

From there the long flight stretched on making Bucky even more anxious, this waiting was killing him! It was not until they neared the location that Bucky rose eager to land and find her, than he heard her. It sounded like someone had whispered in his ear, but he knew it was more. _'Bucky...'_

 _'That was Kat!'_ Bucky thought, their connection allowed her to contact him but it sounded like it was coming from over a great distance. In that one whisper he knew she was in pain, but she wanted to convey something else. She was trying to tell him she was alive and loved him. _'Just hang on doll I am coming for you.'_ He wasn't sure if she would hear his thoughts but they were also to reassure him that he would find her.

"Buck? You okay?" Steve asked worried.

"Yeah, I think... I think Kat called to me." Bucky replied, god he hoped it was not merely wishful thinking on his part.

"Come on we're going to meet up with Sharon and some of the Shadow Network at the crash site. We will find her." Steve said placing a hand on Bucky's shoulder. From there they prepared and left the Talon. According to the aerial surveillance the crash site was heavily guarded and Aida I. them as HYDRA. They landed at a safe distance and would make their way in on foot. Not long after landing they made the rendezvous with Sharon and some of the Shadow Network. The group had maintained a safe observation point. They had a nice view from the rocky ledge up the hill and were waiting for contact with the Avengers. Sharon was dressed in black tactical gear. With her was another couple of larger men dressed similarly and Cutter the leader of the Shadow Network.

"Glad to see you guys made it." Sharon whispered then looked back at the crash site worried. The front half of the Quinjet was still intact, but the back half was missing. There were two groups around the site, the first being a type of research group and the second were heavily armed guards. "Whoever did this is being thorough."

"No need to worry, Kat erases the black box every time she leaves Wakanda to prevent just this situation. They will gain nothing on where she has been from it." Aida reassured.

"That still doesn't reassure us when she was shot out of the sky while the Jet was in stealth." Nat pointed out.

"How did this happen?" Sharon asked.

"I am still looking into it," Aida replied, "I have dug into the Technologies Nakagawa's company has developed. Cutting edge advanced tech... this woman has her fingers in all the proverbial pies. It will take time to find how this was done. The company has a lot of projects."

"For now I would rather find Kat who knows what HYDRA has planned for her." Sharon said, the entire time Bucky was scanning the area, but finding no sign of Kat. Where was she? Where had they taken her? The research group was trying to collect what little data there was, but they had to be receiving orders from someone from somewhere. If they could find out where the leader was they would find Kat, or at least that was the hope.

"We split up and circle them. Attack at the same time and catch them off guard. Keep in mind we need one of them to talk." Steve said. With that the group split up and they slowly circled the site. When everyone was in position they struck hard and fast before HYDRA knew what hit them. With the guards knocked out and the research team detained Bucky was about to demand answers when one of the Shadow Network's enforcers spoke up.

"I found something... in the woods." With HYDRA out or tied up Sharon moved to follow the enforcer. The disturbed look he wore made them follow as well. Not far from the crashed jet by a tree was a bloodied sheet covering a body. _'No!'_ Bucky thought, he heard Kat call to him before they met up with Sharon, but maybe it was him wishing. Moving forward Steve called out worried about what Bucky was about to see.

"Bucky!" By then it was too late to stop him as he yanked back the sheet. While it was never good to find someone dead, Bucky breathed a sigh of relief.

"Thatchet's guard." Nat said recognising the man that now had a bullet hole in his forehead. Bucky remembered Kat was transporting a guard to China to be put under protection as well as a copy of the data Steve had given Shuri. There was nothing really that could be done for the guard now, but Bucky was not gonna wait around for answers. He rose and moved back to the crashed jet moving straight for one of the researchers. They had taken Kat somewhere, and he would know where. The lead researcher was his best bet, a balding Japanese man with glasses. Going straight for him Bucky's metal hand gripped his throat lifting him easily into the air.

"WHERE IS SHE?!" He demanded.

* * *

 **September 4** **th** **, 2017**

 **Outside Wakanda**

The vast network of spies and allies Moira Nakagawa had accumulated was extensive. For years the HYDRA leader had to be seven steps ahead of the other HYDRA heads otherwise she would have met with an 'tragic accident' long ago. Luckily Leiko and her brother Lee were there to ensure Moira's safety and enforce her will. Still Leiko did not like leaving Moira's side for long especially with someone so dangerous as Kat. After all she was Katseye, and had killed members of HYDRA ruthlessly. The daughter Moira gave away was not one that could be trusted no matter how much Moira wanted her. After learning that her daughter was alive, Moira became obsessed with Kat. Leiko blew out a huff as her brother drove the jeep to the location they were told to meet an ally at. Once ordered to reach out, Lee and Leiko left for Wakanda and landed just beyond it's borders. The network of spies were quick to respond with a few promising leads. Ones that could help them enter Wakanda undetected. According to Lee, after King T'Challa announced to the world he would share his resources it sparked anger with some isolationists within Wakanda. Especially after the leader of a Border tribe was arrested for treason.

The unrest meant some were overeager to revolt against the King, some even reached out for aid. Moira was never one to pass on an opportunity. Besides she had been curious about Wakanda before learning that Kat had come from there. She had sent out feelers to learn of the 'resources' T'Challa had. To hear Lee tell it Moira loved knowledge and controlling the pieces of a chess board, which was why these contacts were readily available to them. With Lee all it took was contacting them. Desperation meant gaining their cooperation took little effort, they help get them into Wakanda and discover what Kat was hiding... Moira would give them everything needed to start a nasty revolt against the current monarch.

The jeep bounced around as they drove through a grassy plane towards the coordinates given to them. Until Lee finally spoke as he stopped. "We're here."

When the dust cleared they saw their contact waiting for them with some friends. The pair got out of the jeep and came around to the front to meet them. The six men were locals from Wakanda sporting blue and white cloaks. The one in the middle appeared to be their leader as he stepped forward.

"You are the ones I spoke to?" The leader asked.

"I am."

"I am told you have an offer for me?"

"That we do, our lady Nakagawa will help you free your leader W'Kabi. We will help you to return to isolation if you wish, and even put an end to King T'Challa. Name your price and my lady will be glad to help you."

"And what does she want for this 'help'?" The leader asked.

"Information. We need into Wakanda."

"Ha!" The leader laughed shaking his head, "You must think me a fool to let outsiders into Wakanda without anything as payment! You wish to steal Wakanda's secrets!"

Lee smiled as he spoke and held up his phone showing an image of Kat. "We do not seek your secrets, but hers. This outsider has been to Wakanda and we would know why."

The leader's smile fell as he stepped closer to see the image and seemed to go rigid as if recognising her.

"You know her, I take it." Lee replied, as the man looked up at Lee seething.

"She... and her family are guests of our 'king'!" The word king was spat from the leader's mouth, his disgust at these outsiders residing in Wakanda meant he would most likely lead them right to their doorstep!

"Her family?" Lee asked.

"Her daughter is being allowed to train to become a Dora, Dzembe." Another spoke up to their leader. The fact an outsider was allowed to train to become a 'Dora' seemed to anger Dzembe more. However hearing this made Leiko almost smile, Kat had a daughter living in Wakanda and perhaps more.

"Please tell us more, my lady will be glad to know any information you can offer." Lee said smiling glad that soon he would have something to report to Lady Nakagawa.

* * *

 **September 4** **th** **, 2017**

 **Crash site...**

While crushing the life out of the guy might have been therapeutic it was not the way to gain information. Once Steve calmed Bucky down he dropped the guy and stepped back with Steve urging him to calm down and let cooler heads prevail. As it was, Cutter and Aida were there it would not take much to learn the location they took Kat to. Aida was amazing when plugged into a device such as the tablet belonging to the lead researcher. Meanwhile Cutter was communicating with the other leaders of the Shadow Network and downloading any data collected from them. They had salvaged quit a bit and sent back hourly reports to a hidden location which the group was tracking. Between the two of them they discovered that everything went to a location west of Tongliao not far from here. It was almost a relief to know that they had not taken Kat far, Bucky was not sure he could take another lengthy plane ride to get to her.

"Why so close?" Nat asked worried.

"I think I know why..." Aida offered, "In my research into the Nakagawa's, Akio Nakagawa won and established a number of bases in Manchuria during the second world war. Most likely Moira is using one of her old grandfather's bases temporarily."

"Then we will need to move fast before they relocate with Kat." Sharon said, then looked to Cutter. "Will you guys be okay?"

"I have some friends coming to collect this bunch. We will keep them until they arrive. Sadly I wouldn't be much help in a fight." Cutter replied then pulled out a computer fob, "But get to that base and plug this in. We can help take them out by disabling their tech, while Aida helps you find Kat."

Sharon took the fob and the group headed back for the talon.

* * *

 **September 4** **th** **, 2017**

 **Unknown base**

Trying to contact Bucky was exhausting with the power restraint, but for a very brief moment she could feel him, or at least she hoped she felt him. On top of that her ribs were screaming from being punched repeatedly. She kept reminding herself that she had faced a lot worse. Over the years fighting HYDRA she could list all her injuries and each time she always came back more vicious than before. _'Broken leg, five broken ribs, several other times cracked ribs, broke my wrist another time. Then there was being shot four times, six knife wounds... one from Bucky but that wasn't really his fault. Broken two fingers... nine times I sprained my ankle... concussion twelve times... three of which were from SHIELD agents. Punched in the throat...couldn't talk for a few days. Been cut... seventy-three times, bruised one-hundred and nineteen times. Ohh that is not counting a HYDRA agent hitting my motorcycle with his car, that sucked-'_

The door opened interrupting her thoughts of counting how many injuries she got. In came Semot and Vicky. Wordlessly Semot laid out his tools and Kat wondering if he was actually even going to use them. "Have we rethought listening to Lady Nakagawa?"

"Actually I was busy counting all the injuries I received over the years and the little bitch Vicky is gonna have to punch a lot harder," Kat replied then smiled at Vicky, "Did you or he dress as a lady for your date?"

Vicky looked like he wanted to punch her, but seemed to be waiting for permission. Semot sighed disappointed, "I have never failed Lady Nakagawa-"

"Ha! First time for everything asshole!"

"So I guess this means I will have to move to more drastic measures. Remember you brought this on yourself." Kat rolled her eyes.

"You know what I will say the same fucking thing to you when I get loose and carve out your jugular with that scalpel!" Kat replied glaring at Semot, who grabbed her arm and jabbed the needle into her arm. Kat tried not to wince as a much stronger dose of pain inducers was pumped into her arm. "That does it, you are going to scream before you die, asshole!"

Semot merely chuckled as he set the needle down. "You know I would love to do more permanent damage to you... so many times I heard that my colleagues died horribly at your hands. Vermonte, Nielson, Kovach, Clarkson... and a lot more all dead because of you. Instead I will have to simply enjoy watching you break."

"Then you clearly have not been paying attention." Kat said even smiling knowing it would piss him off. With that Semot nodded to Vicky who had been standing at the ready. Before she could even prepare herself she was punched in her already bruised ribs. _'Yeah—no this hurts a whole fucking lot more!'_ Kat thought trying to keep the tears from escaping, it felt like her ribs were not just broken but shattered! It didn't matter how much she told herself her ribs were fine, it still hurt like hell. _'Breathe...just breathe. Focus on Tess...'_ She pictured her daughter in the morning swinging that practise staff around. Another punch brought her back to pain. _'Focus! Ignore the pain and focus... on Bucky.'_ She pictured him smiling at her, them watching Tess practise. His arms around her... then she felt him. Her powers... was she overwhelming the power restraint? She could sense him, he was closer. He was coming for her, she could hold out till then.

Another punch hit knocking her out of her concentration, she could barely breathe as she felt like she had been hit by a speeding Semi. Then as she expected another punch the door opened and the familiar sound of heels clicked on the floor.

"Leave us!" Moira's voice sounded.

"Yes my lady." Semot said, an Kat listened as they left the room. Once the door was closed Moira came closer, "It pains me to see you like this. I had hoped you would hear me out."

"Yeah I am sure you are really broken up about it..." Kat replied sarcastically once she recovered her breath and looked up to glare at Moira. The woman stood there in her suit dress pretending to be hurt by her daughter's words and holding a notepad.

"I would ask you to hear me out, but that is no longer necessary."

"Finally figured out that I will never listen to you?" Kat chuckled weakly, "Took ya long enough."

"No, you are right. You won't listen," Moira said then held up the notepad, "But she will."

Kat looked at the notepad and froze at the image, her eyes going wide. It was Tess at practise! Immediately Kat struggled against the restraints trying to get lose even as she wondered how this happened?! Wakanda was suppose to be a safe place, who would betray them?! She had been careful she always erased the black box so no one would know where she had been!

"You know some within the Border tribe were not happy W'Kabi was imprisoned. Nor are they happy with their king, and sharing their resources..." Moira made a disapproving noise, "Then there's the fact 'outsiders' are living there. It will not take much for my people to gain aid entering Wakanda."

 _'No no no NO!'_ Kat thought getting even more scared for Tess. How close were they?! Myra would she see them coming?! If they were close enough to take a picture they were too close! Moira turned the notepad around and zoomed in as close as she could before the image blurred. "She is beautiful... I am told the father is the Winter Soldier that would have made your father proud."

'Fuck you!' Was the very first thing she wanted to say to Moira, but had to bite back the words. She also wanted to say Pierce was not her father, and she wished both of them would rot in hell together. However angering Moira further was not a good idea not with Tess in danger. "I wish things could have been different between us, but I am sure she will understand in time."

Moira turned to leave meaning she was not even going to give her the option. "NO! Wait, wait! I'll listen, alright! Go ahead. Talk, please! Just leave her alone, please!"

Moira turned back as Kat pleaded on the verge of tears for Moira to leave Tess alone. "Please! I will listen to you!"

The woman gave a sad almost regretful look, "No you won't. You are just too defiant."

With that the woman turned and was leaving as Kat screamed after her. "Moira! Don't do this, please! No! MOIRA I'LL KILL YOU!"

Once left alone Kat was struggling against the restraints. She tried to focus on Bucky to send her thoughts, but she was too scared to calm down. It took her a moment to calm down as she closed her eyes and tried to concentrate. _'Bucky.. turn back. Turn back now!'_

She was not sure if the message got through, she tried to send images of Tess with her panicked thoughts in the hopes he would understand, but how much got through?! She needed to get free herself and stop Moira. _'Calm down! Emotional distress won't help me...'_ Kat thought, then looked around her eyes stopped at the medical tray to her right. Semot was made to leave abruptly and forgot his shiny tools, but soon they would come back most likely to finish her off. The scalpel was within reach if she could get her hand free of the chair's restraint.

Looking at the restraints she needed to make her hand smaller to get free, and that meant dislocating her thumb. She had done it dozens of times. She had wanted to make sure she could escape any situation so this should be easy. The only problem was the pain inducers coursing through her veins, this would hurt a lot worse.

Turning her hand to the right angle with her thumb underneath the lip of the metal cuff holding her wrist would help when she pushed down hard. Taking some steady breaths she pushed down as hard as she could and it felt like she broke her hand! Kat cried out briefly as the pain shot up through her arm, but at least now she could escape the restraint. Ignoring the pain she slipped her hand free and reached forward grabbing the scalpel with her four fingers.

She would have tried freeing herself further but hearing the lock on the door disengaging Kat concealed the scalpel in her hand and slipped her hand back under the restraint. In came Vicky alone and grinning. "Guess what princess, Lady Nakagawa is done with you. Now we get to have some real fun."

"Just so you know... I play rough so it might not be fun for you." Kat replied getting punched sure it hurt as she doubled over, but it meant he would not notice her hand slipping out of the restraint.

"I play rougher, bitch!" Kat purposely mumbled her words making Vicky lean in, "What was that?"

"That's what they all say, asshole!" With that she slashed across precisely with the scalpel slitting his throat. The man's eyes went wide as he clutched his throat trying to stop the flow of blood, as he tried to stumbled for the door. He didn't get far as he panicked wanting help, "O' Vicky! Still think ya play rougher? You aren't the first. Say hi to the assholes I already sent to hell!"

His response was a gurgled reply before he collapsed dead, and Kat moved her hand to her restrained one. With her bound hand she gripped her dislocated thumb and with a quick push she popped it into place as Kat bit back a cry and released a shuddering breath. Her hand would hurt like hell for some time yet. However the pain from her body and hand became too much and Kat could not help but black out as the pain overtook her.

For how long she was out Kat was not sure, but luckily no one else had entered yet and she still held the scalpel. Looking at the other restraint Kat noticed the locking mechanism and the scalpel would just fit. Taking a calming breath she hoped this would work, and after a moment she felt the catch inside. _'Bingo!'_ With a twist the restraint popped open and Kat was free. Her ankles merely had Velcro straps holding her there. Yanking them open she got up and was about to move towards the door when someone else was coming in.

Semot had not been looking up as he entered and shut the door. "Started already-" He gasped as he turned back to find Vicky dead and Kat standing there.

"Oh I am only just getting started." Kat replied, immediately Semot tried to escape, but as he reached for the keypad she stabbed his hand making him scream, "See? I told ya you would scream!"

Yanking him back she shoved him into the chair. "Wait please! I—I can help you! I know the code to get out-"

"569374129." Kat replied, making Semot go wide eyed as Kat leaned in. "You can thank your pal Vermonte for the perfect memory. Say hi to him for me."

With that she rammed the scalpel into his jugular before she ripped it out causing a splatter of blood. As he was bleeding out she took his access card from him then smiled. "Remember you brought this on yourself."

With those words repeated back at him Semot looked like a dying fish before going limp. Kat then moved to Vicky who always carried a gun on his thigh. Grabbing the gun she went to the door scanned the key card and entered the number code. The light went green allowing Kat out of the interrogation room, now she just had to escape this place and get back to Tess first.

* * *

 **Author's Notes:**

 **First off thank you Fin-Fish Jun-Tenshi and kyro232 for the lovely reviews. I love hearing from you guys.**

 **Also just to let you all know I have seen Captain Marvel and it kind of inspired me a little.**

 **As for this chapter I hope you guys don't mind the jumping around. I felt if I simply stuck with Kat and didn't have the slight interlude scenes for Moira/Leiko/Lee or Bucky/the Avengers it would turn out to be rather confusing. As it was I was worried there would be plot holes or something I missed since it is a lot of bases to cover.**

 **As mentioned at the beginning there would be scenes of torture and graphic violence. Namely at the start we get Kat being tortured by slim and muscles. My husband having proofread for me pointed out that for someone being tortured she sure is witty. You could say this is my response to Captain Marvel being this super powered near indestructible individual. Kat is not like that, she can be injured as seen, but she is strong in another way. Sure it might hurt a lot, but Kat has the indestructible will to take a beating.**

 **Then we jump to Bucky and Co and how they are responding to the situation. Naturally Aida/Sharon/the Shadow Network respond promptly. However the Agents of SHIELD by now would be in the Framework and fighting in that horrible virtual reality where HYDRA took over. I was a little concerned with glossing over the crash scene fight, but come on they are low ranking HYDRA personnel going up against the Avengers and an angry Bucky.**

 **From there it skips over to Moira's henchmen siblings who have contacted some potential allies to get them into Wakanda. At first this was particularly hard to write because I worried there could be potential plot holes or issues here too. First off let me be clear it is a very small displeased group within the Border tribe that were extremely loyal to W'Kabi. This is not W'Kabi instigating his men to fight T'Challa, as mentioned W'Kabi is still imprisoned. So small group seeking outside help. Why would they seek outsider's help? Because they are small in numbers and need manpower to accomplish their own goals otherwise they would not give Moira the time of day. On top of that to Dzembe views what they want as minute, they want an outsider's child, so helping them is far more beneficial than the price asked of them. Besides to him Tess and her parents have no business in Wakanda.**

 **Briefly it then cuts back to Bucky and co learning where they took Kat, before ending with Kat. We see Kat being injected with more of the pain inducers then punched before Moira reappears after being told exactly what is in Wakanda. Once it is clear who Moira is going after Kat sees the opportunity to break free. Sure before she could have done it, but before Semot had not left his tools behind for her to use. Also some might ask why he kept getting those tools out if they were not going to be used. In short it was a scare tactic that simply didn't work in their favour.**

 **I hope that explains any possible issues I know this chapter jumped around a lot but I wanted to cover all the bases too. Anyway I do hope you enjoyed this chapter. Please do let me know what you thought by leaving me a review.**

 **Lesliezin**


	68. Not on Myra's Watch

**Hello everyone,**

 **Here is chapter 68, enjoy.**

* * *

 **September 4** **th** **, 2017**

 **Unknown Base**

While it was disheartening to realise her daughter would never listen to her, Moira was overjoyed with what Leiko and Lee discovered in Wakanda. The ones who were opposed to King T'Challa were very forthcoming with information, apparently. They had told Lee and Leiko that Kat did not just have a daughter, but was married too which was confirmed by the rings Moira found. The description of Kat's husband matched the Winter Soldier James Barnes perfectly. However Lee was no fool he requested proof, so one of their new allies contacted another of their tribe to go and take the photograph of Tess before practice that morning. Upon the image being forwarded and shown to them, Lee contacted Moira telling her everything.

From there she instructed Lee to gain Dzembe's full cooperation and capture the girl for her. Money, resources, people, whatever it took just as long as they helped them catch the little girl. Since the girl was an outsider and she was all they wanted it would not take much to gain their aid. In the meantime the research and guard teams at the crash site had gone silent which meant their enemies were closing in. One of the lead technicians swore up and down that the Avenger's Quinjet had not reappeared after disappearing near Wakanda. This just meant they had another mode of transportation. A minor annoyance to be sure, but she had no intention of being around when the Avengers showed up.

She gave quick instructions to have her plane prepared and ready to take off, then went to visit her daughter one last time. The conversation was brief, but Moira knew she could not linger for long. Part of her had desperately wanted to believe Kat would listen to her at long last, but felt that even then Kat simply would not believe her. Instead she held out such high hopes for the little girl in Wakanda that she decided to take Tess instead. She would never have the lost relationship with her own daughter, but her granddaughter was another matter. Eager to be underway Moira smirked a little as she entered the hanger to board her plane as the announcement went over the PA. **"** **We are under attack! Repeat under attack! All personal to your stations."**

The HYDRA agents here would not stop the Avengers, but they would slow them down giving Moira plenty of time to escape. She would also have a lengthy head start to them reaching Wakanda, with luck. Then, with one last look back she boarded her plane and soon they would leave the doomed base to it's fate.

* * *

It had been a short quick flight to the location Aida and the Shadow Network tracked. The base was located deep in a heavy woodland area. According to Nat it reminded her of the HYDRA base in Sokovia where Strucker was captured. For all intents and purposes it looked like a military base, but that was most likely so no one would realise it was actually HYDRA. The plan was a straight up attack on the base, they had no time for precision Kat had been a prisoner for days now! They wanted to strike hard and fast before this group moved shop. Besides Steve already knew Bucky would not wait not while Kat was held captive. Pretty much as soon as they landed they went straight for the base. Falcon took to the air drawing anti-aircraft turrets fire but also flying Bucky in to land on the roof, while Okoye, Sharon, and T'Challa stole a jeep from a patrol. Steve ambushed another patrol stealing a motorcycle while Nat took the other one. HYDRA was throwing everything at them, but merely slowing them down not stopping them.

"We need to hurry, who knows what they will do to Kat now that they know we are here!" Sharon said into the comms as she drove the jeep.

"Most likely they will try to escape with her and take her some place else!" Sam pointed out as he flew dodging the bullets flying at him.

"These guys are merely a means of slowing us down." Nat pointed out.

"If you can get into the base and hook me into their systems I can seize control and hopefully prevent them from taking Kat anywhere." Aida offered. It was a few more minutes of driving and shooting before they reached the base for those on the ground. Once Sam and Bucky dealt with the aerial defences they found a roof hatch. Bucky ripped open the lock opening the hatch and they slipped inside. They would meet back up with the others inside, but right then Bucky was more concerned with finding Kat. Gripping his assault rifle he led the way with Sam taking up the rear, they ran into a few groups inside, but nothing they couldn't handle. They were just passing some empty labs, Bucky looked forward thinking he saw someone coming when Sam spoke.

"Bucky over here..." Turning to Sam the man was going into a lab and Bucky followed. Sam noticed that one the lab table was a very familiar suit amongst other things. "Kat's gear."

"She is here." Bucky said relieved but also worried. What had they been doing to his girl? Gathering her stuff, the pair found a computer and plugged Aida in to help them. From there the pair moved back out into the hall and were met by Steve Nat, and Sharon. T'Challa and Okoye had split off from them to check another hallway on entering the base.

"Find her?" Sharon asked.

"No, but we found her gear." Sam said, Bucky once again was heading forward he wanted to find Kat and make sure she was okay.

" _All clear this way, no sign of Kat."_ Okoye's voice came through the coms which only worried him more. They were approaching an intersecting hallway when a HYDRA agent appeared and spotted them he had just turned to face them and raised his gun when—Bang! A gunshot sounded as the man was shot in the head from the hallway to the left and fell with a thud. Someone had shot him before Bucky could. Getting hopeful Bucky moved to the corridor and looked around. Relief did not begin to cover it as he saw Kat leaning against the wall.

"Bucky..." Kat breathed equally relieved to see him. He rushed towards her as she stumbled towards him and ended up catching her as her knees gave out. She was shaking like a leaf, what had they done to her?! Why hadn't she used her powers? The soft hum made Bucky look down at a device on her wrist. Whatever it was it was bad news for Kat, but at least he had her back. Taking in more of her appearance he realised she had undergone some torture which made him want to hunt down the ones that hurt her. "Who did this to you?"

"It's okay they're dead now." Kat replied trying to sooth him. It was then he could feel the others rushing up to make sure she was okay as Sharon knelt next to them.

"My god Kat! What did those bastards do to you?!"

"Good to see you too Sharon." Kat replied shakily, as Steve called into his coms.

"T'Challa, Okoye we found her." With Aida plugged in she was able to help them reunite into one group.

"Aida, Nakagawa. Please tell me she is still here!" Kat called out knowing the AI could check for her.

"Unfortunately no, according to surveillance cameras Moira Nakagawa left just over an hour ago."

"We need to leave now!" Kat said knowing just where the HYDRA head was going.

"We can catch her later right now we have a base full of bad-" Nat was starting to point out.

"She is heading for Tess!" Kat said on the verge of panicking then looked to Bucky, "I tried to contact you but this thing is blocking my powers."

"We head back for the Talon fast as we can, but first that needs to come off." Steve said gesturing to the device on Kat's wrist.

"Hold out your arm Kat." T'Challa said and Kat did as ordered. T'Challa took careful aim before extending his claws then in one quick vicious strike the locking mechanism broke and the device fell from Kat's wrist. Immediately the usual white noise of numerous thoughts returned and she could once more sense those around her.

"Thank you, your highness. It was getting lonely up here." Kat said pointing to her temple and smiling relieved to have use of her powers once more.

"Now it's time to go." Sam said as Bucky helped Kat up and noticed her favouring her abdomen and sides. Later her injuries would need to be seen to, but for now they needed to escape this place. As it was Moira Nakagawa had a nasty head start on them.

* * *

 **September 4** **th** **, 2017**

 **The Royal Talon**

The personnel at the HYDRA base were meant to slow them down as it seemed just as hard to escape the base as it was to enter it. However it was not impossible especially with how desperate the situation was. Within the hour of landing to attack the base they were now escaping back to Wakanda to stop Moira Nakagawa from taking Tess. It was now in flight that they could relax a little, well at least the others could relax, as Kat and Bucky were still on edge. It took some encouraging from Sharon and Bucky to get Kat to let them take a look at her injuries and tell them more of what happened. With Aida still in the HYDRA base's systems she learned what concoction was used by Semot on Kat.

"Unfortunately the pain inducers will need to burn off naturally, trying to administer any type of pain reliever causes an nasty reaction that could send ones body into shock." Aida concluded.

"Good to know my ribs will feel like ground up paste for the next couple of hours." Kat replied as Sharon looked over the black and blue bruises. Knowing she would check to make sure nothing was broken Kat bit back a hiss as pressure was applied.

"Luckily nothing is broken."

"Try telling my body that." Kat groaned, now she really did wish she healed faster like Steve or Bucky. Nope instead she would merely have this fun-filled memory to look back on. She calculated that since she had just been injected with the concoction a little over an hour to two hours ago she had another three to five hours before the crap left her system.

"Good news," T'Challa came up, "I spoke to Shuri, she and some of the Dora are heading to the training grounds to get Tess and take her to a safe location."

"Thanks." Kat replied finally able to start relaxing a little. It meant Moira's lackeys were not gonna get to Tess.

"I am still curious how they could infiltrate Wakanda." Okoye called back.

"Moira said there were some within the Border tribe that were angry their leader was still imprisoned. That and training an outsider upset them." Kat replied, "What I want to know is how the hell did Moira figure out that I was hanging out in Wakanda. I didn't leave any record of where I came from or went on the Quinjet."

"I think I know how it was done. In my hacking of Nakagawa's company there was a lot of new experimental technologies coming out. One of which was developed to track lost planes. They tracked the transponder signals for the Quinjets." Aida said.

This got Kat thinking then she groaned. "They were tracking us since we hit Ivanoff, then when you guys got Winston they realised I don't travel with you."

"So when we went after Thatchet, Nakagawa knew exactly which jet to strike." Nat added.

"Not only that but if tracking the transponder signals, once the jet passed through the shields over Wakanda the jet would simply vanish, then reappear when leaving." Kat said remembering how the shields worked after recreating Shuri's panther gauntlets with shield tech.

"That and... your suit." T'Challa replied looking over at the items they took from the lab, "Remember? Shuri and Yuma collaborated to make your suit 'Arc-reactor proof'."

All they needed to do was perform some tests and Moira would know the suit came from Wakanda. Without the tech to lock onto the transponder signals Moira would have stood no chance of discovering where Kat resided.

For now this was turning into one of the longest flights ever as they raced to beat Moira to Wakanda. Once Kat's ribs and right hand were bandaged, she was pulled into Bucky's arms and held in his lap. At least for the moment Kat was reminded of their earlier argument and was not sure how to respond to Bucky holding her. She knew being held by him alleviated some of the pain and helped calm her nerves, but what should she say to him?

The pair sat in silence as the others busied themselves and ignored what they were doing or saying. In fact there seemed to be an invisible wall between them at the back of the plane and the others giving them some type of privacy. Kat shivered as Bucky buried his face in her hair and enjoying her scent.

"I can't smell that good after what I have been through." Kat said trying to hide behind humour.

"To me you smell wonderful doll." Bucky said pulling her closer, she could sense his worries for Tess but also his relief at having her back. "I am never letting you out of my sight again, you had me so worried."

"I...I didn't mean to—Mmm!" Bucky caught her chin kissing her deeply and passionately. Easily she was reading his mind as he thought to her during the kiss.

" _About before, I-"_

" _Please Bucky, do we have to talk about this now? I know I screwed up and now Tess is being targeted because of me."_ Kat thought worried about what he would think, or that they would start fighting again. She just didn't have the energy right then, she was glad when Bucky sighed.

" _Alright doll."_ He thought relenting for the moment and simply holding her close to him as he released her lips. Later he could tell her off for all that had happened. Later he could say: 'See? I told you so', but for now she just wanted to get back to Tess.

" _Thank you."_ She thought weakly and curdled up against him resting for a bit to recover her strength. It was not that she could fully sleep not when her mind worried for Tess, but being tortured had sapped her of a lot of her energy. So weather she wanted to or not she needed at least a little rest for what was to come. She was also glad no one thought to ask why Moira took her or what she wanted with Tess. Maybe they too felt she needed rest? Or felt those questions could be asked later when the threat was dealt with?

It was unclear how long she rested, but at one point Kat opened her eyes still secure in Bucky's arms. She might have stayed like that had it not been for Shuri being patched in via the speakers on the Talon.

"Brother, there is a problem! Tess is not here!" Kat looked at the time on her returned watch and did the mental calculations in her head, Tess should have just been finishing up practice!

"What do you mean?!" Okoye asked worried.

"I mean Ayo says Tess was too upset to train, so she let her and Aneka out of training. Last Ayo saw Myra and the two girls were heading off towards town." Shuri explained.

"Try calling Myra." Kat said as she got up still holding her stomach. There was a long lengthy pause as Shuri tried to do just that.

"She is not answering."

"That or she could be blocked if those helping Moira's henchmen are close by." Nat pointed out. Knowing a lot of the new tech helped as Kat considered what the Border tribe could be using to block Myra's phone. It was a device with a mass up of tech, partly it was based off of the tech used to disable the cars T'Challa used and another part was tech used to create a digital shadow Kat used. The device in question would target an individual and block their communication devices. Anything on their person would be rendered useless. However it would only work on communication devices.

"Aida send a false signal to Myra's distress watch. Make it look like the device is going haywire. Myra will have to immediately head for Shuri's lab." Kat instructed, but then got a funny look from Sam. Myra had never worn a distress watch before why would she need to be monitored?

"Sending false signals." The AI replied.

"Shuri they should head for the lab now."

"Got it. On my way." The teen replied as Kat hoped this would get Tess and the others to safety.

"Why would Myra even be wearing one of those watches?" Sam asked folding his arms across his chest making Kat freeze, the former HYDRA agent never informed Sam of her decision to undergo treatments or surgery to restore her ability to have children. However given the situation it was down to Kat to explain especially when others had the same question on their minds.

"Myra was suppose to tell you this," Kat sighed, "She is wearing a distress watch to monitor her vitals in case something goes wrong with the treatments."

"Treatments? What do you mean?" Sam asked worried.

"Shuri and I have been administering biochemical treatments in preparation for re-constructive surgery... to restore Myra's ability to have children." Kat explained as Sam seemed to go rigid and shocked. His expression became even more unreadable as Kat explained more of the process, "I am sorry I had thought she would have told you, but maybe she was waiting until she knew for certain if it was a success. She just didn't want to get your hopes up."

For a long moment it was deathly quiet on the Talon as Sam finally worked through the information and asked. "So she is in the final stages of this treatment?"

"Yes, she is wearing a distress watch to monitor her in case of complications. All goes well then in a few days she could undergo the surgery." Kat said worried Sam would be angry but he just seemed too stunned.

"Wow, why wouldn't she tell me?" Sam finally asked as he sat down, "I mean we tell each other everything.."

"Myra was still worried it wouldn't work, so she didn't want to get your hopes up." Kat said hoping Sam wouldn't be mad at Myra. If not for the situation she would never have gone behind Myra's back and told Sam of the treatments. Hopefully Myra would not be mad at her for spilling the beans. Then Sam smiled liking the idea that Myra would do this and they could possibly have a baby together, but he was also worried for Myra too. These treatments sounded very dangerous is they required a distress watch to monitor her vitals. The smile soon left Sam as he grew more worried over Myra's health with these treatments.

"Hey! Don't think that way. She is alright. In fact it is a good thing she is wearing that watch." Kat pointed out.

"Really? Why is that?" Sam asked.

"Because otherwise we would not know where they are in Wakanda and have no way of warning them of Moira or her lackeys." Kat said gently. It was a blessing in disguise that Myra was wearing the distress watch because since the bad guys were targeting Tess, it meant Myra was in direct danger.

* * *

 **September 4** **th** **, 2017**

 **Wakanda**

The town was as usual bustling with people going about their daily lives. After being here for quite some time the locals were well used to the Outsiders living amongst them and for the most part they were accepted especially since King T'Challa named them as permanent guests. With news of Kat being shot down, Tess could not find the focus needed for classes that morning leaving Myra to look to other avenues of keeping the little girl distracted. It was at the beginning of practice that the Dora training the girls noticed Tess' worried look. Ayo had known of the situation since she had been there to hear the transmission, so she looked to Myra worried. There was no sense in making Tess participate in training when the child was so upset and distracted. As it was Aneka, Tess' friend, was also worried so Ayo called Myra over to speak to her before the session was to begin and while the girls were warming up.

"How is she?" Ayo asked peaking back at Tess.

"Very upset and worried. She couldn't sleep last night, so she only slept a little when she dosed off watching cartoons." Myra said worried, they watched Aneka move over to Tess to comfort her friend.

"Is there nothing that can be done?" Ayo asked worried.

"I am just trying to keep her distracted. After practice I am taking her to all of her favourite places in town." Myra said.

"How about now? It seems horrible to make her go through practice." Ayo said wanting to give Tess a reprieve.

"But Tess told us if she misses a single session, that-" Myra said knowing how important these classes were. If Tess or any girl missed one it could be used as a reason to reject the girl as a Dora.

"She will not be cast from the Dora. General Okoye would never allow it." Ayo said stopping Myra's concerns dead.

"Alright, thanks." Myra replied relaxing a little, then the Dora noticed Aneka and had a brilliant idea. As Myra started to turn away to tell Tess of the change in plans Ayo called to her. "Myra, if you are not opposed to it. Aneka might be able to help you distract Tess. I will release both from practise today if you like."

Myra looked to both Tess and Aneka then to Aneka's parents who were further away. Finally she looked back to Ayo. "I would need the okay from Aneka's parents."

Nodding Ayo caught the parents' eyes and waved them over. Between the four of them they discussed the situation and the parents agreed to let Aneka spend the day with Tess under Myra's watchful eye.

"Thank you for this." Myra said to Aneka's parents grateful that the little girl might be able to help distract Tess from the troubling situation her parents were in.

"It is no trouble. I hope Tess' parents come back safe and sound." Aneka's mother replied and with that Ayo called both girls over.

"Tess, Aneka, - today you are being released from practice," Ayo said smiling at the two girls reassuringly, "Do not worry, it shall not be counted against either of you."

"Momma?" Aneka asked looking to her mother worried.

"Your friend is worried and needs you, Aneka. We know you two like practising together, but today Tess is being released from class. Wouldn't you like to spend the day with her?" The logic was sound as Aneka looked to Tess then smiled up at her mother nodding, "Good now Myra will be looking after both of you so no misbehaving, understand?"

"Yes momma." Aneka replied, with that both girls were left in Myra's hands and the trio left the practice ground.

"Alright so we have a full day of having fun..." Myra started listing all the fun activities they could do and encouraging Tess to pick with Aneka gently trying to lift her friend's spirits. For most of that morning it had been rather hot, so the trio went for a swim in the lake Tess loved. Next they headed into town having worked up an appetite the group grabbed a bite to eat. By the time they finished eating it was mid afternoon when suddenly Myra's watch began beeping and giving a false reading of her being under stress.

"What the heck is up with this thing?" Myra muttered looking at the watch confused, it had never started acting up before now. Then she remembered clearly the words Shuri had said in regards to the distress watch. _"Also if you feel the watch is giving false readings come in immediately so that we can take a look and ensure it is working properly."_

 _'Damn it, what a time for this stupid watch to be acting up!'_ Myra thought as she looked at Tess and Aneka. "Sorry girls, but I need to head to the lab and have this fixed. I promise as soon as Shuri fixes this we will come right back to our scheduled fun."

With that the trio turned towards the palace and started heading that way. Still Myra wondered why now of all times was the watch giving false readings? She frowned down at the device, but when she looked up she just caught someone passing them. The man was a local, but she remembered him. He was one of the ones to imprison her when Killmonger became king, the reminder sent an unpleasant chill down her spine. However that was not the worse part, he had been watching them but now was purposely ignoring them. All the old agent training kicked in as he moved off to another stall pretending to be interested in what was on offer.

This only alerted Myra as she took a casual glance around as if taking in the sights. Two behind them followed casually, but kept watch. A fourth on her left was pretending to be eating but again watching too closely. That was when Myra realised something was very wrong, her watch beeped again in false reading. _'My watch is not going haywire, someone is sending out a warning!'_ Myra thought worried. As they moved into a bigger crowd she kept the two girls close as she discretely pulled out her phone to find—no signal! Slipping her phone back into her back pocket without anyone noticing Myra felt her heart rate pick up and noticed the numbers climbing in response.

Again Myra peeked around and noticed the four men a lot closer, but not within hearing range. Luckily the heavy crowds meant that she could stop as she leaned down by a treats stand pretending to offer to buy both girls a treat.

"Tess, Aneka, how would you girls like to play a game?" Myra asked not wanting to scare her charges.

"I love games!" Aneka replied unaware of the danger they were in while Tess merely shrugged.

"Sure." Myra was glad Tess was at least willing to play ball.

"Good, okay. On the count of three you both are going to run for the palace okay? Now you both have to stick together okay? I will be right behind you, but no matter what do not stop until you reach one of the Dora." It was then both girls realised something was wrong, Myra was being far too serious for this to merely be a game. So both girls looked at one another worried as Myra peeked back. The men were closing in on them so Myra asked more urgently. "Do you understand? Run to the palace, find a Dora, do not stop for any reason, and do not let yourselves be separated."

Once both girls agreed, Myra straightened and they resumed walking. The former HYDRA agent had been a little out of practise back when Killmonger took over, but she had upped her game since then to ensure she could better protect Tess. By now her distress watch was giving a higher reading that she hoped would tell Aida she was in danger and to send help. They were walking normally as they neared a food stand. A man was cooking something in a large skillet on her left up ahead.

"One..." She felt both girls tense, and looked ahead of them. She could not see any threats up ahead and hopefully they would make it safely to the palace and a Dora while she dealt with the four men, "Two."

Tess looked up at her worried as Myra whispered to her, "Don't look back..."

Now she was just passing the food stand and the skillet. "Three!"

Myra grabbed the skillet handle and threw the contents on the man that had been about to grab her. The man crumbled to his knees as he screamed in pain. Aneka might have froze to the spot but Tess pulled her forward knowing to run when told to. The second man rushed Myra and she hit him with the hot skillet as her watch beeped loudly.

* * *

 **The Royal Talon**

"My King, we are home." Okoye said causing relief to course through Kat. Still she asked for Sharon and Nat's help to get suited up since she was not at her best. At least with the suit on it would mitigate the damage taken. Putting on the last of her weapons Kat stepped forward with the others just as the Talon passed through Wakanda's shields. At least there was no invasions or indications of battle, with luck Tess and Myra were at the palace. Now that would have been nice, but then Aida's panicked voice cut through as one of the screens displayed Myra's distress watch readings being very high.

"Myra is in danger, her watch is showing dangerously high levels of distress!"

"Where is she?!" Sam demanded.

"In town, market district!" Aida replied.

"Fly us there." T'Challa ordered Okoye and immediately they were flown over the city, where T'Challa activated the centre holographic display table showing what was happening on the ground. Myra was on the ground engaging with two local men and two more were already on the ground. All of them were from the Border tribe. Tess was no where in sight.

"Aida where does Tess' trackers show her?" Kat asked worried, if Tess was no longer with Myra than she was alone.

"Trackers show Tess moving towards the palace," Aida replied.

"She must have ordered Tess to run there when she realised the danger." Nat pointed out.

Opening the loading bay doors, Sam flew out to protect Myra. Soon the others were following suit wanting on the ground to find Tess and help Myra. Kat was about to follow when a clatter made her turn back, her katana had been leaning against her bag and had tipped over. This was the last HYDRA head to be dealt with, it only seemed fitting Moira die by this blade as Kat fulfilled that age old promise to destroy HYDRA. Going over she picked up Takai's sheathed katana, then strapped it to her back before jumping down onto the street below as Okoye flew low.

* * *

This was definitely not her usual nine to five work day, hell she had not had to worry about an attack since Killmonger. Usually her day consisted of getting treatments, talking to Sam, hanging out with Kat and occasionally watching Tess. Sure she also practised and would spar with some of the Dora or Kat to keep in shape should a threat present itself, but Myra had not planned on fighting four men today. She had planned on distracting Tess until both Kat and Bucky came home.

As expected, the locals immediately backed up watching the scene unfold when she hit the first man with the skillet's contents. Then hitting the second one with the hot skillet knocked him out cold leaving just two more that were now ready for her. "Guys are we sure we can't talk about this? I am kind of on the clock here."

The third man rushed her with a blade slashing at her as she blocked it with the pan. It was while blocking the third man's attacks that the fourth man came in from the side and kicked the skillet from Myra's hands. Now she was jumping back to avoid being slashed to ribbons, only for the fourth man to kick her in the stomach knocking her to the ground. Immediately she scrabbled backwards on her hands and feet, and was sure she was as good as dead.

However before he could bring down the curved blade, Myra heard the familiar jet pack sound of Falcon's wings as Sam flew in kicking the guy with both feet and landing. He turned to face the other guy, who tried to slash at him. Sam already looked pissed off as he caught the guys wrist then punched him.

"Sam!" Myra cried in relief glad to see him.

"You okay? They didn't hurt you did they?" Sam asked kneeling down to make sure Myra was okay.

"I think I did more damage to them than they to me." Myra replied shakily as she rubbed where she had been kicked. Immediately Sam took her wrist looking at the distress watch to see the numbers slowly falling. Before Myra could ask what he was doing the others arrived.

"Myra where is Tess?" Kat asked, while it was great to see Kat alive and well the urgency in her voice and the fierce look in her eyes, made Myra answer the question quickly.

"I saw these jokers tailing us, so I told her and Aneka to run for the palace and find a Dora to stick to while I took care of them."

"You did good," Kat replied but was still concerned, "Sam take Myra to Shuri. She was not suppose to be in any type of distress."

"I am fine really..." Myra argued.

"Just do it Myra, otherwise all those treatments will have been for nothing." Kat pointed out, then took off following the tracking signal and wanting to find Tess before someone else did. Bucky, Steve, Nat, and T'Challa were close behind her leaving Sam and Myra alone. The former agent looked up at Sam but there was no questions or surprise on Sam's face.

"She told you?!"

"Yeah, and you got some explaining to do." Sam said but could not help smiling a little as he picked up Myra to take her to Shuri's lab.

* * *

The palace never seemed so far away before, so why did it suddenly feel like it was impossible to reach?! Tess guessed it was because she had always been with someone before. Being alone with just her friend Aneka the city suddenly seemed bigger and scarier. It was also knowing they were in danger that made everything more intense. The little girls ran as fast as their legs would carry them, a couple of times Tess had to slow down for Aneka. After all Myra told them they had to stick together so the pair held hands to avoid being separated. The pair tried to stay on the main street, but after a few blocks, Tess spotted more men dressed like the ones to attack Myra. This caused them to duck down a side alley to escape them.

It was down one such alley that Aneka stopped trying to catch her breath forcing Tess to stop. "What is going on?"

It was a very good question, but Tess was not entirely sure what was going on either. "I don't know, but we have to keep going."

Aneka could only nod in agreement, but Tess wondered did this have something to do with mommy and daddy? She hoped they were okay as well as Myra. Last time something like this happened Myra was imprisoned! Once Aneka recovered her breath the pair continued down alleys trying to avoid the men chasing them. They finally made it to the end of one last alleyway, from there they would leave the city and have to run through an open field to reach the palace. The palace was still some distance away, but if they could make it they would be safe.

Tess peeked out looking both ways but seeing no one at the edge of town, then she turned back to Aneka. "Okay the coast is clear, but once we start running for the palace we cannot stop."

Aneka nodded in understanding as they prepared to run for it. "Ready?"

"Ready." Aneka answered.

"Now!" Both dashed from the cover of the alleyway, but before they got even a few steps Tess was snatched up, her hand ripped from Aneka's. The man to grab Tess was an tall Japanese man, for Aneka's part she was just too stunned to have her friend grabbed by this man.

"Aneka run!" Tess screamed, and for a split second the local girl hesitated until Tess yelled, "Get help, Aneka!"

This sent the little local girl running wanting to find a Dora to help Tess. The man holding Tess pulled a gun to shoot Aneka before she could alert anyone to what was going on, but Tess saw the action and wanting to protect her friend she grabbed his arm and did the only thing she could think of she bit his arm as hard as she could. She refused to let go as the man cried out dropping his gun. "You little brat!"

He yanked his arm free of her teeth and was going to strike her when another Japanese woman caught his wrist and firmly shook her head. She gave a dismissive wave in the direction Aneka had run which meant the little local didn't matter. "Heh, you're right. We got what we came for."

* * *

 **Author's Notes:**

 **First off thank you Fin-Fish Jun-Tenshi, and Kyro232 for the lovely reviews. I am glad to hear you guys are enjoying the story.**

 **The chapters are coming more quickly now so I am trying to post them as soon as they are typed out. Hence this latest update. I know where I want to go and how I want to get there, it is just having the time and focus to do it. I am hoping to be all caught up with Infinity War in time for Endgame to hit theatres, then I will have to wait for Endgame to be out on Blu-ray giving me a bit of a Hiatus. So here is hoping I can keep the typing muse going.**

 **Anyway onto this chapter. Again the story jumps around a bit which I hope no one minds. Just some minor things to note. Again yes I sort of skimmed over the Avengers attack on the HYDRA base and the escape, but c'mon they're the Avengers going up against HYDRA personnel. It would have been a repeat of them when they attacked the HYDRA base in Age of Ultron and I didn't want to bore you guys with that.**

 **Though for any wanting to see a fight scene I thought I did pretty well with Myra taking on some renegade border tribe members. It isn't often that I write the resident bodyguard's perspective, but I do enjoy writing what she does for Tess, Kat, and Bucky at times rather than just leaving her as this background character that watches Tess when Kat or Bucky can't. Besides that distress watch that was mentioned in earlier chapters has become an important feature in this chapter.**

 **Lastly I left it on a...cliffhanger.**

 **Sorry I just couldn't resist. I hope I covered any issues for this chapter. I tried to convey everything that Kat would be thinking or worrying over, so I hope everyone just enjoys this chapter. Please feel free to leave a review telling me what you thought of this latest chapter. I love reading reviews.**

 **Lesliezin**


	69. Memories Do Not Lie

**Hello everyone,**

 **Here is Chapter 69, enjoy.**

* * *

 **September 4** **th** **, 2017**

 **Wakanda**

The group of heroes were moving as fast as they could down the street trying to get to Tess. They knew she and Aneka would try to run for the palace, but how far would they get? How many more were allied with Moira? Kat really didn't want to think about that, she just wanted to get to Tess before anyone else could. She could sense her daughter and was getting closer but more of the traitorous members of the Border tribe were waiting just up ahead. If they got in her way she would kill them! That was why T'Challa spoke up as they ran towards them.

"I shall handle this, go on ahead!" Still it was a group of close to eight men, T'Challa could handle much, but these were men intent on killing the king and had the tech to do it. That was not even factoring in that there were innocent civilians around.

"Go, we'll catch up.." Nat added. Deciding to stay and help T'Challa. As the two ran straight for the traitors, Kat mentally attacked one while Bucky punched another, and Steve kicked one blocking the way, then the three of them kept running. They had not gotten far when Kat felt Tess emotions shift drastically. She went from worried to terrified! As she ran she focused on Tess' thoughts. _'Someone help me!'_

 _'Tess! Where are you sweetie?! Focus your thoughts on what is around you.'_ Kat thought to her daughter.

 _'Mommy!'_ Tess thought both relieved to hear her mom in her thoughts and still scared. However Tess was a brilliant little girl as she tried to show a mental image of where she was and what was going on. The image was outside of town in the large grassy plains, she had been caught trying to reach the palace but now her captors were carrying her quickly away.

"They have Tess!" Kat called out terrified that her daughter would be taken away never to be seen again. On leaving the town she veered right with the two super soldiers following on her heels. It was across the large expanse of grassland that Kat could see them up ahead, Tess was being carried away by a tall big-muscled Japanese man. Next to him was Leiko and three more traitors heading for a type of Quinjet. Seeing her daughter fighting to get loose pushed Kat to run as fast as she could regardless of how everything hurt. By now they were a couple of football fields length from the city, so that meant the traitors had been a little too helpful to Moira. They must have given her access codes to pass through the Wakandan shield, and no doubt Moira's jet had been in stealth mode as no one seemed to have noticed it beforehand.

Leiko looked back then tapped her brother's arm getting his attention as the pair saw the three chasing them. She gave him the gesture to go which made him hesitate, but he soon took off running.

"Take care of these assholes!" Kat called out as Bucky began fighting Leiko and Steve took on the other traitors. Leiko was no doubt the more lethal of the siblings as Bucky had merely planned on knocking her out and helping his wife save their daughter. Meanwhile Kat kept after Lee who was running down the dip in the hill to get to the Jet and Moira waiting for them. She could hear the engines and knew they were ready to take off at a moments notice. The man carrying Tess had just got onto the ramp as the jet started to lift off and Kat pushed herself to run faster. Running she jumped and caught the loading ramp and held on as the plane was making it's escape. She pulled herself up some, but was soon spotted by the man that had handed Tess off to Moira.

"Deal with her." Moira said over the jet engines and harsh blowing wind sounding almost regretful.

"Mommy!" Tess screamed before being dragged further into the jet to avoid seeing her mother's death. By then a fall from this height would kill as Lee moved towards the edge of the ramp and began stepping down on her already hurting hand. Kat screamed, but refused to let go as Lee smiled down at her. This was probably dumb, but what other choice was there? Trying to hold on via her injured hand, Kat let go of the ramp with her left hand and brought out the wrist dagger. Before Lee knew what was going on she stabbed down on his booted foot making him scream. He immediately stepped back, but now was outraged. He knelt down grabbing her by the throat and pulling her up. He lifted her up so that she gripped his arm rather than the ramp, she saw in his mind. He was going to pull a knife and gut her before dropping her to her death. So she kicked him between the legs making him drop to one knee and drop her. She once again caught the ramp with her injured hand, but rather than continue this way she saw the chance to slit his throat. So she held on with her injured hand and pulled up enough to slash his throat.

The man's eyes went wide in shock as he clutched his throat, then he fell from the ramp and past her to the lands below. Putting away her wrist dagger she managed to pull herself up onto the ramp and to relative safety.

Tess couldn't help but start crying openly, before with the man she could fight and struggle but once brought to this other woman she couldn't! She tried biting, kicking, and punching but nothing! Her body refused to move or react. The woman merely held her upper arm, but she couldn't even attempt to escape as the woman called back to the man to 'deal with her mom'. The woman pulled her further away from the ramp so she couldn't see her mommy. She tried to refuse to move, but her body moved on it's own no matter how much she struggled. Then it was like she was ordered to sit down on one of the seats lining the left side of the Quinjet. She had no choice as she sat down and Moira strapped her in. She looked to the ramps only seeing Lee then Moira caught her chin.

"No no, you don't want to see that," Moira said as Tess kept crying she wanted to smack her hand away, unstrap herself, and help her mommy! Instead she couldn't move as Moira ran her hand over Tess' cheek. "Shhh don't cry. You are such a pretty little girl."

Tess squeezed her eyes shut since she couldn't move. _'Mommy! I want my mommy and daddy!'_ Tess thought scared about what that evil man had done to her mother. She heard the loading ramp doors close and the rushing air stop but was too scared to open her eyes.

"Get your hands off of her, you bitch!" That was mommy! With those words Moira's hand left Tess' cheek and suddenly Tess could move again! She opened her eyes and looked to her right at the loading ramp to see her very angry mommy.

"Mommy!" Tess cried wanting out of the seat and away from the woman. Kat peeked at her daughter and gave a sweet reassuring smile.

"It's going to be okay sweetie. Just be brave for me a little bit longer and stay there okay?" Kat said not wanting to risk Tess being harmed further. The little girl nodded as she gripped the straps holding her in the seat.

"My Lady?" The words came from the pilot who was asking if Moira would need help.

"Keep heading for our destination, I will handle this." Moira replied calmly, and Kat knew arriving at whatever destination would be bad. The thoughts Moira had told Kat they were heading for a much larger ship similar to Coulson's Zephyr One. Currently they were flying at a lower altitude to avoid detection by Wakandan sensors, but soon they would rendezvous with the larger well manned ship. She would need to handle Moira quickly, then deal with the pilot.

Looking again to Tess, Kat thought to her daughter. _"_ _This will be very scary, but I need you to be brave. Close your eyes for me princess."_

Tess nodded knowing that whatever was about to happen needed to happen, so she closed her eyes, Moira must have known what was coming for she rushed Kat trying to punch her. Moira was highly trained in combat whereas most HYDRA heads usually cowered behind others. The pair were trading blows with Moira knowing Kat was still injured and just getting over the pain inducers. Still Kat managed to ignore the pain and saw an opportunity. When Moira went to strike her Kat caught Moira's wrist and twisted around behind Moira now she had a direct view to the pilot. Throwing the knife she had held concealed it flew into the back of the pilot's head. The killing blow meant that dead pilot leaned into the controls causing the jet to descend fast. Luckily the Jet was not flying overly high to avoid detection, but still it was enough to send the two women flying around the jet.

"Are you insane?!" Moira cried, as Kat kicked Moira into the side of the jet. The beeping alarms from the jet and red light lighting the interior of the ship made everything seem more intense and scary for Tess who had peeked then immediately shut her eyes again. Moira managed to get to the cockpit controls trying to re-elevate the jet, but by then one of the wings had crashed into a tree tearing it off and making a crash landing inevitable. The sharp noises of metal bending and breaking and the snap of trees was deafening, Kat heard Tess scream scared of what was happening around her.

At this point Kat fell to the grated floor and looked to her daughter, she had never wanted this. She had never wanted Tess put in any type of danger! So knowing they would crash soon, Kat threw herself over Tess and gripped the straps of the other two chairs around Tess to keep herself in the protective position.

The jet crashed through numerous trees getting closer and closer to the ground until the bottom of the jet scrapped over grass and dirt kicking both up in the process. The jet went on for several yards before it finally stopped.

* * *

 **Back in Wakanda**

The traitors from the Border tribe didn't have much chance against the likes of King T'Challa, or Nat. Once the group that was in town was dealt with both T'Challa and Nat ran to catch up to their allies. It didn't take much to guess where to go after all a Quinjet had just taken off from the field! However rather than have to run Okoye and Sharon pulled up on a large transport hover car. The general of the Dora and Sharon were not content to simply sit back, so they had landed the Talon near the palace and took hover car to meet them.

"Hurry!" Okoye called as the two climbed in and Okoye punched it, driving for where the Quinjet was. By the time they got closer they saw both Steve and Bucky fighting. T'Challa immediately recognised one of the ones fighting Steve as Dzembe, he knew this man had been upset that W'Kabi had been imprisoned but to do this?! Kidnapping a child? Aiding outsiders?! One of those outsiders was fighting Bucky and was a fast lithe thing. Nat seemed to immediately recognise the woman as Leiko, no doubt the woman was highly trained to protect Moira so it made sense she would be a handful in a fight.

Still Bucky landed just as many good hits considering he was beyond pissed off. When it was clear she would not win in a fair fight, Leiko managed to get in close and slammed a small metal disc on Bucky's metal arm. A second later an electrical surge went off damaging the arm and causing him to yell in pain. For some reason Leiko thought this would be enough to give her an edge in the fight, but as she rushed to attack him he dodged her kick, and punched her square in the chest with his damaged arm. He could not gauge how hard to strike, so when he did, it was a hard enough blow to the chest to kill her.

Leiko hit the ground and did not get up, her eyes staring up blankly at the sky as a trail of blood came out at the corner of her lips. Whether Bucky wanted to punch her that hard or not was irrelevant as he looked in the direction the jet took off in. He could regret his actions later, right then he wanted his wife and daughter back. Steve had just dealt with Dzembe and the others as Bucky called into the comms. "Aida, can you track Tess?"

"Already am. The Quinjet that is leaving Wakanda was given access codes to bypass the shield. Moira Nakagawa must have been warned to fly low to avoid detection, but Tess' trackers show them flying north-west."

"Sister send the Talon to my location quickly!" T'Challa said contacting Shuri on his kimoyo beads.

"Right away brother." It was while they were waiting for the Talon that Aida spoke again a few minutes later.

"The jet has crashed just beyond Wakanda's borders. About fifty miles from your location!" _'No!'_ Bucky thought fearing the worse. Shuri had remote piloted the talon to their location and the group quickly boarded wanting to get to Kat and Tess.

* * *

Kat groaned softly as her mind tried to return from unconsciousness something was tugging on her shirt? No not her shirt... her suit. Then she realised it was a pair of tiny hands shaking her trying to wake her. Maybe she overslept and Tess was late for practise? No... no she remembered something worse happening. Then the memories flooded back from being captured by Moira to her daughter being kidnapped by one of Moira's goons. The little hands shaking her... they were Tess'! She winced as her ears popped and sound returned. She heard the noise of electrical sparks from a ruined control panel, the creak of metal still groaning from the crash; but most of all she heard Tess' scared voice.

"Wake up mommy! Please, please! Wake up!" Tess was crying as she begged her mother to wake up. Kat groaned as she opened her eyes and looked to Tess. Her poor girl looked like she had just climbed through a dirty air vent and only suffered a few bruises but was otherwise unharmed.

"Hey sweetie," Kat said trying to sooth Tess as she reach up brushing her cheek. This helped calm the little girl down some from the traumatic events, but still Kat needed to make sure Tess was okay. "You're not hurt are you?"

Tess sniffled as she shook her head, but Kat could tell her daughter was scared more than anything. "That's good. You are being such a brave girl."

Slowly sitting up Kat was glad nothing was broken, but after this she would need a spa weekend! _'Second crashed jet in a week, what Avenger can claim that on their resume?'_ Kat thought ruefully, she got up to find the right side of the jet had been torn open like a tin can by a large tree. At least they could climb out that way. While Kat would have loved to hunt Moira down and kill her, she wanted to get Tess to safety more. The pair went to the torn open side and Kat climbed down first then took her daughter's waist and lifted her out of ruined Quinjet. Carrying her daughter away from the wreckage, Kat relished the feeling of holding Tess once more after nearly losing her. The reassuring weight in her arms helped Kat calm down curbing the desire to cut Moira up into tiny pieces. No she would wait to do that until her daughter was safely away and would not bear witness to how violent Kat could be. Instead Kat buried her nose in Tess' hair as the little girl clung to her.

If Moira had any sense she would have run away and prayed Kat never found her, but the woman didn't have sense. Kat stopped when she heard the HYDRA head's thoughts, the woman was climbing out of the Quinjet intent on taking Tess. Kat felt Tess stiffen in her arms since the little girl was looking over her shoulder facing the crashed Jet.

"We are not done yet!" Moira called out.

 _'Very well, I wanted to cut you to pieces anyway!'_ Kat thought to Moira then lowered Tess back down onto her own two feet. Looking at her daughter's scared face Kat directed her thoughts to Tess, _'Run back sweetie. Don't stop or look back no matter what you hear.'_

"Mommy?" Tess asked scared and not wanting to leave her, but in the next moment Moira pulled her katana and moved to attack Kat. In an instant Kat reached back to the katana strapped to her back and unsheathed it. She turned just in time to block Moira's attack.

"Run Tess! Go! Now!" Kat yelled, leaving Tess no options but to run away once more. Behind her she heard the repeated ringing of steel as the katanas repeatedly met.

With Tess safely away from Moira, Kat fully intended to not just kill her mother, but to make her suffer. The two katanas met repeatedly as Kat and Moira tried to land blows on one another. Moira's katana was the Nakagawa family sword, passed down from generation to generation. How many innocent people died on that blade? On top of that Moira was highly skilled in it's use. Whereas Kat's katana was from the one that should have been her father. At least it did surprise Moira some for Kat to be so well trained in the use of the katana. Obviously Takai had trained her well and Kat kept up her training in memory of him.

In the heavy woodland area the pair clashed hard and as they fought they moved further from the crash site. In a way it was a good thing, they were getting further from Tess, which meant even if beaten Moira would have a harder time locating Tess, and hopefully by then Bucky will have found her. While on Kat's best day she might not have had any problem besting Moira, she was injured and still suffering a little from the pain inducers. However Kat had one benefit on her side—rage. Cold ruthless rage and a lot of it, while she knew how to remain calm and collected in this fight that rage helped her forget her injuries for the time being.

As they fought there was a point when they locked blades trying to overpower one another. Moira spoke. "I just wanted you back, if only you had listened to me!"

"Listened to you?! After everything you did the only thing I want to do is cut you to pieces!" Kat yelled, she managed to shove Moira away in the blade lock and swung on the woman once again.

"And you wonder why I tried to take your daughter?! She will listen to me-"

"She will never listen to you, and you won't touch her ever again you sick bitch!" Kat interrupted as Moira swung on her again. This time when their blades locked Kat was at the edge of a steep hill, and Moira intended to send her over the side then pursue Tess. Taking a peek back, Kat made the snap decision to grab the lapels of Moira's fancy suit jacket and pull the HYDRA head with her. Both ended up rolling down the the steep incline. They were very lucky to have not hit a tree on the way down, and both managed to hold onto their weapons.

Aside from some cuts and bruises, Kat got to her feet still holding her blade as she faced off against Moira once more.

* * *

"This is as close as we can get to the crash site. There are no other clearings that I can see." Okoye said as she landed the talon in a small clearing. The rest was heavy woods, and soon the group was out and heading straight for the crash site. With luck they were not too late and both Kat and Tess were safe. They had not gotten far when Aida interrupted the quiet.

"Tess' trackers show her as heading away from the crash site. Off to the right of your current position!"

Immediately Bucky ran in that direction wanting to find his daughter, and the group followed worried for the child. He had only run about eighty feet when he spotted the flash of dark hair and the little pink and white baseball type shirt. Tess was wearing. "Tess!"

She was still running no doubt too scared to register her name being called. He would soon intercept her as she ran past a tree and when he caught his daughter around the waist she screamed. Tess was too scared to realise that this time the one to catch her was not a HYDRA lackey, but her own father. She immediately started hitting the one holding her.

"Tess! It's me!" Bucky called out as he turned his daughter around to face him. Tess then looked up at the one holding her and realised who it was.

"Daddy!" She cried as Bucky knelt down and pulled her close. Immediately the girl hugged him and was crying harder.

"Shh it's alright sweetie. You're safe now. No one is going to hurt you." Bucky said trying to calm Tess down. He was just glad she was safe now as he kissed her head and let her cry against him for a moment. He wanted to keep holding her, but where was Kat? He looked around but she was no where in sight! "Tessi? Where is your mother?"

Tess pulled away a little and pointed back in the direction she had come which was the direction of the crashed ship. "She is fighting the bad lady."

Right then Bucky was torn between keeping Tess safe and going after Kat, but it was his wife that was in far more danger right then.

"I'll go get her okay?" Bucky looked to the others, "I need someone to look after Tess and get her to safety."

"I'll take her back to the Talon. C'mon Tessi" Nat said, Tess immediately went over and let Nat pick her up. Bucky guessed she was either too upset to argue or she was still worried about her mom or both.

"I'll go with her." Okoye added not wanting to let Tess out of her sight. Plus it was unlikely anyone would attempt anything with the general of the Dora and Natasha there. This left Steve, T'Challa, and Sharon to help Bucky search for and find Kat.

"It'll be okay, Tess. Just stay with them." Bucky said then headed for the crash site leaving Nat and Okoye to watch over Tess and take her to safety.

* * *

The clang of swords repeated over and over as mother and daughter fought deeper into the woods trying to best one another. At least Kat was grateful that she was able to push Moira further from Tess' last known location. The pair ended up in a knee deep brook at the bottom of a valley with Kat still pushing Moira further from their last known location. Had Bucky found Tess? Was she safe? Moira must have known what Kat was trying to do because she kept trying to get past her. On the slippery wet rocks was where it happened, Moira had suddenly pulled a long knife with her off hand. Sadly Kat had just batted aside Moira's katana and even though she heard the woman's thoughts she had no time to move out of the way. The only luck Kat had was Moira nearly fell as she slice Kat's arm instead of stabbing her.

Kat bit back a cry as it felt like her arm had been smashed! Part of her had expected no damage at all save for the force of the strike since the suit was made with a vibrainium weave. It was not as strong as T'Challa's suit, but Moira's knife was made of Vibrainum and so it did do damage cutting through the suit and into her arm. The knife in question was probably made for just such an encounter or the Border tribe have given it to her when she landed. The only other saving grace was Kat had been holding her katana with her other hand, otherwise she would have been disarmed then. Stumbling back a few feet Kat tried to prepare for Moira who was righting herself with both a katana and knife in each hand.

Ignoring the pain in her arm and the feeling of hot sticky blood running down to her hand, Kat glared at Moira. She should have seen the dishonourable tactic coming from one such as Moira. The HYDRA head had to know that even if she beat Kat Bucky and the Avengers were not far off. So why then was she so determined to get Tess? Was listening to her so damn important?! What was she hoping to say that would get Kat to sympathise with her? It hardly mattered now, she was a dead woman either way. She just hoped she was the one to end Moira's threat for good.

The HYDRA head was now swinging two blades at Kat, and while dodging the shot knife and blocking the katana she looked for an opening. However it also meant she had to backup to avoid the knife being swung at her while also batting away the katana swings Eventually the fight moved onto the bank of the brook where Kat could use the trees to help block some of the cuts and slashes. Aside from trees, Kat also ended up kicking her knife hand away from her to avoid being slashed. However Moira was relentless as she kept swinging and trying to strike her, while Kat was forced back. Falling back against a boulder Kat blocked the katana, then before Moira could land a blow she kicked her in the stomach and rolled away.

The HYDRA head didn't stay down long as she charged after Kat once more swinging both blades in deadly arching strikes that Kat could hardly block. Sadly there was just too much stacked against Kat. She was exhausted and injured. She had been injected with a powerful pain inducer and tortured, while Moira was at one-hundred percent. Thus it almost seemed inevitable when Kat managed to block the katana but not the knife. Pain this time did force a cry from Kat as Moira sliced her side forcing Kat to one knee.

With her daughter on one knee, Moira believed the battle won, but she looked regretful instead of smug. The older woman took a step back as she took a breath looking on her beaten and battered daughter. "I never wanted this..."

Kat could barely maintain a grip on her katana as her other hand tried to apply pressure to her wound. Still she heard Moira and was asking herself: 'Is she fucking serious?!' She never wanted this?! What the hell did she want then?! "All I wanted was you back. Why couldn't you have listened to what I had to say? Why did you have to fight me? None of this had to happen if you would have just listened."

 _'Wow! Give this bitch an Emmy, she is one hell of an actress!'_ Kat thought hating how Moira acted so regretful for how things were ending. "But I suppose after everything I should not be surprised. You've hunted down HYDRA with ruthless efficiency focusing solely on that. You get that from me."

 _'Oh dear god please don't tell me she is making me sound like her!'_ Kat groaned internally. They were nothing alike. "Your daughter though, she'll understand. You may have delayed me, but one day I will get her."

Kat glared up at Moira, _'Oh hell no!'_ Kat thought, she would not let this bitch come back to haunt Tess. "For what it's worth though, I am sorry..."

With that Moira swung to slice Kat's throat never for a second expecting Kat to move. Using her katana, Kat blocked Moira's katana, rose to her feet, and twisted into Moira continuing to block the sword with her own. Now with her back pressed to Moira and inside the woman's guard, Moira tried to stab Kat with the knife only for Kat to move just enough as she grabbed Moira's hand and guided the blade just to Kat's right. Sure it cut Kat, but the end result justified the cut, the knife handle stuck out of Moira's stomach. Spinning away, Kat turned to face Moira just as a clang was heard. Moira had dropped her katana and fell to her knees stunned.

"For what it's worth, I am not sorry." Kat bit out coldly. Now she expected Moira's mask of regret to drop. Now the HYDRA head would show her true colours, but she didn't. Instead Moira gave a soft weak chuckle as she looked up at Kat and seemed.. proud? Why the fuck was she PROUD?! Kat just stabbed her in the stomach with her own knife! She should be angry and curses should be flowing from her lips! It was just so damn confusing! What was wrong with this woman?! Kat shook her head unable to fully understand this crazy woman. "I don't get you, you fucking nutjob! You kidnap and torture me because I won't hear you out. You go after my daughter, and now you're dying... and you're still..."

"Proud?" Moira supplied, "You're my daughter. Whether you like it or not you were always my little girl."

"I have to ask what crazy cocktail have you been drinking lady?" Kat asked, as she noted that the only reason Moira was not dead yet was because the knife had not been removed. Once she pulled the knife out Moira would have about thirty seconds before dying.

"If you would have listened you would understand..."

"I don't want to hear some pathetic excuse for why you handed me over to your HYDRA pals!" Kat said.

"Then let me show you, no words... no excuses. Read my mind. Let me show you." Moira said softly half expecting Kat to say no, to refuse her even in her dying moments. For Kat part of her just wanted to walk away and leave Moira to die alone. To simply refuse to see what Moira wanted to show her. However Kat felt compelled to know the truth. Why had Moira gone to such lengths for her then Tess? Memories could not lie, you could not fake a memory. There would be no lies, no excuse... just pure truth. Perhaps that was what tempted Kat the most wanting the truth as to why she was donated to HYDRA.

"Focus on the memories." Kat instructed, and Moira nodded in relief. Closing her eyes Kat was soon drawn into the memories Moira Nakagawa wanted her to see.

 _It was a beautiful mansion Kat found herself in. She guessed it was the Nakagawa family home since painted portraits displayed Japanese family members. Still that was not the reason she was in this memory, she heard voices... angry voices. Following them to their source Kat entered an office that was just as lavishly furnished. There were several people, three guards, an older woman, Moira, an older man, and a man that looked like Moira's brother? For a brief moment the room fell quiet and Kat wondered what had they been discussing? The older man looked like he was about to scream bloody murder as his face turned red and he rose from his desk looking right at Moira._

 _He came swiftly around the desk as the younger Moira looked like she had been crying. "Father pleas-"_

 _Smack! The harsh backhanded slap sent Moira to the floor as she pressed a hand to her cheek and more tears came._

" _You think this will get you out of the arrangements made for you?! You thought wrong, you will not disgrace this family further! You will marry Yung regardless and no one will know of this!" The man gestured at Moira, then looked to the guards, "Take her to our private doctor and instruct him to get rid of it!"_

" _Yes Sir."_

" _NO!" Moira screamed as the guard grabbed her arm and she began struggling fiercely. Again her father struck her to try and force her obedience, but Moira refused to stop struggling no matter how many times he struck her. It didn't take much to piece it together, Moira was pregnant with her, and Moira's father wanted it gone! If not witnessing a memory Kat might have been sick. Witnessing these events made it impossible not to feel bad for Moira._

" _Husband!" The older woman came forward, "If you continue to beat her Yung will not want her."_

" _You know it's true father." The other man no doubt Moira's brother spoke up sounding bored._

" _And what do you recommend?" The father asked Moira's brother. For a moment there was silence as the man looked to his sister. And for a moment Kat thought the brother might be concerned for his sister, then he gave a cruel smile._

" _Wasn't HYDRA looking for test subjects? Give it over to them to use. It will serve HYDRA's research or die either way it won't be a problem for long." The old man smiled at his son and seemed proud of his idea. No doubt the pair were cut from the same disgusting cloth._

" _Very good Hitoshi. Good forward thinking." The older man then looked to Moira who tearfully shook her head._

" _No father please... this is your grandchild!"_

" _You will have more with Yung."_

" _No! I will not!" Again he struck her. Kat swore if this asshole still lived he would die slowly and painfully!_

" _You will do your duty and marry Yung, then have his children regardless!" The man yelled, then straightened, "Now you can either abort it now, or... donate it to HYDRA. Decide now!"_

 _Moira was sobbing at the horrible choice put in front of her kill her unborn baby or let it be born and made a HYDRA lab rat. So this was why she was donated? This was what Moira was trying to show Kat? The impatient old man grew tired of waiting for Moira's decision and didn't have a compassionate bone in his entire body! "Take her to the private doctor!"_

 _As soon as the guards grabbed her she cried out. "Donation!"_

 _With that the old man nodded to his guards who released her. He came forward causing Moira to flinch in fear, "Now you see, never try to disobey me or your future husband again." He then looked to his wife. "Get her out of my sight."_

That particular memory ended, but just as quickly another began so Kat merely followed the flow of memories being shown to her. She didn't have time to linger or think about what the memory meant since the next memory played out.

 _This one was at night time with a storm raging outside. Rain pelted the window of a lavish bedroom as streaks of lightening lit up the night sky. For a second Kat tried to figure out where this room was as she noted they must be on the third floor at least. Then she heard it the soft sound of someone behind her. The rustle of covers, the soft sobs of Moira, and the soft sweet sound of baby noises. Turning Kat saw Moira in bed holding a bundle wrapped in a pink blanket. Judging by the state of Moira's appearance she must had given birth a few hours ago. The only other in the room was the older woman that was Moira's mother. In the previous memory Moira's mother seemed cold and unconcerned, but now Kat could see it was a mask she wore for her husband. This time the older woman came forward with a pained concerned look._

" _It is almost time my dear. They will come to take her soon." This made Moira start crying more, "Shhh now, no tears. They will enjoy seeing you suffer, do not give them the satisfaction. Remember bide your time..."_

" _Then strike." Moira finished tearfully._

" _Yes, cruelty is their way, but vengeance. Vengeance is ours!" The old woman said sternly, then softened as she looked to the baby, "You will get her back."_

 _Moira nodded composing herself as she wiped away the tears, and the older woman fetched a camera. She came back and sat on the bed once more. "For now, smile. This picture will be a reminder and give you the strength to do what must be done."_

This memory ended with the flash from the camera as the picture was taken of Moira holding Kat. However this was not the end, Kat knew that as the new memory came into focus. The memory was one revisited over and over again in Moira's mind. A cherished memory just like the second one, but this one Moira enjoyed coming back to. It was in a companies office building. Why this memory was so cherished by Moira was unclear. It was of Moira visiting her father in his office. Kat saw it all the conversation, Hitoshi being dragged into the room after being tortured and castrated, the old man signing the legal documents, and Moira murdering her own brother before he could commit Seppeku. Then there was the father dying of a slow acting and very painful poison, and Kat now understood why this memory was so cherished. Nakagawa Senior and Hitoshi had made Moira's life a living hell and now it was her turn to torment them in their final moments.

 _It was here standing near the desk looking down on her tormentor that Moira came to kneel by his prone body and lean over him to speak as he writhed in agony. He was looking up at her pleading with his eyes for mercy that Moira would never grant him. Her voice shook in that moment as a deep rooted pain came to the surface._

" _She jumped from a bridge, but you knew that. Hitoshi gave me the report and laughed. Three! They named my baby a fucking number!_ _"_ _Kat stood there frozen as she watched that final conversation Moira would have with her father. As with the previous memories shown to her, Kat was merely a spectator watching the events unfold._ _"_ _Did you think I would forget her?! Years I spent plotting and planning... counting the days until I would have her back. All because you took her from me!"_

 _At that point Kat was able to do the mental calculations in her head. This happened shortly after her leap from the Nanjing Bridge! Like with most of HYDRA, Moira had thought her dead. Kat knelt closer to look at Moira's face as the woman fought to keep her tears at bay and compose herself, "I might have let Hitoshi commit Seppeku and you. I might have shown mercy in the end despite mother's words to be merciless... but not after this! Not after my daughter died! Think on that as you die a slow, painful, and honour-less death! You took my daughter from me, you should have known you would suffer for it!"_

 _With that Moira got up and walked away not even giving her father a backwards glance. The vision ended with the dying man's agonised screams._

Kat felt like she was jolted awake as she gasped and her eyes snapped open. It was always a little disorientating to witness another's memories especially when they were in quick succession. It might have felt like minutes, but in truth it was a bit quicker than that. Still it was a big shock to realise your supposed psycho mother from HYDRA didn't willingly donate you. Kat watched the older woman stunned and for what felt like hours she really looked at the woman. Everything she thought she knew about Moira Nakagawa had been wrong, she never wanted to donate Kat to HYDRA! She wanted her, but was forced to give her up. Abortion or donation was Moira's only options.

"You didn't want to donate me..." Kat finally stated stunned.

Moira gave a faint smile then nodded, "I had planned to get you out of there once I dealt with my father and brother. Sadly things didn't go to plan as you can guess."

Talk about turning one's world upside down, as Kat suddenly realised the horrible mistake she had made... she had refused to listen. For all Moira's faults from kidnapping Kat to trying to take Tess, the HYDRA head was not as evil as Kat had thought. Moira was simply a woman raised in a HYDRA family, used, and forced to give up her child as a lab rat. She was far from the most evil amongst HYDRA. It changed everything for Kat who came forward and knelt by her... mother.

"We can get you back to Wakanda, get you help and-"

"And what?" Moira asked with a weak chuckle, "You forgive me? Visit me in a cell? No, no that is not me, and it is not you either. Besides I would be dead long before we get to Wakanda's borders..."

Kat looked in the direction of Wakanda trying to calculate how to get Moira back there alive. Meanwhile Moira knew she would not last much longer as she reached up and pulled on a chain around her neck. Pulling out of her blouse and business jacket came a gold heart shaped locket. She yanked on the chain pulling the necklace free. "Here..."

Kat looked back to find Moira offering her the locket, which she took hesitantly. She then looked to Moira worried as the woman spoke. "Now, I know you are not one for showing mercy to HYDRA, and I would not ask for it. But will you grant me one last request?"

Kat wanted to save Moira, but on some level she knew it was impossible. Thus all there was left to do was agree to her mother's last request.

"Yes..." Kat said softly knowing she would not like this request, but would grant it to her mother.

"Grant me an honourable death."

* * *

"Kat!" Bucky called out searching the area. After finding the crashed Quinjet the group split up going in different directions to search for Kat. In the distance he could hear King T'Challa, Sharon, and Steve calling her name too as they searched other areas. The tracks around the Quinjet were hard to follow making it impossible to figure out which way Kat and Moira went. Bucky could only hope he was going the right way. He had gone down a steep incline since the ground looked disturbed, but now it was a guessing game.

"Kat!" Bucky called as he moved further away from the others. Their voices grew fainter as he neared what sounded like a small stream. When he reached the stream he found blood on a nearby rock across the brook. He moved over to it and touched the red streak hoping it was not Kat, but at least he was on the right trail. "Kat!"

He moved further hoping to find her when he spotted a figure coming towards him up ahead. It was obviously a female from the figure, but he didn't know who until she stepped out from the shade of the trees.

"Kat..." Bucky said relieved then noted her injuries and shocked look. She must have heard him when he came towards her because she looked up at him. Then before Bucky could react Kat rushed forward into him. The thud of her katana hit the dirt beside them as she clung to him and her legs gave out. He wrapped his flesh arm around her holding her close as he lowered her to the ground and sat beside her. As near as he could tell Kat had suffered some bad cuts, but nothing life threatening. Due to their connection he knew something terrible had happened as she started crying softly and shaking like a leaf Whatever happened it was over, Bucky knew that much; but it was at a terrible price.

* * *

 **Author's Notes:**

 **First off thank you all for the lovely reviews. As for arienna89's question on why I would leave it there? I love cliffhangers and keeping you guys in suspence. HeeHee. I know I'm mean. Still I love hearing from you guys so thanks again for the lovely reviews.**

 **Also sorry it took so long this was a hard chapter to write. I knew the direction I wanted to go, but there were some blank patches to fill in.**

 **As for this chapter, the biggest thing to note is the twist in the end with Moira. I wanted to make one of those really good villains like Loki or Killmonger, someone that you could sympathise with. Sure I painted her as this pure evil HYDRA head in the first chapters that she is introduced because I wanted readers to simply love to hate her... like Jeoffrey or Ramsey Bolton from Game of Thrones. Then do a whole 180 and just stun everyone.**

 **Also in the Marvel MCU the common theme is a terrible parent. For example Odin and how he treats Loki or lies about Hela, or Peter Quills father Ego. At first we are led to believe they aren't so bad then we learn of the terrible things they've done. So to be as original as possible I wanted to flip that on it's head. Hence we got to see Moira at her absolute worse then be shown the truth of the matter and why she killed her brother and father. Yeah it in no way justifies what she does to Kat or Tess, but on some level I think some could understand her a little. So hopefully I made one of those memorable villains.**

 **I know there are some other things I could touch on but I simply want to post this chapter as I have much to write for if I want to be in time for Endgame. So I hope you enjoyed this Chapter and please let me know what you think by leaving a review.**

 **Lesliezin**


	70. The War Finally is Won

**Hello everyone,**

 **Here is chapter 70, enjoy.**

* * *

 **September 5** **th** **, 2017**

 **Wakanda**

The soft white covers and fluffy pillow were nice, but Kat found it hard to sleep after everything that had happened yesterday. She lay in the recovery room trying to ignore the white noise of others' thoughts as she dwelt on her own. Even then she found she couldn't talk about what happened in those woods. Talking about it would she be viewed as a monster for what she did? Would people scrutinise her actions and ask why she didn't hear Moi—no her mother out? It didn't help that now she was second guessing every one of her victims. Accredited with killing over two-hundred HYDRA personnel. How many had been forced into the role? How many could she have stopped and let go? They weren't all bad, right? Myra wasn't bad, she could trust Myra to always protect Tess. Moira wasn't bad she just had been raised in an asshole family. How many others that she cut down without another thought could have been good?

Sure not all of them were good, she had let Ward live and look at all that he destroyed. But perhaps in her merciless war against HYDRA maybe she had killed those that didn't deserve it. Hindsight was certainly a bitch these days as she now worried that she had been wrong. She lingered on the memories her mother had shown her now better understanding why Moira had done what she did. The pair were more alike than they knew, both were relentless, efficient, and downright brutal with those that wronged them. _'Like mother like daughter...'_ Kat thought.

Once more Kat held up the gold locket her mother gave her, the chain was wrapped around her hand and dangled freely there. For a time she just stared at the innocent looking object, then she heard a groan to her right to find Bucky in the chair beside her bed, he stirred but remained asleep. Sadly after the device Leiko used, it destroyed some of the mechanisms inside his metal arm rendering it just a useless piece of metal. Shuri had offered to attempt to fix it, but in the end the damage was too extensive so Bucky simply asked it be removed completely. Neither Kat nor Tess minded, the largest concern was if it hurt him to have the prosthetic removed which he assured them it didn't.

Speaking of Tess, Kat looked further down to find Tess asleep in the large chair next to Bucky's hugging Sake. The toy Siamese cat/backpack had seen better days and Kat would need to ask Shado if she could get another one for Tess since she was the one to buy it for her. Sadly the little girl now suffered from nightmares after nearly being kidnapped, so she stuck close to them. Myra had apologised multiple times to Tess and her friend Aneka, but no one really blamed the former agent. She had told the girls to run while she dealt with the more immediate threat, but now she guessed she would never be asked to watch Tess again. At least there was no negative effects from the injections they gave Myra. Heightened distress was a huge risk, but after Sam rushed her to the lab Shuri tested her to find no ill effects. Still Kat would need to reassure Myra that they were cool.

Aside from that according to the rumour mill Sam had a long discussion with Myra and was sticking close to her. King T'Challa had the Dora arrest Dzembe and any that allied with Moira, and he had talked to Shuri about wanting to upgrade the shields around Wakanda. According to Shuri, Kat could expect a similar conversation from T'Challa once she recovered since both of them would be working on the upgrade. Aside from that things were calming down and returning to semi normal status, but Coulson's team was now on the most wanted list. No word yet from them only news reports. One such report claimed Daisy shot one General Talbot in the head, luckily the guy survived. Kat was not willing to believe Daisy would just shoot someone like that. She knew the hacker too well, it had to be fake footage or someone impersonating Daisy... like when Zemo impersonated Bucky. Either way it was another issue in a long list of issues to deal with once she recovered.

Once the pain inducers were out of her system they could fully access the damage, and thanks to Wakandan medicine she was fast tracked to the road to recovery. But that wasn't the only reason she was in this recovery room She had just murdered her own mother so psychologically she should be checked into a mental asylum. _'Yeah talk about a fucked up family. Bet none of the other Avengers had to deal with this type of family issues. Well maybe Thor? His brother attacked New York—no no no! Not thinking about that shit!'_ Kat thought. As it was there were a lot of questions Kat just didn't want to answer or explain. Like why Moira targeted her, she still had no clue how to explain that one to them. Luckily no one was nagging her yet probably because when it all was said and done she had been found crying in Bucky's arms over killing a HYDRA head.

A soft gasp pulled Kat from her thoughts as she saw Tess jolt awake clutching Sake. Reading her mind the little girl had just woken from a nightmare of being unable to move. While on the Quinjet Moira had used her powers on Tess to make her do as she wanted. Tess had dreamt that Moira made her sit down on the jet only this time Kat didn't save her. It was a wonder she didn't scream when she woke, most of her nightmares Tess awoke screaming. This time she looked around scared that Moira or the big man would be waiting.

"Hey..." Kat whispered getting her daughter's attention then gestured to the small space beside her. Wordlessly Tess got up and ran over to the bed then climbed on next to Kat who wrapped her arms around Tess. The little girl did the same but with Sake being squashed in the middle between them. "Bad dream sweetie?"

Tess merely nodded and pressed to her. "It's okay you're safe now."

Since the incident everyone doted on Tess and tried to distract her from what had happened, but the events still left a mark on the little girl. Kat wondered if Moira's attempt on Tess shattered that carefree child-like innocence Tess had. Sure she had been warned of HYDRA before, but she had never been put in direct danger before. The little girl seemed quieter and more withdrawn especially around Aneka who came to visit with her parents. Looking to Bucky, Kat knew he was pretending to be asleep at this point. No way did he not wake up when Tess' shoes squeaked and she moved past him to climb onto the bed with Kat. Still if he wanted to pretend to be asleep and give them a moment she wouldn't complain.

Reading his mind he had the same concerns as she over Tess' change in behaviour, and was hoping that with Kat Tess would open up more. For a few minutes Kat merely stroked Tess' hair trying to sooth her before asking the difficult questions and perhaps answering some equally difficult questions. "Sweetie? Do you want to talk about it?"

For a long pregnant silence nothing was said and Kat wondered if Tess would say anything. Then she heard the words she dreaded hearing. "Why me? Why did she come after me, mommy?"

Now how did Kat explain this to her, for a longer moment she tried to work out the best way to tell Tess without terrifying her daughter. There was no easy way to explain this to Tess, and if Kat tried to sugar coat it the little girl was smart enough to see the truth for what it was. "I'm sorry sweetie. She was after me at first, she should have never found out about you."

"Who was she?" Tess asked a moment later. Second most difficult question to answer, but Kat didn't want to lie and claim she was just some bad woman.

"Remember when you asked me about my mommy and daddy? I told you about my father and sister," Kat started, Tess nodded immediately remembering the conversation, "Well they are the ones I consider my father and sister, but they are not blood related. For years I thought my real parents were bad people, and that is partially true. My biological father was a very bad man, but my mother..."

Kat trailed off suddenly remembering Moira's face in those last few moments. She never thought she would regret killing a head of HYDRA, but she did. Tess looked up at her mommy when she didn't continue. Somehow the little girl realised the truth by seeing how upset Kat was. "She was your mommy?"

Feeling her throat constrict Kat could only nod her head as Tess watched her, then hugged her as if trying to comfort her mom. While Tess was still very young she seemed to grasp easily what had happened better than most. Moira acted like any mom wanting their child back, but when it was clear Kat would not play ball, Moira decided to take Tess for her own. To Tess Moira was simply a mommy that wanted her daughter back, just like Kat had wanted Tess back when taken. Yes the situation was confusing to the little girl, but she understood enough. For a while Kat just held Tess taking comfort in holding her daughter and mourning the loss of a woman she barely knew. Feeling eyes on her Kat looked to find Bucky had not moved an inch but his eyes were open watching them.

No doubt Bucky would want to talk about this new knowledge in private with her, but for now Kat remembered there was an issue worrying her about Tess. Licking her lips she pulled away a little to look at Tess. "Sweetie, can I ask you something?"

Tess merely nodded, so Kat continued, "The other day your friend Aneka came to visit with her parents. Why were you avoiding her?"

Tess looked down ashamed as she petted Sake, "I can't be her friend anymore..."

"What? Why not?" Kat asked concerned, did the parents say something to Tess? They seemed relieved that Tess was alright and thankful that Aneka had not been harmed. They made no mention of the pair not being able to be friends anymore.

"You said I had to be very careful because there were bad people after us. I wasn't careful, the bad man wanted to shoot Aneka had I not bitten him... Next time she could get hurt." Tess said finding more interest in Sake's fur.

"Awe sweetie," Kat sighed seeing what was happening as she brushed back some of Tess' hair behind her ear, "You were very careful, and amazingly brave. You saved Aneka, and while hopefully there will be no next time... I am sure you would never let anything happen to her. That doesn't mean you should stop being her friend."

Tess peeked up at her mom with a worried look. "But she could get hurt."

"Should I stop being friends with Sharon, Daisy, or Shuri because they could get hurt?" Kat asked, making Tess scrunch her nose in dislike, she loved her aunts so she shook her head, "Well there you go, so why should you stop being friends with Aneka?"

Tess laid there thinking about it and after a moment Kat added, "Also Aneka is not going to be defenceless you both are training to be Dora, so both of you will know how to defend yourselves. Just like your Aunt Sharon and Daisy know how to defend themselves, they don't need me to protect them anymore than Aneka will need you to protect her."

The logic was sound as Tess finally looked up at her mom hopeful. "Really?"

"Pretty soon you both will be kicking butt and taking names." Kat said getting Tess to smile for the first time in days. From there the girl relaxed more, even if still shaken by everything that had happened to them. Kat kept her close as the pair laid in the bed, for now she would focus on Tess and try to forget her own mother. She would try not to think about Daisy or Coulson's team, and she would ignore the conversation she would need to have later with Bucky and the Avengers.

Eventually the pair dosed off to sleep in the hospital bed leaving Bucky to think about what he just learned. He knew Steve, and the others wanted answers and were patiently waiting for them but Kat was not ready to give those answers. It was difficult enough for her to try to explain to Tess, how much harder would it be for her to tell them? Perhaps he should tell them this bit of information, they would probably not seek further information if they knew Moira was Kat's mother.

It was while thinking about this that Myra appeared in the doorway and leaned against the frame. Immediately Bucky held a finger to his lips, then rose gesturing for her to follow. Wordlessly the former agent did as he asked and he headed for the lounge where the others were.

On entering the lounge the group were talking about what had happened when they entered, and Steve looked to him concerned. "How are they?"

"Both seem okay. They're asleep right now." Bucky said going over to the coffee machine to pour himself a mug. He would have to get used to having just one arm now, he carefully poured his drink then picked up his mug.

"I still want to know why Moira targeted Kat then Tess." Sam said frowning as Myra sat beside him, and he wrapped an arm around her.

"Seems an odd choice. She could have taken us out-" Nat started to say when Bucky decided not to beat around the bush.

"She was Kat's mother."That was one way to silence a room as they all looked at Bucky stunned. Steve suddenly looked concerned as he now understood why Kat had been found crying in Bucky's arms.

"Her mother?" Sharon asked equally concerned, "Aida?"

The AI had been abnormally quiet until called on by Sharon. "I had agreed never to name her parents only inform her when they were killed. Which I did when Fury killed her father."

"But you never informed her of her mother's death..." Shuri added, it wasn't a question because the answer was clear.

"Why didn't you tell her Moira was her mother? You had to know she would be going after her sooner or later." Nat added.

"She asked me not to." Aida being the AI played a recorded message from that time to prove her point.

 _"I have their names if you want to know who they are."_ Aida had offered in the recording.

 _"No, I do not want to know who they are. They are monsters nothing more."_ Kat's voice recording replied. _"All I want to know is who kills them, so that I might thank them. Will you tell me who kills them?"_

 _"Of course, Kat."_ Aida recorded voice said. Thus the recording ended. "I merely did as she asked."

While it now seemed wrong, Aida had only done what was asked of her blaming her in hindsight solved nothing. Obviously something had changed, and even the AI had enough sense to notice that.

"And what would have happened when we would have gone after Moira?" Steve asked worried.

"I had been planning on consulting Sharon, and Daisy on the matter. Daisy had a terrible experience with her own mother, and might have had better insight. While Sharon being her best friend might have been able to gently inform Kat without my breaking my promise to her." Aida said, which had things played out differently might have been the best course of action. Sadly hindsight was good for one thing—looking back and wishing. It was irrelevant now. What was done was done, there was no changing it now.

"So what did she want to reunite with Kat?" Sam finally asked after a quiet moment.

"Looks that way, but Kat would have never accepted Moira. Probably why she came after Tess when she was discovered. I don't know the full details only that Moira was her mother. It was difficult enough for Kat to explain to Tess, I just figured you guys should know." Bucky said worried, she would probably never want to tell anyone what happened not even him.

"Okay." Steve said softly after a moment, no doubt it would take time for Kat to come to terms with this and pestering her on it was not something anyone wanted to do. For now the threat was over and T'Challa had asked them to stay for a time which given recent events Steve agreed to.

* * *

 **September 7th, 2017**

 **Wakanda**

Kat took in a long breath of fresh air as she stood in the open plains under the shade of a large tree. It was a perfect spot, but she knew that when she buried the book in remembrance of Four. Only now there were two graves. She was glad that Bucky had taken Tess for a day out, he knew she needed time alone to think. Sure they still had much to work out, but right then she needed this more. She looked down at the headstone and freshly dug grave as she held the locket in her hands. She had got a new chain for it, but little else. She had not even opened the locket to see what was inside because part of her knew what was inside.

"I hope this is okay," Kat said feeling awkward, "It's nice here...peaceful. You deserved better than to be buried in some plot in Japan with those vultures." The Nakagawa family didn't deserve such a woman. After recovering, Kat had researched further hoping to find other relatives and inform them of Moira's death. Sadly Moira's mother passed away two years ago, and Moira never had anymore children. Kat guessed that Moira found ways to end her potential pregnancies with her husband utterly refusing to bear him children. The Nakagawa family line effectively ended with Kat, it was ironic really; a family that served HYDRA for generations and the last one in that line fought to end HYDRA. Any other day Kat would have found that funny, but now she just looked at the headstone. "The one with you is Four...well his book. He was important to me, my childhood love. He is the reason I am still alive and here..."

Kat looked at the headstone for Four fondly, "He is also the reason I would never have joined HYDRA. But rather than just wanting to kill you, I should have found another way. I should have tried to save you from HYDRA. I will always regret that... it's on a very long list of regrets."

The last part Kat gave a bitter laugh as she quickly brushed away some tears. It was then she decided she needed to look inside this locket before she started crying more. Opening the locket Kat gave a soft laugh as she saw the image, it was enough to confirm that she wasn't unwanted. Moira had wanted her at least... The image was of a much younger Moira holding a small baby Kat in her arms. Moira was smiling despite the sadness in her eyes at what was about to happen then. It made Kat remember those final moments with her mother...

" _Grant me an honourable death." Moira asked. Kat stood there stunned, but understanding the request. While it had been denied to Hitoshi and Nakagawa senior, it was no more than the two men deserved. Still Kat also knew what it meant, what she would have do to. Seppuku!_

 _She had just bore witness to the truth that her mother was forced to give her up and now she was being asked to grant her mother an honourable death. It was too much to bear, as Kat suddenly regretted not giving her mother a chance, not trying to save her! She had mercilessly killed HYDRA in droves, but now?! Kat shook her head. "I can't..."_

 _Moira sighed seeing the look and knowing why, it was not because Kat wanted to deny her an honourable death, it was because she simply didn't want to kill her. "You have killed HYDRA before. With me HYDRA dies, anything else claiming to be HYDRA will be a mere shadow. You swore to destroy HYDRA. Don't hedge now."_

" _You're asking me to—"_

" _To end me, to end HYDRA... you'll finally have put an end to it." Moira said shakily, she would not last much longer, "Please!"_

 _The plea shook Kat to her core, as tears slid down her cheeks. The goal had always been to destroy HYDRA. Kat had longed for this day, hadn't she? So why was it so hard now? Why not kill this last threat and finally be free of HYDRA? She knew the answer to those questions, but if she debated too long Moira would die with her last request unfulfilled. 'Regret it later.' She thought as she nodded to Moira hating what she was about to do. She moved to stand by Moira who with the dignity of a true Warrior didn't flinch as she sat up straight on her knees, head held high. Without even a twinge of pain she drew the knife inside her across her stomach. As Kat shakily raised her katana ready to strike when she was done._

 _She swung delivering the blow that would complete the final request. Even as she swung Kat closed her eyes feeling and using memory to know where to strike. It was quick, but Kat knelt there a moment numbed by what she had just done. From there it all kind of went blank until she saw Bucky then collapsed in his arms crying._

"Donation or abortion. Pretty fucked up choice one I don't envy you for, mom. I know it must have been hard to go through with it, and I hated what I went through... but thank you. Thank you for wanting me and trying to do what you could for me. I know I said before that you're not my mother and all those horrible things, but I wish I could take them back and try to save you. I don't like what all you tried to do, but if I had just tried to save you it could have been different."

By the end of her words she was crying and looking down at the locket. Silently she put it on wanting to keep this one reminder from her mother. "I hope you find peace here. It is a really nice place. You'll get to see the most beautiful sunsets, and you'll be close to us, mom."

With that Kat touched the headstone since it was the closest she would ever get to touching her mother. Bidding Moira farewell before turning and walking from the field.

Once away from the field, Kat took in a shaky breath and exhaled as if able to breath again. From there she moved to the Dora's practise area since Bucky had taken Tess to practise. It was time to get back to her own life, and deal with the problems here. As it was she and Bucky had been tiptoeing around each other. As much as she dreaded another argument they needed to address the elephant in the room. It was a nice long walk that she enjoyed and it gave her time to work out what to say to him. Eventually she made it to the training grounds and spotted Bucky easily, he sat on the grassy hill over the training grounds watching Tess intensely. No doubt nearly losing her made him over protective of her. He was so focused that Kat smiled as she admired him, he was still just as gorgeous as ever. It wasn't until she neared him that he realised someone was there and looked to her.

"Hi." Kat said shyly.

"Hey, how are you?" Bucky asked, it made Kat start biting her bottom lip, as she dipped her hands into the pockets of her capris'.

"Good, better... you?"

"Down a arm, but okay," Bucky replied then peeked at Tess then back at Kat. He pointed to Tess. "She bounces back fast."

"Yeah, she is a tough girl." Kat replied smiling as she looked to Tess practising.

"She gets it from her mom."

"Actually she gets that from her dad. He is tougher." Kat replied. For a moment there was an awkward silence between the pair as they tried to decide on what to say next.

"You were right." Bucky said confusing Kat, who gave him a funny look, "I wasn't trying to force you to have more kids with me. I know you don't want more and now I see why. It's too dangerous-"

"Bucky," Kat interrupted as she knelt in front of him and touched his knee, "I never said I don't want more kids. I'm just not in a race to have more. Yes I will want more with you, but must it be a race? Can't we just enjoy what we have for now?"

Kat silently held her breath waiting for Bucky's answer, then he smiled at her. Before she could react her grabbed her and pulled her close kissing her passionately. Kat was not sure what it meant because she was afraid to read his mind, but she had missed him kissing her like this. So she kissed him back desperately until he released her lips. "Yes that sounds good. We nearly lost what we had, enjoying what we have sounds best."

Relieved that he was not going to press the issue Kat smiled. "I promise Bucky-"

"You don't have to. It's not a race."

"No no racing, but I will want to have more children with you. I promise." Kat said making him smile at her, "And I promise to try to give you a son when we try for more."

Bucky grinned then kissed her deeply wanting to convey what her promise meant to him. They kissed until out of breath then they sat to resume watching Tess practise. Kat sat with her back against Bucky's chest his long legs on either side of hers, as his arm held her around her waist. For a time the pair watched their daughter as she went through manoeuvre's and stances. Right then this was perfect as they watched Tess glad for this peaceful moment.

"Can we rest now?" Bucky asked. Kat now read his mind and knew what he meant. She had no intentions of leaving for anymore adventures. She had finally finished her mission of destroying HYDRA at great personal cost. It was past time she take a step back and enjoy her life.

"Yeah, we can rest for a bit now." Kat replied.

* * *

In the weeks to follow Moira's attack, Myra went through re-constructive surgery. It was successful enabling the former agent to be able to get pregnant. However Sam insisted on marrying her first. With him insisting it was kind of hard for Myra to say no, and so they had a small ceremony. Myra Bicks was soon Myra Wilson. Steve and Company decided to stay for a few months so that Sam could enjoy marriage bliss, and the group could get some much needed rest. Meanwhile Myra still came around to check in on Tess. Kat knew Myra was still upset about Tess nearly being kidnapped, the pair were good friends and Myra felt she had failed both Kat and Tess miserably. It took a lot of reassuring the former agent but eventually Myra got over it. To show that the trust was very much still there Kat told Myra that if she wanted to than she and Tess could still hang out. So they did hang out though not as much as before since Myra was now married.

Meanwhile Kat was eventually approached and asked by King T'Challa to help Shuri upgrade the shields around Wakanda. The pair got to work on it shortly after Kat returned to work, and things soon became business as usual. The shield would keep them busy for some months yet, but Kat wanted to ensure this never happened again. Even if it wasn't HYDRA that could come for Tess, it was anyone that saw who Tess' parents were. Any government agency, any group like HYDRA. Sure no one else knew of Tess and those that did swore silence. But this was just an added precaution against threats. Kat would never let anyone or anything take her loved ones away again. So regardless of what was happening beyond Wakanda, the priority was improving the shields.

Aside from work, Kat was finally able to relax a little more and open up about what happened to Bucky. She told him about Moira's memories and what her mother had been forced to do which earned Moira new found grudging respect from the former Winter Soldier. Bucky was the one to inform the others because Kat simply did not like to talk about it. In the end it helped clear up a lot of what happened and why it happened.

Sadly three months after the incident Steve and company were leaving Wakanda once more, and while Kat told Myra she should be with Sam the former agent knew she would hinder the group more than anything. So she decided to remain in Wakanda and felt she could do more good there. Numerous times before the group left Kat asked Myra if she was sure, but both she and Sam had agreed to part ways with the group coming back to visit every couple of months. It was sad to see them leave, and see the newly weds separated; but as Myra said: 'It wasn't permanent. He'll be back.'

After that things returned to they way they were for a time, but throughout all that was a lingering issue Kat tried to ignore. Only as the months past with no word, it became impossible to ignore—Where was Coulson's team?!

* * *

 **February 18** **th** **, 2018**

 **Wakanda**

"You know if Bucky finds out you are doing this he'll never let you leave that hut again." Aida warned almost sounding amused. Sure it would be amusing to the AI if Kat ended up that way as Kat typed into the keys of her computer.

"Do you see me boarding a jet?" Kat asked annoyed. She no longer slept properly she had not told anyone but about a month after Moira, she could no longer sense Daisy, or well most of Coulson's team. They were just gone, she tried to pass it off as them being too far away, or her ignoring them. But as time went on... she only sensed Fitz. The other issue was she did not want to scare Tess by mentioning that she couldn't sense them. So she just never spoke of it even now she was tight lipped on the issue. The only reason she was not in full panic was because on some weird unexplainable level... she knew they were alive, she just couldn't sense them.

"Kind of hard for you to do that... your mother destroyed your jet." Aida replied still amused as Kat rolled her eyes.

"Which is why this is not a big deal." Kat pointed out still typing away, then looking around the lab.

"Is that why you keep checking to make sure Shuri isn't entering the lab?" Aida asked.

"Shut up, it's no big deal. Stop making it out to be a big deal."

"Oh no no big deal at all... just hacking into the U.S Military's database. Hey isn't this a federal crime? Wait aren't we suppose to be good guys now? I bet King T'Challa won't like this..." Aida said making Kat groan.

"I can't leave Wakanda and I need to know what happened at the Playground, Aida. Or do you not care what happened to Coulson's team?" Kat asked.

"Course I care, I just gotta mess with you." Aida replied laughing a little. For an AI one could easily mistaken her for a human. Kat shook her head as she continued the hack, the military confiscated everything after the explosion at the SHIELD base, so the only way to learn what happened was to hack their child-like encryption and see what they found. They had all the records and data that might explain what happened. So it was down to accessing it and luckily the military could not decrypt the logs. Fortunately Kat and Aida could, and they were doing all this undetected. The U.S military really needed to upgrade their systems...

"Okay who made this defence program? A Kindergärtner?" Aida asked.

"You would think a bunch of children run the military their programs are laughable..." Kat replied as she hacked the last decryption, "Okay... files accessed."

A second later the last mission logs came up featuring...Aida? Wait that could not be right.

"Why am I in this log?" Aida asked confused.

"I don't know, maybe a typo?" Kat asked as she decided to do a search keyword 'Aida'. It pulled up all SHIELD data for... an AI only it wasn't the right Aida. "What the fuck?"

"These are schematics for an AI platform!" Aida added as the AI saw the blueprints done by one Doctor Holden Radcliffe. "They—they named it ME!"

* * *

 **Author's Notes:**

 **First off Thank you** **Fin-Fish Jun-Tenshi and BlooAngels** **for the lovely reviews. I really enjoy reading your reviews.**

 **BlooAngels, asked about Moira being made to have more children when she was forced to marry. I had thought about that when writing Moira. As mentioned in this chapter she doesn't have any other children. While I had considered addressing it in a flashback, Moira would have gone to great lengths to not have children with her 'husband'. Including ending a pregnancy by whatever means necessary. In the end I decided to have Kat look into it, and discover she has no half-siblings and her 'grandmother' passed away two years prior.**

 **As for this chapter, yes it is a little shorter since it is the closing of that particular adventure and the beginning of another. Again this was a little hard to write because it is dealing with the aftermath of what happened and the knew knowledge Kat has to deal with. This was not her typical evil villain this was her mother, so it makes her question her actions and approach to HYDRA itself. We also get a slight time jump and brief summary of happens after these events.**

 **I was worried I was leaving something out when closing that particular story arc with Moira, but hopefully I addressed everything okay. Now for the latter half of the chapter some might be thinking why would Kat be looking to leave Wakanda again to go help Coulson. First off... she doesn't want to go anywhere. She wants to stay in Wakanda, but for months then at the end when she is breaking into a military database she has been unable to sense someone equally important to her-Daisy.**

 **Try to see this through Kat's eyes. Yes she has just dealt with a heart breaking situation with her mother. Her daughter was nearly kidnapped, she has just patched things up with Bucky, and the very last thing she wants to do is go ANYWHERE. But at the same time one of her best friends just suddenly disappears. Not just disappears but Kat can't sense her anymore. This is along with a group of other friends that disappeared.**

 **In short Kat is not trying to go anywhere, she just wants to find Daisy and the others and make sure they are okay. Thus at the end of this chapter both Kat and Aida discover that another AI was made and had Aida's name.**

 **Anyway I do hope you enjoyed this chapter. I plan on kicking out the chapters more easily leading up to Infinity War, so I hope you also enjoy the upcoming chapters. Please let me know what you thought by leaving a review.**

 **Lesliezin**


	71. Playing Catch Up

**Hello everyone,**

 **Here is Chapter 71, enjoy.**

* * *

 **February 18** **th** **, 2018**

 **Wakanda**

Kat was too stunned for words as she shook her head in disbelief. She was staring at what they had unlocked, the object that the Military had taken from the Playground. Part of her still couldn't believe this. These schematics were for an AI platform and they named it Aida! Why?! Did they realise how hurtful this was?! The real Aida worked hard to prove herself to a world that both hated and feared her because of wannabe genius Stark! No matter how much Aida did it would never be enough because she would always be compared to Ultron, so to have some...knock-off running around was completely unacceptable! Kat shook her had as she resumed digging deeper hoping it wasn't true. As she worked she muttered. "This has to be some mistake... they wouldn't."

Calling up the report logs made everything even more messed up. On an earlier mission it was discovered that May was replaced with something called an 'LMD' or Life Model Decoy. To retrieve some evil book called: The Darkhold?' Just looking at some of this information was giving Kat a headache! According to the reports the book was some evil magical spell book? When the fuck did Coulson's team start dealing with Harry Potter crap?! "Oh! This is what we get for losing contact with them! I'm surprised they haven't accidentally called the fucking Death-Star to Earth!"

Kat skimmed over the reports involving someone named Robbie Rayes and his freaky abilities. She was even creeped out by his Uncle and what he was able to do. As it turned out this copy of Aida was first used to read the Darkhold to save Coulson and Fitz. Again Kat skimmed missions just wanting the gist of it. She needed to know where they were and not sensing them was driving her nuts. Finally several reports later this 'Aida' tried to steal the Darkhold but was stopped before she could escape. Only later was a fake May used to steal it. After that it was a race to locate the real May held by Radcliffe, and deal with a Russian called the Superior.

"Looks like the last mission before the base blew was to rescue May and Director Mace. At first they went to Alaska, then onto Russia. According to this they rescued Mace, but May was not at either location..." Kat said then began decrypting more of the data, including the video surveillance for the Playground, "Let's see what happened after they got back..."

The surveillance showed them returning, and at first nothing was unusual about what the group was doing. Kat was about to skip it ahead when the camera clicked over to the lab.

" _Jemma?"_ Fitz called to Simmons trying to get her attention, as she chewed her nail deep in thought.

" _How long were we in that base?"_

" _Pardon?"_

" _The timetable of this mission is bothering me."_ Jemma said as she turned to face Fitz and moved toward him, " _Coulson said he came straight down to the submarine dock after rescuing the director, and we heard the blast from Daisy's battle with Ivanov long before she met up with us again."_

" _What are you saying?"_ Fitz asked as he continued to dismantle some hardware he retrieved from the Russian base.

" _I'm saying... something doesn't feel right. There's a stretch of time in there that's unaccounted for where no one was in contact."_ Jemma said, Kat leaned forward in her seat watching the video log carefully. Meanwhile in the video Fitz paused thinking about this information.

" _Now that you mention it,"_ Fitz stopped what he was doing and straightened, _"_ _It was pitch dark when we left."_

It was then that both heard a alert beeping from the nearby computer and Jemma went to check it. _"_ _It's from the blast door scanner system."_

" _Yeah LMD detection."_ Fitz said looking over his shoulder at Jemma.

" _Yeah."_

" _What about it?"_ Fitz asked as Jemma was checking the system.

" _It was disabled."_

" _Disabled? Recently?"_ Fitz moved over by Jemma as she looked at the screen. _"_ _And the system report was deleted from the records. Why would someone do that? By who?"_

" _Not sure, "_ Jemma replied as she clicked keys, _"_ _Luckily my level on this spectrum of security means a copy of each report is sent directly to my inbox. The system was accessed by..."_ Whatever was on Jemma's screen made her freeze in place, _"_ _Coulson."_

" _Coulson? What would he want to keep from us?"_

"Aida can we adjust the camera to possibly see what they are looking at?" Kat asked as she tried to enhance the camera. Meanwhile Aida tried to adjust the image so that it would not blur, it was just in time for Jemma to access what was deleted. The image showed Coulson, Mack, Daisy, and someone who Kat guessed was Director Mace. Beneath the image read in block red: LMD DETECTED.

As expected Jemma looked like she was about to freak out, _"_ _Fitz. This has to be a mistake."_

" _Wait, wait, wait,"_ Fitz whispered but even he looked panicked, _"_ _Now you said it yourself. We were in there for a while. We were separated from them the whole time."_

" _Aida was seen at the base, and tanks of gas. What kind of gas?"_

"But I wasn't there!" Aida yelled getting upset, "Why did they give her my name? That isn't me!"

"Aida calm down, I know it wasn't you. That they made some knock-off version of you." Kat replied. When the AI went quiet Kat returned to the video.

" _They switched people out... how many?"_ Fitz asked, and Jemma checked the computer once more. The screen showed the same image, but now the message stated 4 LMDS DETECTED

" _All of them."_ Kat leaned back in her chair after seeing this. Did the LMDs cause the explosion? Were the human agents forced to blow up the base to escape? She watched as Fitz narrowly managed to keep Simmons with him, rather then her go with Mace. The disturbing part was the LMDs wanted to call any Inhumans to the base. The pretence was to protect them from Ivanov who wanted to kill all Inhumans, but the truth for calling them was most likely a lot darker. The first to be called was Yo-yo.

Still knowing Coulson, Mace, Daisy, and Mack were replaced Kat watched through surveillance them closely. At one point Coulson went into the Director's office where... May was? No he must have woken the May LMD up. She was looking out the window watching the snow fall. _"_ _I have so many memories of snow. My first time ice-skating on my neighbours pond. A month stationed near the French Alps. But the truth is... this is the first time I've seen it."_

" _My phantom limb used to ache in cold weather,"_ Coulson's LMD said as he rolled up his sleeve, _"_ _But now... I don't feel the pain. I haven't felt this good in years."_

That was when May turned around to look at Coulson confused, _"_ _What are you saying? No, oh god no! What did Radcliffe do?!"_

" _May, it's okay."_

" _This is why I am locked up in here! You're not afraid of what I'll do. You're afraid that they'll discover you!"_ The entire time Coulson was trying to calm May down as Kat realised that the May LMD was programmed to act exactly like May and had even thought she was the real May at one point. Meanwhile Coulson was trying to convince her to help him, that what they were doing was right, however May wasn't having that.

" _I get it. My programming is different than yours_. _You had to discover that your body had been replaced. You must have felt blind-sided."_ Coulson said.

" _My reality was crashing down."_

" _Whereas I still have my mind but know exactly what I am. And more importantly I understand a basic truth that you don't realise yet."_

" _And what's that?"_ May asked.

" _That our bodies don't matter. Radcliffe built a world..."_ As Coulson spoke he gestured to the window and the snowy land beyond. _"_ _A world exactly like this one. Every molecular detail the same, just... with a little less hurt for each of us."_

" _What do you mean 'hurt'?"_ May asked moving closer to him.

" _Imagine if your greatest regret could be wiped away. Do you know what that would be?"_

" _I do. And you?"_

" _I sometimes wonder what it would have been like if I'd never signed up,"_ Coulson moved towards the window and was looking at the SHIELD badge that belonged to him. Had he not signed up he would have never been killed by Loki, nor revived using Kree blood and Tahiti programming, He might have been a history teacher or something. _"_ _All the loss, the grief... all my regrets are piled up after that. Could've lived like a civilian, you know? The simple life."_ The entire time May moved closer to him, and he moved from the window to face her. _"_ _Now we can have that."_

" _Are you saying we'll eventually be able to be... together?"_

" _I'm saying that in the Framework, we already are."_ Kat had to pause the footage, and get up. She certainly hoped they had not signed up for fantasy land. Sure it would be tempting to erase your greatest regret, but people were meant to make mistakes and learn from them. This was escaping the harsh truth in favour of a dream world.

"You okay, Kat?" Aida asked.

"I should be asking you that. They made a cheap knock off of you." Kat said pouring herself a mug of coffee.

"True, but if you could wouldn't you erase your greatest regret?"

"Like Coulson my regrets have piled up..." Kat said thinking. She supposed it would be her very first regret that this Framework would erase, and in her case. She looked down at her coffee, "I would have gotten us out of that HYDRA base. Not just me. We all would have escaped... been free."

Thinking back to her fellow lab rats dying was her very first regret, then having to escape alone. Sure anyone might take the chance to go back and fix a mistake, but what would be the cost? What would one have to sacrifice to change that one regret? If you go back and change something it has a domino effect, everything else changes along with it. If she went back and saved her fellow lab rats, she might have been with Four, but that would mean she wouldn't be with Bucky or have Tess. It was a concept that seemed to be going unnoticed by the LMDs. If Coulson was in this Framework and didn't join SHIELD, then the percentage chance that he and May met had got together would be very low... next to non-existent.

"What if they all went into this Framework willingly?" Aida asked worried and bringing Kat out of her thoughts.

"They wouldn't, " Kat set down her coffee mug by the computer to resume watching the video logs, "Everyone makes mistakes, everyone has regrets. It's the only way we live, grow, and become the people we are. As much as they might regret something this Framework isn't real. They wouldn't sign up for that."

Clicking the play button again, Kat switched to other cameras trying to learn how the Playground was destroyed and more importantly where the SHIELD team went. At first nothing until she saw Fitz and Simmons wheeling some equipment down to one of the more secure rooms, the Workshop. They spoke further on how the switches could have taken place. It was an older disused room with heavy equipment, good place to hide for the time being from the LMDs. However a beep on the computer got Jemma's attention as Fitz locked the door.

She went around, but at this angle Kat could not get a clear enhanced view of the screen. _"_ _What is.."_

" _Let me see."_ Fitz came over and took the laptop from Jemma. Meanwhile Jemma was backing away from Fitz making Kat worry was the beeping alert an LMD being detected in the room? If so which one? _"_ _Well the lab techs must've taken it upon themselves to mount LMD detection devices randomly throughout the base. I mean there must be a calibration error. It's reading the equipment or something..."_

At that point Fitz turned around to face Jemma who pulled a gun on Fitz, and he moved to hide behind something. _"_ _Stay right there!"_

" _Hey Jemma..."_

" _Back away! Back away until we can figure this out!"_ Fitz raised his hands in surrender not wanting to get shot.

"Which one is the LMD?" Aida asked worried.

"No idea, I mean had I been there I might have known right away when I couldn't read one of their minds, but this happened months ago..." Kat said thinking, neither of them died, she would have sensed that right off, so no sense panicking over a video recording. Still it was disturbing to watch the pair start to accuse each other of being an LMD. At first Kat was convinced Jemma was the LMD, the yelling increased until Jemma yelled.

" _Well it's one of us!"_ The pair took a moment to calm down even though Jemma kept the gun aimed at Fitz, _"_ _It's one of us, Fitz."_

" _Well regardless of who it is... it's my fault."_ Fitz confessed making Kat want to hit him upside the head. He helped to create this knock-off Aida?

" _It is."_

" _I perfected the technology. I started this whole nightmare. I'm sorry."_ Now it was confirmed he helped create the knock-off.

"Jemma is the LMD, I think it's Jemma." Aida said, and Kat wholeheartedly agreed, it had to be her.

" _I couldn't. I'm not gonna fight you, Jemma. Even if you are a decoy." 'Yep definitely Jemma.'_ Kat thought. " _I'm the bad guy okay? No matter what. So I'll do whatever you say. Okay? I'll do whatever you say."_

Jemma took a quick look around and decided on what to do. _"_ _Pick it up."_

Fitz spotted what she had which was knife of some kind, it was hard to tell from the angle of the surveillance camera. _"_ _And do what, Jemma?"_

" _Cut your wrist. If you're the LMD I will see the substructure and I'll know. And if not..."_ Jemma instructed.

" _And if not then you're the Android and you just convinced me to slit my wrist."_

" _Do it!"_

Fitz took some shaky breaths before unbuttoning his sleeve and rolling it up. _"_ _Okay."_

He picked it up and moved back to the middle of the room so Jemma could better see him. Then he pressed the blade to his wrist cutting his wrist. Immediately he dropped to his knees. _"_ _Oh! That is a lot of blood."_

" _Did you cut the radial artery?"_

" _I was trying very hard to miss it, I..."_ It was then Jemma moved to the table to grab a cloth for Fitz, _"_ _Don't come near me!"_

From there Jemma moved closer to him. _"_ _Oh god."_

" _Fitz... I'm sorry."_ However once she was close enough Fitz flipped the knife he still had around and stabbed Jemma in the leg. Kat jumped as he grabbed her wrists and gunshots were heard in the workshop. Then Fitz grabbed a paint can and hit Jemma knocking her out. "Looks like we were wrong..."

"These LMDs are too real. It's scary to think these machines are running around." Aida added. They watched Fitz sedate Jemma and get her ready, no doubt to plug her into this fantasy land Radcliffe had created.

At one point Jemma was waking up. _"_ _I need you conscious to map your frontal lobe, so you can't be too heavily sedated."_ Fitz kissed her forehead making Kat wonder how much of Fitz was in this copy? _"_ _The rest you can sleep through."_

" _You have Fitz's mind. Why are you doing this?"_

" _I'm doing it for you. For us. What we've always suspected, I now know to be true. Consciousness is separate from the physical self."_ Jemma managed to wiggled free of her bonds and get out of the chair, but being sedated she had little strength as she hit the floor _"_ _Don't hurt yourself, Jemma. There's no reason to be afraid."_

Jemma managed to get the device off of her head and was crawling away. Kat kept hoping that someone was going to come in and save her from this LMD. Meanwhile Fitz kept talking. _"_ _I was always trying to protect you, pursuing technological solves to the problematic scenario. That you could be harmed or killed. But Radcliffe's cured death. Once I map your brain we'll never have to fear losing each other again."_

By then Jemma reached a hammer and Fitz looked back at her. _"_ _Don't fight Jemma. You're too weak. I'm securing our future."_

Jemma sat gripping the hammer as Fitz turned to face her. _"_ _So we can get married, grow old together."_

" _That's the first time you've mentioned it... getting married."_ In any other situation the idea of Fitz and Simmons getting married was a lovely idea, but that was something for between them not some fucking Fitz android!

" _I mean... I've thought about it. But I was afraid to bring it up. You know... I thought I knew your answer, but no one's ever 100%."_ Fitz said standing over Jemma who found the strength to lift that hammer.

" _I'll tell Fitz when I see him."_ For a split second Kat could not see how Jemma would escape, but then she saw the lever holding the engine up above Fitz. A second later she hit it with the hammer dropping it on the LMD of Fitz. From there Jemma moved with a speed Kat didn't think her capable of in that moment. She grabbed some other sharp object and began stabbing a screaming Fitz. Even though it was an LMD it was hard for Kat to watch, and it must have been even harder for Jemma to do. It ended with her stabbing Fitz in the neck. However that was just one LMD, how many more were there?

Switching cameras Kat looked for clues on which person was which. Then she spotted Daisy in the lower levels moving fast, something must have spooked her. She also looked to be getting dressed? And carrying Mack's shotgun-axe... Frowning Kat called up where she had been to show Mack getting up in a room full of... Daisy bots!

Frowning Kat was confused the LMD detectors had read four LMDs and Daisy was in the picture. Re-analysing the image, Kat zoomed in then switched to the secondary camera in the loading dock. Had Jemma checked she would have discovered Fitz standing behind Mack. Since Mack was a big guy, the initial image only showed Mack, Coulson, Daisy, and Mace. Five people... four LMDs.

"Why would they need an army of Daisy bots?" Aida wondered as Kat sat back.

"Because they can't completely mimic the real Daisy. She is Inhuman, sure they can have an identical decoy but these LMDs can't replicate her powers." Kat said, then switched back to following Daisy. She watched Daisy enter a storage room, and turn off the lights. From there she leaned against a cabinet and check the camera herself on the notepad she had. The light from the screen of Daisy's touch screen made it impossible to guess what she was seeing, so Kat enhanced the sound to catch the dialogue from the device.

" _It's Agent Fitz, sir."_

" _We can see that."_

" _Davis said Agent Simmons was the only other one in here with him."_ In the Workshop, Daisy was watching footage of the Workshop. Opening a secondary screen Kat saw Coulson, Mace, and three other agents standing in the room over Fitz's body.

" _Then it is what we feared. We believe Agent Simmons has been compromised, replaced by an LMD. We need to find her, scan her..."_ Mace was saying, but one agent was looking down at Fitz.

" _No wait."_ The agent knelt down and touched the area Jemma had stabbed which showed metal beneath the skin. _"_ _Look. My god! Sir we have to scan everyone."_

Without another word Coulson pulled a gun and shot two of the agents. The third tried to run, but was hit by Mace and flew into the wall. Coulson then came over to shoot him, but his gun was empty, so he hit him with the gun killing him instantly. A second later Mack entered the room. _"_ _Daisy knows, and she got away."_

" _Damn it. This is not how it was suppose to go. We didn't want bloodshed."_

" _It 's too late for that."_ Mack replied.

" _Mack, See if you can patch Fitz up enough so that he can fix himself. We have to search the base."_

" _And cut the security feeds."_ Mace added.

" _Already gave the order."_ Just before the camera went blank, the three LMDs looked at the camera.

"Great now what? With the security feeds gone we have no clue what happened-" Aida complained.

"Aida..."

"Who knows what this bitch bot copy cat has done-"

"Aida..." Kat said again trying to get Aida's attention, but the AI was in a full rant, so as she continued to complain Kat leaned forward tapping some more keys.

"For all we knew they are plugged into this fantasy land and why the hell aren't you panicking?!"

A second later Kat hit a key and the screens were back showing them what had happened. "That is why..."

"How?" Aida asked.

"Did you forget the secondary protocols we put in place? Back ups? Sure it was underhanded not to tell Coulson that we had left some monitoring equipment behind, but c'mon. We had to keep tabs on them." When Aida didn't respond Kat smiled, "You did forget, didn't you?"

"I don't know what you are talking about..."

"You did! You forgot!" Kat laughed.

"Shut up! I did not!" But Kat was still laughing that an AI forgot about the backups. "I just didn't think to check them..."

This made Kat laugh more. "In other words you forgot."

Before Aida could respond Kat looked back at the monitoring equipment they had missed some of the footage, but what was being showed got Kat's attention. The footage showed Daisy meeting up with Jemma, and after some arguing they proved both were still Human. While bandaging up Jemma's leg the pair talked about what to do.

" _...They'll say we're Life Model Decoys turn all of HQ against us,and have us killed."_

" _Okay. Well... maybe there's not a lot of hope that we're gonna get out of here, but there is hope... that our team is still alive. Which means we have to try. From what Fitz told you it seems Radcliffe in his.. twisted logic is keeping them alive in this Framework thing. Which means they can be rescued."_

" _How? The Framework's origin signal is untraceable. They could be anywhere on the planet."_

" _Which is why we have to go in."_ Daisy said.

" _You mean... go in? Hack in..."_

" _Hack in. Plug ourselves into the Framework. So we can find our people and we can wake them up and figure out where their bodies are being kept. I don't know. Really, what's our other option?"_ In that moment there must not have been a whole lot of options other then to hack into this fantasy world to locate the kidnapped agents. In the mean time the rest of HQ had been lied to and were mobilising to stop Jemma and Daisy. They were running out of time.

" _So we fight our way through the trained military personnel, then the ultra powerful android doubles of our friends, somehow make it to the Zephyr, which we can't fly to escape the base, and try to plug our minds into an alternate reality." 'That sounds utterly insane!'_ Kat thought as she heard Jemma go over the plan details.

" _Okay, well don't say it out loud, because that made it sound way worse. Let's just keep it one thing at a time, okay?"_ Daisy suggested, then spotted something nearby. She pointed at it as she asked. _"_ _We have sleeping gas. How many doses of that antidote are there?"_

" _I don't know... I can't think without Fitz."_ Jemma said sliding back down the wall.

" _Simmons. Simmons, stay with me."_ Daisy came around trying to encourage Jemma to not give up, and given the situation they would have been in it was probably very easy to lose hope, and give up. Luckily Daisy was not the type to give up or let Jemma give up. Daisy promised to fight the LMDs, and the pair soon formed a plan for escaping. They used gas to knock out the human agents, so that the LMDs were the only ones stopping them. In the ensuing fight Daisy managed to destroy Mace, but was shot by both Coulson and Mack. Meanwhile Jemma woke up some of the other human agents. Before Mack or Coulson could do more, Daisy hit them both with a powerful blast of her powers breaking Mack to bits an throwing Coulson through a window.

The broken Mack landed by Jemma and the other human agents proving once and for all just who the LMDs were. _"_ _I would say I told you so... but now I don't have to."_

A moment later Daisy joined them and Jemma helped keep her upright. _"_ _Anyone here know how to fly the Zephyr?"_

" _I—I just started training."_ One of the three said _._

" _Okay, Well you're gonna try real hard."_ Daisy replied.

" _You three can walk better than we can. So drag any unconscious bodies out of this sector before the fire spreads. Then open the hanger doors, and meet us on the Zephyr. Daisy an I will load in the hardware."_ Jemma instructed.

" _And remember... anyone you see who's awake..."_

" _Is a robot. Super. Come on."_ One of the others said then the three took off to do as Jemma asked. Leaving Jemma and Daisy to push the hardware to the loading doors. Kat was just relaxing thinking that they must have escaped, but as she followed them through the footage they encountered the LMD of May sitting with explosives.

" _Coulson. I have them."_ May spoke into a walkie.

" _May, think about what you are doing."_ Daisy said.

" _I am. Or... processing. I should say."_

" _Please. Do you want us to die?"_ Jemma asked.

" _Coulson says that doesn't matter."_

" _That doesn't sound like Coulson."_ Daisy pointed out.

" _Either way..."_ May looked down at the remote trigger, _"_ _I won't have to regret this decision."_

Then May set the remote down, and moved to the controls to open the door for them. _"_ _Go, quickly before Coulson gets here."_

" _Thank you."_ Daisy said after getting over their shock. The May LMD was just like the original May. Same feelings... same personality. The real May would never let anything happen to them, so why would the LMD? Once they were through the doors, May sat back down and picked up the remote. The door behind her was just shutting when Coulson arrived.

" _I thought you said you had them."_ Coulson said, then he must have realised the door behind her had shut just as he arrived, _"_ _May? What did you do?"_

" _What I wanted to."_ It was in the hanger bay security feeds that Kat saw them loading the equipment onto the Zephyr. The other agents were already aboard waiting for them to take off.

" _Okay. Everything under control. Let's just..."_

" _Whose control?"_

" _Why don't you and I have a glass of scotch... or many and talk this out. Like we have always done."_ Coulson started to move towards her but she raised the remote to remind him that they could still be blown sky high. Meanwhile the hanger doors were opening as the Zephyr was getting ready for take off.

" _'We?' We've never done that before. You were right. Our programming is different. Are you afraid to die? Cause I am. I know I am not real. I am all phantom limbs, but that doesn't make the pain less real."_

" _You don't have to feel pain."_

" _You say you don't anymore. But that pain, that regret... that's what made you a person... a person I love."_ Kat looked to the hanger camera to see the Zephyr taking off and escaping, but now she knew how the base got destroyed. It was the LMD of May stopping Coulson and allowing their escape. Kat looked back at the screen with May feeling bad for her even though she was a machine; she chose to save Daisy and Jemma. That made her more human than most to Kat. _"_ _My programming was to get the Darkhold. That came from Radcliffe. But my impulse to keep Coulson safe and close that desire... that came from me."_

" _That's good."_

" _And I'm sorry to say...you're not him."_ In that moment Coulson raised his gun to shoot May, but her finger clicked the button. A quick flash of flames then the screen went blank. Kat leaned back in her chair releasing a shaky breath. It was just as she thought, the LMD of May destroyed the base allowing them to escape.

"That's it. There is nothing else." Aida said after a moment, "We have nothing further to go on.."

"We know that once they escaped they were going to plug into this... Framework and find the others. There has to be something..." Kat said thinking. She sat there for the longest time racking her brain and trying to think of how to find them. The footage was from hours before Kat was shot out of the sky by Moira... nearly six months ago. She replayed the footage in her head going over the details and trying to find a focus point. Then stopped short... Ivanov, the Russian they spoke of. It was the only other lead. This man was working with Radcliffe...

Immediately Kat leaned forward looking up all she could on this man, Radcliffe, and even pouring over some of the earlier mission logs for further details. "Aida we need everything we can get on this Ivanov..."

When Aida didn't respond Kat looked up from the screen. "Aida?"

Still no response. "Earth calling Aida, come in Aida."

"Why did they name it after me?" Aida asked sounding hurt. It was a natural response to feel hurt, if this Aida copy did something bad...

"Maybe they missed us..." Kat suggested trying to make the AI feel better.

"Then they could have called, we left the off network phones!" Kat got up, tired of sitting at a computer desk, she paced around for a moment thinking as she did so.

"I don't know, I know it was reckless and stupid and they should never have done it. So when we find them you can bitch them out for creating her, and if this bitch-bot has hurt someone or done something... they have only themselves to blame for it!" Kat said coldly, "I know people these days hate and fear AIs and it started with Ultron, we can thank the rich moron in an Iron Onsie for that. And yeah there is Vision now... but you were the first. You're older than Vision, you're better than Ultron, and you are unbelievably more awesome than this knock-off Aida. So help me remind them by finding them... then their sorry asses can apologise to you."

For a moment Aida was quiet, "I'm more awesome?"

"Is there any doubt?" Kat asked.

"I'll begin the search of Ivanov."

"That-ah girl." Kat said picking up a notepad to do her own search. For even longer the pair researched the man referenced by Coulson's team. According to the old mission records this guy was also known as the 'Superior' leader of the Watchdogs. Finally Kat had to ask as she worked on tracking the Zephyr. "Aida, what do you got?"

"Anton Ivanov, born November 17th, 1978. Mother left when he was five... father was an abusive prick. Joined the Russian military young, then onto the SVR. Got his unit number too... worked in special Ops unit within the SVR for years... sadly the unit was branded traitors, tortured, and executed. That was the cover story, but the truth was they were killed for a mission failure. They were sent to retrieve an object."

"Any details?"

"An 084, I compared it to mission files within SHIELD. Both Coulson and May were sent to Russia to retrieve this item and were successful."

"So... Coulson and May got this 084, but Ivanov's unit was executed for failure. Sounds like this guy would have some beef against Coulson."

"It does look that way, it also explains why they went to that Submarine base where they were swapped out. The base was an old SVR detention centre and a front for the Cold War, it ties back to Ivanov's old unit."

"Makes sense, anything else?" Kat asked.

"I dug a little deeper learning why Ivanov was not executed along with his unit. Prime Minister Olshenko... he has several off-shore accounts that tie back to funding Daisy was tracking"

Kat frowned, the same dick-less bastard that they saved only for him to try and put Bobbi and Hunter in front of a firing squad. "And last we heard Daisy left SHIELD and was after the Watchdogs... she would have tracked the funding amongst other things. So... Olshenko had him spared and gave him support to help build the Watchdogs."

"Exactly, if you recall Olshemko did not want to create a place for Inhumans. He opposed the idea."

"Because he is prejudice against Inhumans. Makes sense he would support the Watchdogs then, and if both Olshenko and Ivanov have similar outlooks it would explain how Ivanov escaped execution." Kat said thinking, then looked back at her screens.

"How about you? Anything?"

"Unfortunately we do not have surveillance on the Zephyr, only tracking. I can try contacting someone aboard the Zephyr, but it shows as being inactive for the last five months. I have the last known location which is a military base, but that is it. Aside from where it has been..." Kat replied., as she mapped out where the plane went, then frowned. "For about a month the Zephyr was flying randomly, never landing or anything..."

"What are the dates?" Aida asked.

"September to October..."

"That would have been around the time the U.S government was calling for SHIELD to be arrested. September 18th Jeffrey Mace's body was discovered. Otopsy report mentioned shattered bones." Aida explained.

"It was made to look like Daisy killed him, and about then they would have entered the Framework to save the others. So couldn't land..." Kat said then looked at the other information, "Hmm September 20th the Zephyr changed course... and for seventeen minutes it hovered..."

Kat checked the coordinates then used satellite footage on the location, but nothing was there. "Aida no doubt Ivanov had funding and was backed, did he have any investments?"

"A number of investments... the guy liked to collect military antiques."

"Did he own anything at these coordinates?" Kat asked sending the location, "I checked the location but nothing is there."

"You mean there is nothing there now..." Aida pointed out then a pop up showed the location before September 20th. There was an oil-drilling platform there.

"Alright... near as I can tell for most of September Daisy and Jemma would have been plugged into this Framework, then they freed the others and learned where they were being kept. An Oil rig..."

"The SHIELD team do tend to leave destruction in their wake." Aida pointed out. Kat then checked the tracked location trying to learn where they went from there. It looked like they returned to the Playground after the rig, but that would have been dangerous. Even though the military are not as technologically savy bunch, they are not complete idiots. To confirm this Kat easily got the report of General Talbot and a team being sent in to arrest the agents that landed at the Playground. Luckily operations conducted by military personnel often used shoulder cams that Kat could hack into since a record was kept.

"Let's see what the good General discovered shall we?" Clicking the keys she activated the recordings. Switching between the different soldiers. That soon confronted Coulson's team.

" _Hands in the air! Don't move!"_

" _Slow down. We're not the enemy here. Let's just keep our cool..."_ Coulson said calmly as they raised their hands in surrender.

" _You shut your robot mouth!"_ It was then General Talbot came forward and into view of the soldiers cams, _"_ _Or I'll have these men weld it shut for you."_

" _We're not robots, Glenn."_

" _Yes they are! They're all robots. You assume each and every one of them is a damn C-3PO unless you hear otherwise from me!"_ Glenn said, then pointed at Daisy, _"_ _And this one! If she so much as blinks, take her down. Am I clear?"_

" _Yes sir."_

" _Is that really necessary?"_

" _Necessary?! It's essential. Unless you can explain to me in fifty words or less why I found Jeffrey Mace's body washed up on the beach with his bones quaked apart. Days after I found this base in flames flesh melting off of robot bodies. Twelve SHIELD agents in critical with burns or broken bones. Three dead... double hits to the heart and crushed frickin' skulls!"_

"I take it he was not able to decrypt the footage he took from the Playground." Aida added with Kat shaking her head. The information would have been useless to the military without a means to decrypt it, and they had neither Daisy nor Kat for such a job.

" _Can you explain that?"_ Talbot asked more calmly after his rant.

" _I can try."_ Coulson said then he did try to explain it all, but to an outsider that hadn't witnessed it it was almost comical.

"Poor Coulson, that General is not gonna believe him..." Rather than listen to him explain all of it, Kat switched cams finding some other soldiers searching the base. They soon ran into Fitz and some other SHIELD agents.

" _Freeze! Right there!"_

" _Alright guys, it's never too late to start a conversation."_ One of the agents said, but what happened next stunned Kat someone teleported in... just like Gordon? Only when Kat slowed the image down it wasn't Gordon. Immediately the two soldiers aimed their guns at the SHIELD agents. _"_ _No, No! Don't shoot! That was not us! That is not a friendly!"_

" _We've got to get you out of here."_ Another agent was pulling Fitz along wanting to get him to safety.

" _No, no! Wait. Wait."_ Keeping that cam active, Kat reactivated the cam with Coulson explaining to Talbot what happened.

" _And then the base under the oil rig fell into the sea." 'Yep it sounds even more comical coming from Coulson.'_ Kat thought shaking her head.

" _You expect me to believe a word of that?"_ Before Coulson could answer, the radio cracked as one of the soldiers radioed.

" _She's everywhere! Ahhh!"_ There were also gunshots heard, as Kat tried to capture a solid image of the teleporter to ID her.

" _What's that mean Coulson? 'She's everywhere? Who's everywhere? Where's that Speedy Gonzales girl? Who's attacking us?!"_

" _Aida got out."_ The words from May were even more upsetting to hear. Not only did they make a knock-off, but an evil murderous knock-off! A moment later the containment module came up from downstairs with Fitz and the female agent inside. Immediately Fitz was yelling and in a panic.

" _May! Take off now! If she can find us, she'll kill us all!"_

" _Davis had her down for the count."_

" _They won't listen to me! She can't be stopped! May! May! You're the only other person that knows about the Inhumans we tested."_ Inhumans tested? Did they mean in the Framework? Either way May looked worried and moved to start the plane.

" _Hey!"_ Talbot pulled his gun to stop May, but Daisy raised her hand ready to use her powers.

" _Try it. Let's see what happens."_

" _Davis..."_ The female agent said realising that they had left him back there.

" _We already left him. I'm sorry, but he's already dead."_

" _If you drop your guns, you can come with us."_ Daisy offered.

" _I don't suggest staying, but the Zephyr's leaving with or without you."_

" _Fall back!"_ Talbot ordered, and soon they left the ship, so Kat stopped playback.

"Well now we know they created an evil bitch-bot version of me...great." Aida grumbled annoyed.

"Again their fault, they should have known better than to create a cheap knock-off." Kat said as she checked further mission reports from Talbot. Then looked at the tracking device to find the Zephyr heading for a Warehouse? Not far from said warehouse a car was stolen from a SHIELD impound lot. The car belonged to Robbie Rayes... "Well this keeps getting better and better..."

The next place the Zephyr went was the International Subcommittee hearing where General Talbot was shot supposedly by Daisy. One of the ones in attendance was Ivanov which meant the attack was intended. After the hearing incident the Zephyr once more headed for the Playground, and that was where it stayed until being transported to the military base. Once more Kat and Aida were left with no leads to follow.

Just as Kat was about to say something Shuri's voice interrupted. "What's this?"

* * *

 **Author's Notes:**

 **First off thank you Fin-Fisk Jun Tenshi and Rohirrim Girl 2187 for the lovely reviews. I am glad you are enjoying the story and hope you have enjoyed this latest chapter.**

 **As for this chapter, it is mainly Kat and Aida discovering what took place during season four of Agents of SHIELD and seeing some recorded footage of what went down in episode 15 'Self Control' which lead to the Playground being destroyed. Not a whole lot to note as mostly it follows what the pair discover and how Aida reacts to a evil knock-off version of herself.**

 **As planned I am hoping to kick out more chapters in the run up to Endgame hitting theatres so I hope everyone enjoys what will happen next. Please leave a review letting me known what you think.**

 **Lesliezin**


	72. Looking for Lost Friends

**Hello everyone,**

 **Here is chapter 72, enjoy. Also please be aware there is some mature content in this chapter, so not for younger viewers.**

* * *

 **February 18th, 2018**

 **Wakanda**

It was a lot of information for Kat and Aida to pour over as they tried to figure out where Coulson's team had gone. They must have lost track of time since neither one of them expected to be discovered. They had sadly only just scratched the surface of this issue when an all too familiar voice called out. "What's this?"

Kat whirled around to find Shuri standing there, she took a quick peek at the clock on the wall realising just how much time had passed and wanting to groan. How was she going to explain this and get Shuri to keep the secret? To make matters worse...

"Busted..." Aida chimed in. They had intended to find Coulson's team and keep all this hush-hush.

"Uhh morning Shuri, you're early. Aida and I... we were just..." Kat tried to think of a reasonable excuse as Shuri folded her arms waiting for an answer and giving a look that said: 'this had better be good'. "Okay I know how this looks, but really it's no big deal..."

From there Kat explained how Coulson's team were missing and what she and Aida had discovered. For some odd reason Shuri looked unsurprised to have caught Kat trying to find Coulson and the others. Sure some of the story did surprise the Wakandan teen, but one would think the entire situation was surprising. Finally when Kat was done showing the video feeds and explaining what she thought happened to Coulson's team, Shuri straightened. "So let me see if I got this right... for five months you've been sitting on this. You outright ignored that you could not sense Coulson's team as they dealt with an evil version of Aida, fought to escape some virtual reality, fought robots only to disappear at the end and be put at the top of the most wanted list?"

"We were dealing with Moira at the time, and after Tess was nearly kidnapped by my mother... I didn't want to leave. What was I suppose to do Shuri? A month after Moira and my daughter still has nightmares about not being able to move... Was I suppose to go: 'Ohh Coulson's team is danger I gotta bounce..'?"

"Okay please never say bounce again, you sound silly. As for this... tell us. You sat on this for five months, Kat. Sure okay you didn't want to leave, I understand; but we could have been running searches then. And Bucky would not have asked me to keep an eye on you, I swear at times you two need a marriage councillor when you don't talk- "

"Wait, wait... Bucky asked you to watch me?" Kat asked stunned to which Shuri nodded. It explained why she was not surprised to find Kat looking for the SHIELD team.

"Kat, you are mentally connected. Bucky might not be a mind reader but he senses when something is wrong with you. You were sleeping less, training more, and he would catch you in moments... distracted. For a while there he thought he had done something wrong." _'Shit!_ ' Kat thought, she had tried to be careful, she had tried to ignore this situation with Coulson; but it seemed it did not go unnoticed.

"Are you going to tell him?" Kat finally asked.

"No, not unless you don't. You need to tell him what is going on."

"Oh no, he will—I will never be allowed out of that hut again."

"What you think he is going to act like a Neanderthal and drag you to a cave?" Shuri laughed shaking her head, "He will understand. You aren't going after HYDRA anymore, you are looking for your friends."

"Look why don't we just take a step back here... First off I am not leaving Wakanda. I am just doing a search for them, so what is the big deal?" It was true if Kat was not leaving Wakanda and was only going to perform searches electronically than there should have been no cause for concern. However Shuri saw the problem with this plan right away."

"Kat, there is only so much that can be accomplished on this end. You won't find Coulson's team sitting behind a computer... you will need to be out there." Shuri said as she gesture to the computer screen, the screen saver showed images of the outside.

"Well I can't leave either way, I don't have the Quinjet anymore in case you forgot." Kat pointed out. For a second Kat thought the conversation over. She would only ever be able to search for them via computers, so she went to close the programs and disconnect from the military servers when Shuri sighed.

"Follow me."

From there Shuri led Kat down to the Royal hanger, at first Kat had no idea where they were going until they got off the elevator. Moving past some of the ships including the Royal Talon, Shuri began to explain. "Aida and I have been working on this for some months. It was meant as a birthday present, but I could only work on it at night when you went home, so it wasn't ready in time. Thus a late birthday present."

The pair stopped in front of a ship similar to the Royal Talon, if a bit smaller. These smaller jets were often simply called a Talon since they were smaller than the Royal Talon, but this one had a distinctly different paint job. The dark purple almost black pin stripping was to show it belonged to her.

"I just have some minor calibrations to make before it is ready to fly, but..." Shuri tossed Kat a kimoyo beads bracelet, which would control this Talon. Kat looked over at Shuri stunned, "Happy birthday, Kat."

* * *

It was much later that day in the evening that Kat sat in the hut eating dinner with Bucky and Tess. The kimoyo beads felt heavy in her pocket as they ate and Tess told them what she had practised. Kat listened, but also thought about what Shuri said. She would not find Coulson's team behind a computer desk, she needed to be out there, but at the same time she didn't want to be out there. She wanted to be here! She ate without really tasting her food as Tess continued on, and Kat pushed the thoughts of Coulson's team away.

"Mommy? Is that okay?" Tess' voice broke in.

"Sorry, what?" Kat asked.

"Is it okay for me to spend the night at Aneka's tonight and tomorrow?" Tess asked worried, as since Moira, both her parents were very wary of letting Tess out of their sight. Kat looked to Bucky who let her read his mind. _'I felt bad telling her no the last couple of times.'_ Kat nodded understanding that he really didn't want to say no to Tess again. It was almost like she was being punished for almost getting kidnapped even though she had done nothing wrong.

"Alright Tess, but you have to keep your kimoyo beads on, and under no circumstances switch them off." Kat said after a moment and Tess brightened up.

"Really?! I can?" Kat nodded, immediately the girl dashed off to pack her sleep over bag. While Tess was packing Bucky was watching her carefully. The best part about telepathy and being connected was a conversation could be conducted without either one opening their mouths. _'What is it doll?'_

 _'It's nothing, just busy in the lab.'_ Kat said rising from the table, and gathering the dishes to wash them. Once she piled the dishes together she went to pick them up, but Bucky caught her wrist.

 _'I know it isn't nothing, doll. Tell me.'_

 _'It's nothing to worry about._ ' Kat tried again hoping Bucky would drop it, but he still had a firm grip of her wrist. Then he rose and as usual she had to look up at him to face him especially since he had not released her. He tugged her closer and Kat nearly fell into him

 _'Tell me, please._ ' Bucky pleaded and the look in his eyes was too much. Sighing she told him mentally everything that was happening. She told him all about the SHIELD team's misadventure and losing track of them. She also told him how she could no longer sense any of them except for Fitz. The more she thought to him the harder his face became to read.

 _'I promise I am just doing searches, and am not leaving Wakanda.'_ Kat thought at the end hoping that would be enough to calm Bucky. Still Bucky looked troubled, and this worried Kat. Was he angry at her? She had not left and was not planning to leave at all.

"Okay I'm ready." Tess said before the mental conversation could take a turn for the worse. Bucky released her reluctantly.

"I'll wash up, you better get Tess to her friends before it gets late." Bucky said. Soon mother and daughter left the hut and were heading for Aneka's. It was a quiet affair as the walk was a few huts away. Giving Tess a hug and kiss on the forehead, Kat reminded Tess not to remove her kimoyo beads, then told her to have fun as Aneka's mother came out to greet them. The woman promised to take care of Tess and would let Myra know where Tess was staying so the former agent didn't panic.

Having said goodbye, Kat entered the hut to find Bucky already washing the dishes in small metal tub. She grabbed a towel to help by drying what he washed. For a time they were quiet until Bucky finally asked. "Is that why you have had trouble sleeping?"

Kat sighed, "In part, at first it was my mother that caused me sleepless nights. Then... about a month later I just woke up in the middle of the night and could no longer sense them. I tried to ignore it... chalked it up to them being too far away. But it's been almost five months and nothing..."

"So you looked into it and discovered they created an AI, entered a virtual world, and were placed at the top of most wanted." Bucky replied thinking about it.

"Yeah pretty much, then they vanished."

"So what are you going to do?"

"Well I'm gonna run a facial recognition search in a grid pattern to try and locate them via satel-"

"You're not gonna go looking for them?" Bucky asked stunned.

"I said I wasn't going anywhere," Kat said then resumed drying a place, "Besides I am sure I can locate them eventually..."

Bucky's hand took the plate from her and set it down, and then he turned her to face him. "And what happens when that fails? You just said for the last five months you have been unable to sense them."

"Create a tracking algorithm to monitor seismic activity, Daisy does tend to get into trouble. If I can track her powers-" Bucky caught her chin making her look up at him, seeing the worried look in his eyes she said, "I am not leaving..."

"And I would not want you to-" Bucky started to say.

"Good, because I'm not."

"But... they're our friends. They're important to you, especially Daisy. They could be in serious trouble, they need you."

"They're SHIELD, they can look after themselves."

"And what happened last time you said that? Agent Triplet died." Bucky pointed out, he pulled her closer before she could argue, "Look I don't want you to leave either. In fact the thought of letting you go back out there terrifies me, but if something happens to them—to Daisy... you'll never forgive yourself. So as hard as it is for me to say this, and it is unbelievably hard; they need you out there..."

Kat started shaking her head, "I don't want to go, I just want to know where they are. I can do that from here..."

"Kat if you can't sense them, then your only lead is Fitz. You need to find him and I don't think the computer will be enough from what you told me," Bucky said then gave a light laugh, "Just know that when you get back... you're not leaving this hut for at least a week."

"Promises, promises." Kat replied as Bucky showed her a mental image of them in bed together and him refusing to let her leave. For the moment the mental image made a light pleasant shiver travel down her spine. "Are you sure you don't want to do that now?"

As she asked that Kat started to unbutton her shirt revealing her black lacy tank top underneath. She tossed the shirt aside then started to undo his belt, immediately Bucky was guiding her towards their bed. _'I want to be on top.._ ' She thought as she showed him the mental image of her being on top of him and how much she enjoyed it last time. Bucky grinned as she pulled off his shirt showing off his well muscled chest, then she pushed his jeans down just enough that his erection sprang out.

Eager to have him, Kat pushed him onto the bed and quickly pulled off her own jeans and panties. Climbing onto him she pulled the curtains to help conceal them from view. Then leaned down kissing him as her hands ran freely over him. She took this moment to savour the moment she was on top of him teasing him. She was brushing over him but not letting him enter her, she smiled and gave a mischievous giggle when Bucky gave an annoyed huff. Then he showed her a mental image that took her breath away stunning her in place.

 _In the mental image Bucky grew frustrated with her teasing him, so he grabbed her and flipped her over. She started to protest as Bucky rolled over her, then managed to flip her onto her stomach and mount her. Before she could argue he gripped her hip and thrust roughly into her causing a cry of pain and pleasure. Immediately she tried to adjust to accept him fully, and moaned as he began thrusting hard and fast. He knew that she liked it when he was in control, so her protests became moans of pleasure. She gripped the covers in fistfuls as she peeked back at him and he kept going harder and faster with each passing second. Soon he would jerk his seed into her._

What snapped her out of the mental image was feeling Bucky thrust up into her making her gasp. Her eyes opened to look down at him as he gripped her hip and started thrusting up into her.

"Nehhh no fair distracting me with such a mental image." Kat moaned as she tried to take back control even as she was losing control of herself. He just grinned up at her as he kept thrusting up, she ended up moving with him rather than trying to retake control of the situation. She pressed her hands to his stomach and moved with him. She tried to go slowly, but gasped when Bucky gripped her hip and thrust harder into her. She kept trying to go at a slow steady pace, but eventually she got the message as she wanted more too. Before she knew it she was moving over him fast and hard as Bucky reached around and down to grip her bottom. Within minutes he yanked her down as he jerked up causing her to cry out and lose herself in the pleasure coursing through her. Lying over him, Kat was still trembling from what they just did as Bucky pulled her close.

"You cheated," Kat said breathlessly making Bucky chuckle.

"You teased and tempted me, doll. I'll only take so much before I have enough."

"I wanted to take things slowly..." Kat pointed out.

"We have all night to take things slowly, you are not leaving this bed. You also might not be allowed to leave it in the morning if you tease me further..." Bucky's promise sent a shiver down her spine, but then she thrust her hips pushing him inside her more and making him groan.

"I am on top therefore I will go as slow as I like."

"I could always do like I showed you." Bucky pointed out reminding her of the mental image, to which Kat smiled and leaned in close.

"I would like to see you try it." Kat whispered challengingly.

* * *

 **February 19th, 2018**

 **Wakanda**

 _'I should never challenge Bucky again.'_ Kat thought as she moaned pleasantly. She knew it was later in the morning since Bucky had kept her up all night. Her body ached in the most pleasantly sore ways as she stretched to find herself alone in bed. The scent of coffee came into the hut on the breeze telling her what her husband was doing. Sure enough Bucky came in and handed her a mug of coffee. He then got his own coffee and came to sit in a chair at the small table in the hut. He was turned to face her as he asked the last thing she wanted to think about right then.

"So what is the plan for finding SHIELD?"

Kat sighed and took a drink of her coffee enjoying the fact it was made just how she liked it. "According to the news they are at the top of the most wanted list. SHIELD has been dismantled, and that was five months ago. I would need a lead to follow first, and the trail has gone cold. My only other options would be to get a hold of those associated with SHIELD. Like the Koenig's, or Mike Peterson. And if nothing else... I would need to think outside the box."

Bucky simply nodded in agreement though he knew she was being hesitant, she really didn't want to leave them. He watched her set her mug down on the counter frowning. "But before I even consider venturing out I would need to seek permission... from Tess."

Bucky chuckled since he already gave his consent, it was just Tess now that could say no. Kat washed and dressed and the pair ate a light breakfast. Since it was later in the morning Tess and Aneka were already at the practise yard, both Kat and Bucky found Myra in the usual spot watching them practise. The former agent smiled at them from where she sat.

"Morning love birds," She greeted then looked to Kat, "I heard you are gonna be looking for Coulson's team."

"Who told you?"

"Aida." Myra replied. Kat explained more of what happened with the SHIELD team as they watched Tess swing her practise staff. "Damn that team knows how to look for and cause trouble. Do they ever take a day off?"

"I wish they would. I think Aida has been busy, she took this personally when they named the AI after her." Kat explained.

"I can understand that..." Myra offered feeling bad for the real Aida. Regardless Tess soon came running up to greet them. The little girl was back to her usual happy self after everything that happened. No doubt spending more time with Aneka helped to take her mind off of nearly being kidnapped. At least Tess would be spending today and another night at her friend's hut. Pretty soon Myra excused herself claiming she needed to be some place, but sending her thoughts to Kat that she would be in Shuri's lab. Now came the harder part, asking Tess and hoping the little girl would be okay with Kat leaving Wakanda once more. The little girl was just about to leave with Aneka when Kat spoke.

"One moment Tess. I need to talk to you."

"You're not going to change your mind are you? I promise I didn't take my kimoyo beads off and I won't." Tess asked worried that her mom would tell her she couldn't spend the night at her friend's.

"Oh no, no sweetie. That is not it. I said you could, so don't worry. No, it is just my turn to ask permission from you." Kat said smiling at Tess.

"Permission for what, mommy?"

"Well.. as you know our friends at SHIELD have not contacted us for a while and have had to go into hiding. I need to go find them and make sure they are okay. Is it okay if I go to look for them?" Kat asked worried.

"But they have been hiding for a while.." Tess said confused.

"I know. At first I ignored it because I didn't want to leave you or your daddy. Not after... last time. I put off looking for them for as long as I could, but I have only gotten more worried." Kat said, for a moment Tess stood there then folded her arms looking at her mom seriously.

"Only if you keep your kimoyo beads on." This response made Kat smile.

"Of course."

"I also want to see them. I miss them." Tess added.

"Then at the least I will have to call you and have them talk to you." Kat said not wanting to disappoint Tess, "So does that mean I have your permission?"

Tess nodded, and Kat could relax a little with both Bucky and Tess' permission she was at last free to look for SHIELD.

* * *

"So where are you going to start?" Shuri asked. After leaving Tess with Aneka and her parents, Kat and Bucky went to Shuri's lab. With Myra already there, the Wakandan princess called King T'Challa, and Okoye for this brief impromptu meeting.

"Well to start things off with here is what we know in the shortest possibly way. Coulson's team shortly after signing the Accords, found a weird creepy spell book called the Darkhold," As Kat spoke she activated one of the screens to show the book in question from surveillance footage, "What this book is fully capable of I don't know. Judging from the reports it gives the reader whatever that person wants... In the case of Robbie Reyes' uncle Eli Morrow it allowed him to conjure materials from thin air anywhere he wished."

Kat paused as she called to the screen the reports and photographs SHIELD had on file. One was an autopsy report for a man who had diamonds in his throat and lungs! "From there it gets even more freaky, the machine that gave Morrow his powers also did a number on the facility causing Coulson, Fitz, and Reyes to be caught between dimensions. From there the Darkhold had to be read by an AI. This AI was named Aida and was a joint creation of Doctor Holden Radcliffe and Agent Leopold Fitz. Some mission logs later Radcliffe wanted the Darkhold and so Aida tried to steal the book and failed. They then created what has been called an LMD or Life Model Decoy. The first was made to look like May."

Again The screens showed screen shots and muted video recordings of some of the events. "Now here is where it gets worse... in the attempt to rescue May and the new SHIELD director several agents were replaced by these LMDs and put into a virtual reality called the Framework where their greatest regrets were... fixed. Hence the reason the Playground was destroyed. According to the video logs Daisy and Jemma planned to enter the Framework and free those caught in that virtual world. Judging by what Aida and I were able to uncover they succeeded and had to deal with the crazy fem-bot Aida."

"Is that why Daisy Johnson shot that U.S general? Because she was a robot?" Okoye asked.

"I believe it is, Daisy would never have simply walked into a room and shot someone. The general in question was General Glenn Talbot an ally of SHIELD, there was no reason Daisy would have shot him."

"And you don't know what happened after that, or where the SHIELD team went?" T'Challa asked as he looked at some of the images on the screen.

"None. It has been five months. The trail will be colder than an ice cube."

"How do you know they aren't..." Myra trailed off not really wanting to say the word.

"Dead?" Kat asked calmly, "I know the feeling when someone is dead and gone. This is not it. I don't know how to describe it, but I know that if they were dead it be more... traumatic. Daisy's death I would feel it more...clearly. I just know they are alive. I can't sense them, but something tells me they are not dead... not yet. Besides I can sense Fitz."

"So if you can locate Fitz, you might have a better idea of what happened and where to find the others." Shuri concluded.

"Pretty much," When no on said anything further Kat turned to the screens. "Aida, I have no doubt you have been looking further into this. Anything?"

"I have tapped into Mike Peterson's eye cam feed. The poor man had to do physiotherapy before his leg and eye could be put back on. Patching him in to speak to you now."

On the main screen appeared Mike Peterson fully restored from his last mission, Kat easily recalled when they had to rescue him and Lincoln Campbell from the HYDRA base List was at. The man looked fully recovered and even upgraded.

"Kat a pleasure to see you. How have you been?" Mike greeted her.

"I have been good, and you?"

"Better Coulson had me take a long vacation after the last op. What can I help you with?"

"You hear what happened at the Playground? SHIELD being dismantled?"

"I heard that and more. Some BS about Daisy shooting a General..." Mike said not believing a word of it.

"I'll forward all the reports and video logs to you, but you're right it is BS. Right now I am trying to find them."

Mike frowned at her words. "After five months?"

"I had... issues to deal with before. A lot of issues..." Kat said not wanting to explain how her mother came into their lives.

"Sounds like later we will need a lot of drinks while you tell me about it later. What do you need?"

"Intel if you have it. Is there any way for you to contact them or for them to contact you?" Kat asked.

"Coulson can always reach me by calling a series of numbers in sequence on any phone. From there I trace the call, the last number is an answering machine where he dials in coordinates numbers which I follow to find him should he ever need me. Beyond that no contact. Also I am sorry but he hasn't called." That was discouraging as Kat sighed.

"What about other outside agents like the Koenigs?"

"He only calls them if he needs something to disappear." Mike said. _'Like the Darkhold.'_ Kat thought ruefully. It meant a dead end here.

"Can you think of anyone else Coulson's team might call?" Kat asked hoping for any kind of lead.

"Current agents can't help. For a start they don't know you, but maybe an old agent might know a way."

"There are no 'old agents' though.." Myra pointed out making Kat stop and think.

"No you're right Myra. There are no old agents... but there are disavowed ones." Kat went to the screen calling up the SHIELD files for Bobbi Morse and Lance Hunter. It was a long shot, but currently it was the only shot left.

* * *

 **February 24th, 2018**

 **A Bar in Bangladesh**

It was the fifth disgusting bar she had gone to, and if she did not find him soon she was about to give up. Kat wore her casual clothes of old worn jeans, a long sleeve shirt with breast pockets, hiking boots, and a black leather jacket. Her colour clip had been switched to a brunette and she wore a bit more mascara to look like one of those 'bad girl goth chicks' The disguise was working no one seemed to give her a second glance, well except for drunks hitting on her. She really hoped no more guys hit on her, she had to keep pointing out that she was married and the last guy was taking a nap in a trash can for saying he could show her a better time than her husband.

Scanning the patrons Kat smiled when she found just the man she was looking for. Lance Hunter had not changed much as he drank a beer and played pool with a guy twice his size. Moving into the bar, Kat passed other drunks heading for Hunter as he was winning his game. She stopped short waiting patiently as Hunter made shot after shot slowly winning

"Tough break mate." Hunter said as he took the money off the corner and began counting it. The guy caught his hand.

"You cheated!" The man replied in broken English.

 _"He didn't cheat. He is just that good."_ Kat spoke in Bengali making both men turn to face her as Hunter immediately recognised her.

"Bloody hell!"

 _"You stay out of this!"_ The man said pointing at her.

"What's he said?" Hunter asked not knowing what the guy said as he looked between her and the guy he was playing pool with.

"He is a sore loser that deserves to have the pole cue shoved up his ass." This got Hunter to smile and when the big guy tried to punch him, Hunter ducked then came up punching him. The guy was taken back a few steps when hunter struck him with the pool cue snapping it. Still the big guy was not down just pissed off now. Kat rolled her eyes and before the guy could strike Hunter, Kat whistled getting the guys attention. Before the guy had a chance to react Kat kicked him between the legs making him drop to his knees then kicked him in the face knocking him out.

"I could have handled that." Hunter pointed out.

"And I am sure you could have, but after days of looking for you and Bobbi I have little patience." Kat said, "I need your help."

"Alright, let's go." Hunter said realising this was a serious matter. The pair quickly left the bar and Hunter took her to a shabby small apartment over another bar some blocks away. It was a crappy place, and there was no sign of Bobbi anywhere. Hunter and Bobbi's relationship had always been rocky at the best of times, but Kat had rooted for them. Once inside and the doors were locked Hunter hugged her which made Kat smile. He had missed all of them at SHIELD, and sadly mercenary work was not as glamorous as working for SHIELD.

"It's good to see you. I never thought I would see you again or anyone at SHIELD. Though you aren't at SHIELD anymore I guess... Guardian Avenger." Hunter teased.

"You heard that huh?"

"I think the whole bloody world heard about it. You're an Avenger now..." Hunter said getting a couple of beers from the fridge and after opening both gave her one.

"More like wanted criminal...thanks." Kat said taking a drink of the offered beer.

"Also heard you finally found Bucky, I bet Tess was over the moon."

"We're married now." Kat replied.

"Congratulations. Bob and I nearly tied the knot too."

"Nearly? Don't tell me you two had a falling out again."

"Actually Ninjas interrupted the service." Kat raised a brow then gave a little laugh. It was just so typical the SHIELD agents seemed to thrive with trouble.

"So where is Bobbi?" Kat asked.

"Currently helping refugees in Iran last I heard. We give each other space." Hunter replied.

"But you always find your way back to one another, right?" Kat asked concerned.

"Eventually. We just give each other breathing room," Hunter explained then decided a change in subject was needed, "So you said you needed my help?"

"I need to find Coulson's team." The funny look Hunter gave made her realise that he was utterly clueless, "Haven't you heard?"

Still clueless Hunter shook his head and shrugged, "Five months ago SHIELD was dismantled, the Playground was blown up... Geez Hunter haven't you been watching the news?"

"In case you didn't notice I don't speak Bengali, and watching the news is a little hard when they speak another bloody language."

"Then what the hell are you even doing in Bangladesh?" Kat asked.

"Odd jobs. Private security pays quite well here." Kat wanted to groan at his answer, then sighed. From there she had to explain everything and why she had to minimise contact with SHIELD after the Accords. Telling him and even showing him what she dug up, Hunter took the situation in as they drank their beers.

"So for five months they had been missing you waited till now to look?" Hunter asked.

"I had some issues to take care of. While the playground was being blown sky high, I was being shot out of the sky by my mother and the last HYDRA head." Kat said taking a long drink of her beer.

"Okay that is a story for another time when we can drink something stronger than beer." Hunter said taking the hint that this was a touchy subject for Kat. After a few minutes Kat asked her next big question.

"Do you have any way of contacting them?"

"Unfortunately I don't," Hunter sighed as he went to fetch them another beer, but slowed down as he realised something, "But there is another way... remember how Fitz and I would watch the game?"

"I remember you both screaming and arguing about which team was better. I thought you two would come to blows over it." Kat said thinking about how much the pair could argue over something as simple as a game.

"Well one time Fitz said he would write the magazine Ball-buster Hooligan and have the letter published if I didn't shut up. I didn't, so he did write the magazine." Hunter said, "You said you could only sense Fitz, if he wanted to get a hold of me..."

"The best way would be to send letters to that magazine." Kat realised. Fitz naturally would have some sort of code embedded in the letters, but would Hunter know that? The man didn't even speak Bengali!

"Relax, I might not know languages like you miss-know-it-all. But I know what to look for if Fitz writes to the magazine. The magazine posts a new issue every other week, we just need the issues for the last five months."

"I seriously doubt Bangladesh sells Ball-buster Hooligan magazines." Kat pointed out.

"No we would need to get back State-side." Okay, so fly Hunter to the States get the back issues and piece together the letter if Fitz sent any letters.

"I know this is a big ask, but-"

"You don't need to ask, I'll pack a bag." Hunter said then headed into the next room to do just that. It was a start at least, and she hoped Fitz had written the magazine otherwise neither one of them would know where to go from there.

It didn't take long for Hunter to pack his bags and the pair left the crappy apartment. The pair headed to an open parking lot where Kat stopped and Hunter looked at her confused. "Uh I don't think parking lots have planes..."

"Relax Hunter," Kat said as she tapped one of the beads on her bracelet, suddenly the Talon became visible making Hunter jump a little. "We're travelling in first class."

"Fuck me!"

"Let's go." Kat called as she moved to the back going up the ramp with Hunter following. He set his bags own as Kat went to the pilots seat.

"Hello Hunter, it is good to see you again." Aida's voice sounded around the ship.

"Good to see—er hear you too." Hunter said as he took the seat next to Kat.

"This is way nicer than the Quinjet."

"Thanks," Kat said, then took off for the sky punching in coordinates for going back to the states, "Aida, contact the Shadow Network. Ask them to get us a rental car and book us in at a motel room. Also we need the issues of Ball-buster Hooligan for the last six months. Fitz if able might have written to the magazine complaining about the teams and leaving a coded message in there. "

"Will do." Aida replied, as the pair flew back to the states to hopefully find Fitz.

* * *

 **Author's Notes:**

 **First off thank you Fin-Fish Jun-Tenshi for the lovely review.**

 **As for this chapter and the next couple of ones I am hoping to kick them out in quick succession as soon as I have them typed out. The next chapter is already written and I am working on the follow-up. This chapter however follows the event leading up to season 5 episode 5 'Rewind' for those Agents of SHIELD fans reading.**

 **Anyway I hope you like this chapter. Please let me know what you thought by leaving a review.**

 **Lesliezin**


	73. The Odd Trio

**Hello everyone,**

 **Here is chapter 73, enjoy!**

* * *

 **February 28** **th** **, 2018**

 **New Jersey**

"So how does this work?" Kat asked. It was a simple question as she and Lance Hunter stood in a motel room gazing over a pile of magazines on the table by the window.

"Each letter Fitz writes holds key phrases... insults. We piece them together we will know who has him at least. Look for the name 'Angry Scotsman.'" Hunter explained. Working together they each picked up a magazine. Starting at the oldest which sadly held no letters from Fitz. But soon they found letters from the Angry Scotsman and were piecing the coded message together.

 _ **'Held by military. Agents missing. Need help.'**_

It wasn't much, but Kat frowned. If Fitz was held by the military how come it wasn't in the military records? "Okay if he is held by the military, how come there are no records? I hacked into military records there is nothing there."

"Maybe because they knew you would look?" Hunter suggested, it was a pretty lame excuse as far as excuses went. "C'mon you worked as an Advisor to SHIELD, even if it wasn't common knowledge there would have at least been rumours. You were able to hack SHIELD and HYDRA's records. Hacking the military would be child's play. They would have had to keep it off the books or fear you discovering the truth."

Now that made more sense when Kat thought about it. Sure Coulson would have ensured all records of Kat were wiped, but that wouldn't stop rumours nor the fact that President Ellis knew she had worked with Coulson's team before. The military would not want to take such a risk of her hacking their records. However that just made her job harder. Or maybe not... Kat knew Aida would be listening in. "Aida after General Talbot who took over operations to arrest SHIELD?"

"Checking personnel records..." Aida replied, then a moment later answered, "One General Gloria Hale."

"Where is this General Hale stationed?"

"At a secret military base called Blue Raven Ridge." _'Of course... the same place the tracking signal puts the Zephyr One at.'_ Kat thought then looked to Hunter.

"Looks like the best possible place." Kat turned intending to head out, but Hunter stopped her.

"Let me handle the rescue."

"What?" Kat asked.

"You're too easily recognised. The military and the Avengers that signed the Accords will be looking for you. If you try to infiltrate that base they will peg you a mile off."

"And how are you going to get in there?" Kat asked.

"I know some people... I'll be fine." Hunter promised. While Kat didn't like Hunter going in alone she knew he was right she would be more easily recognised than him.

"Alright, it's your show." This was probably the worst idea ever, but what other choice was there than to let Hunter do his thing. He had contacted some of his associates and put together his plan. Kat was simply there to be back-up in case the plan fell apart and most likely it would in her mind.

* * *

 **Blue Raven Ridge**

 **Military Base**

Leopold Fitz thought that this was it. No one had come to rescue him from this prison, not his team, not Kat, or Mike Peterson, and not even Hunter. His letters had gotten him nowhere. Worst of all General Hale had had enough and was about to lock him in the deepest darkest cell possible. Then to his utter amazement who should walk in but Lance Hunter pretending to be a lawyer.

"Get those cuffs off my client and get the hell out of here." Immediately the cuffs were removed and the pair were left alone. While Fitz was glad to see Hunter, why had it taken six months?

"They printed my letters in the last six issues of Ball-buster Hooligan. "

"And how many copies are available in Bangladesh? None. As in zero. Since Kat showed up and told me you were missing I got hold of some—where do you get off calling Liverpool a bunch of wankers?" Kat contacted Hunter? Where was she? Fitz shook his head at the thought guessing she would be beyond pissed off if she learned of the Aida Radcliffe and him created. Instead he decided to answer Hunter's question as he straightened.

"Well if you never win anything..."

"Well at least we're not trying to buy our way back to glory-"

"Hey! Do not talk crap about Man-u-"

"Me talk crap?! Your letters were nothing but crap! All that stuff about—how many cups have you won?"

Fitz came closer and tapped his temple and Hunter smacked his hand away. "Well got your attention, didn't it? Finally. After SIX MONTHS!"

"Well maybe I should have just thrown them out and left you here" Both glared at each other briefly.

"I missed you." Fitz said.

"Me too mate." The pair hugged forgetting their earlier argument. It felt like ages since he saw Hunter, so he was a bit reluctant to let him go.

"It's good to see you."

"Okay there will be time for more hugs later. Okay, okay.." Hunter said wanting to be let go. Finally Fitz released him.

"Hey uhh where are we?" Fitz said leaning on the table.

"You're in a secure military installation. One of those doesn't exist places, but the law is the law so they had to let me in." Hunter explained as Fitz took better stock of where he was.

"Okay, well at least you gave me enough time to come up with an escape plan," Fitz said as Hunter looked at the watch he was wearing, "So there's a mechanism that I can slowly assemble. But I'm going to need you to smuggle it in piece by piece,"

It was then Hunter gently nudged Fitz back an got to his feet all the while looking to his watch, "So if you could come and visit three times a week for a month then uhh I should have everything I need—what are you doing?"

"I am going to need you to move two metres to your left," Hunter replied looking to his watch, while Fitz did as instructed moving around the table, "Mmhmm now come forward..."

Fitz confused did as Hunter asked as the man kept looking at his watch. "There we go."

It was then Hunter tapped a button on the watch, and Fitz heard the loud blast and was sent to the ground by the force of it. Fitz used the table to help himself back up stunned by what Hunter had done. "What the bloody hell?!"

"Your coded messages didn't have an escape plan, so I had to come up with one on my own. C'mon let's go." Hunter replied calmly then stepped over the rubble and through the hole. Fitz immediately followed him out. The pair quickly ran from the building and around the corner where Hunter pointed ahead of them. "There's our way out."

"Who's flying it?"

"Rusty, the best get-away pilot money can buy." Hunter replied confidently as they stopped to watch the helicopter flying up into the air only to crash back down a moment later, "Well the best my money can buy."

"Please tell me your escape plan involves an actual escape?"

"He was suppose to draw their attention and lead them on a wild goose chase up in the air while we were making our escape on the ground." Hunter said disappointed.

"Well he's definitely got their attention now."

"C'mon-"

"Freeze! Hands in the air!" Both men turned to find a soldier gun trained on them. Immediately both men raised their hands in surrender. However before anything further could be done the man cried out in pain. He dropped his rifle and gripped his head, then whack! He was struck from behind. There stood someone dressed in a soldier's outfit, but when she lifted the cap some Fitz recognised Kat immediately.

"Kat?" Fitz asked stunned to see her.

"I told you I would handle this!" Hunter argued.

"Yeah it looks handled.. You were about to end up in an ugly orange jumpsuit like Fitz." Kat pointed out, "And did you really expect me to let you handle it when you hired someone called 'Rusty'? He was obviously very rusty at flying a helicopter-" Fitz had come over rushed over and hugged her.

"I missed you." Fitz said hugging her tightly. While Kat was still mad at him she hugged him back glad to see him otherwise unharmed.

"Okay fine, but hug later... we should go now before they arrest all three of us." Hunter conceded, with that the trio took off making their escape from the military base to—a travel van?!

"Wait... that piece of junk is our ride?" Fitz asked voicing Kat's thoughts.

"Yes it's Rusty's god rest his cold black soul."

"Why am I not surprised?" Kat asked as they moved around the truck.

"It's the last thing they'll be looking for..." Getting in Hunter continued, "The last thing they would expect is two ex-SHIELD agents and a Avenger would be stupid enough to try and escape in this whale."

"Not an Avenger and am not stupid..." Kat said looking around as Hunter handed Fitz some clothes and put a baseball cap on his head.

"Apparently we are." Fitz muttered. Meanwhile Hunter got in the driver's seat then handed Fitz his phone.

"Your welcome. Now Rusty tricked this thing out with all kinds of bells and whistles..." Hunter said as he started the engine.

"Let's hope that includes an engine." Fitz muttered not imagining for a second that it would start.

"Just so you know, if it doesn't start, I am not getting out to push." Kat added as she leaned against the counter arms folded across her chest.

"Well we can't take your fancy plane now can we?" Hunter said, as the van started there was a loud bang from the exhaust which would have caused a black cloud of smoke, "See? It even has cloaking."

Kat rolled her eyes as they drove off. They didn't drive far then Kat instructed them to stop there so she could retrieve her bag with a change of clothes inside. Then they were once more driving. Kat let Fitz get changed out of his prison clothes first so they could ditch them in case there was a tracking device in them. Then she went to the back and changed into her usual choice of clothing complete with a purple baseball cap. When she returned to the two former SHIELD agents, Kat noticed Fitz checking his phone and seeing all the news reports on SHIELD. Just then Aida texted her own phone. _**'Digital Shadow has been in place since you escaped, but before that the van might have been pegged.'**_

"Thanks Aida." Kat said knowing the AI would hear it, but she also noticed Fitz stiffen.

"Uhh Hunter said you found him..." Fitz said looking back at Kat.

"I did. After hacking into the military and decrypting reports and video logs from the Playground." Kat said coldly watching Fitz flinch, he knew he was in trouble then.

"How much do you...uhh.."

"How much do I know? The entire fucking thing! I had to dig and piece together that you helped create a bitch bot that you named Aida!"

"I didn't really name her that was Radcliffe.." Fitz said softly.

"Regardless you helped!"

"I know, and I'm sorry." Fitz said deeply regretting the entire thing.

Kat folded her arms as she stared down at Fitz. "I am not the one that you need to apologize to."

Fitz immediately knew who she meant, it was the other real AI named Aida he had wronged. "Aida, I am well and truly sorry. It should never have been done and I regret my part in it."

For a second there was silence as Hunter drove but peeked back, then Aida's voice came from Fitz's cell phone. "Apology accepted."

Fitz breathed a sigh of relief as Hunter smiled and shook his head. "Never piss off an AI that can drain your bank account."

"However," Aida's voice came back sharply, "Never... Try... to copy me again!"

"I won't. I promise." Fitz said, now with the elephant in the room shoved out. Fitz sighed as Kat sat close by.

"So... what all happened after Bob and I left SHIELD?" Hunter finally asked. From there Fitz explained what happened all the way up to the current situation. Kat could only fill in a few details since soon after she came out of the Shadows and was dubbed the Guardian Avenger. However that part Hunter had heard about in the news. Soon Fitz returned to checking his phone, but there was nothing about SHIELD except that they were still at large.

"Just his head's on fire, nothing else?" Hunter finally asked thinking over everything he had missed. He was wondering about Robbie Reyes freaky abilities.

"Umm no."

"It's the strangest thing I've ever heard..."

"You should read the files on his uncle then, he created diamonds in this one dude's lungs." Kat put in. As she checked her phone for updates.

"Well aside from that, and the sexy robot you made and became human and wanted you to stick your floppy in her love drive." Hunter said again which grossed both Kat and Aida out as the AI text her with the words. _**'Please tell Hunter to stop talking about it.'**_

Luckily Fitz also didn't want to talk about it as he said. "Can we not talk about this please."

"Copy that. Message received." Hunter said as he looked ahead and Fitz tossed his phone on the dashboard. "Well my love life has been perfectly boring by comparison. Mercenary work, working with unscrupulous dirt bags like Rusty."

"How are things with Bobbi?" Fitz asked.

"Good, yeah... We're one-hundred percent compatible," Hunter said as Kat shook his head.

"Fifty percent of the time. Nearly got married again until the ninjas showed up."

"Sooo? You are together?" Fitz asked.

"Together forever. Just... doing our own thing. Distance is our saviour." Fitz then looked to Kat.

"How are things with Bucky?"

"Good, we have our ups and downs. Eventually we work it out though."Kat replied.

"Yeah make-up sex is the best." Hunter joked, however in his and Bobbi's case it was the truth, "How about you and Simmons? Find a way to work that out?"

"Distance is our curse." Fitz replied.

"So how are we gonna find her? Kat here says she can't sense any of them, she could only sense you." Hunter pointe out as Fitz looked ahead.

"Okay the only real clue we have is a Benderi English Ale truck." Fitz said, as Kat thought about what he told them after they dealt with Aida. They had gone to a diner and thought they were being arrested, then the others vanished leaving him to be arrested by the military.

"Chasing a beer truck? I like this plan, do we get to plunder it when we find it?" Kat smiled amused at where Hunter's mind went in regards to possible free beer.

"No it vanished. I need a way to find it." Fitz replied.

"Then you my friend are in the right RV," Fitz immediately looked back at the interior as did Kat, "Among some of Rusty's more useful traits, piloting being henceforth removed form that list; is that he was paranoid as balls. Die hard conspiracy theorist. Likes spying on anyone he thought was spying on him. Which was everyone..."

"So, he could tap into surveillance." Fitz said getting up from his seat to go to the back and look for the right equipment.

"So could we.." Kat muttered as she got up with Fitz and headed towards the back.

"Where is it?" Fitz asked as he checked a cupboard.

"At the back behind the Margarita's machine by the Ferret cages." Hunter replied and both of them moved to the back to dig out the machinery. While Hunter found a place to pull over, he stopped rather quickly which almost knocked Fitz over, but he caught himself and removed a blanket revealing the Ferrets. Soon Hunter was by their side as Kat lifted one of the cages.

"Awe how cute," Kat said looking at the ferret. Both men gave her a funny look, "What? They are." She then carefully set the ferret's cage aside, "You know I thought about getting Tess a pet. At first I thought... Siamese cat, but she really likes the orange tabbies."

Hunter chuckled as he picked up the Margaritas machine and handed it to Fitz, "An orange tabby sounds a whole lot better than those vicious little beasts."

He then opened a hidden panel and began pulling out the equipment. The first items handed to Fitz was very encouraging as Fitz said. "Oh that is plenty of bells and whistles, thank you Rusty."

They quickly set up the equipment, while Hunter offered to make them margaritas, Fitz declined but Kat challenged Hunter to impress her. Meanwhile Kat asked Aida to link what they uncovered directly to Shuri's lab. Pretty soon they were looking at the outside footage of the diner that night. They watched the truck pull up.

"There it is," Fitz points out as Hunter and Kat sip their margaritas, "So the truck arrived at the diner just before they vanished. Look!" They watch as a type of squad burst from the truck to take the SHIELD team. "And there's ten of them... who's that?"

Fitz points to a man on the screen in a suit, "Aida, Shuri I need you to ID the guy in a suit. Get me anything you can..."

"Of course..." Aida replied.

A second later the surveillance camera goes blank, and Fitz taps some keys. "All the surveillance camera in a two mile radius go dark for those two minutes. How is that possible?"

"Sounds like the digital shadow Aida throws around me or others I ask her to, only it blurs the cameras not disables them. Could be similar tech, though disabling would be noticed far more easily... which it why it could only be done for two minutes." Kat said thinking. Just then the camera came back on showing the truck leaving the diner.

"Where are you going?" Fitz asked as he switched cameras to keep track of the truck, but the truck they saw was a U.S mail truck now.

"There it is." Hunter said getting up to have a closer look.

"No that is a postal truck." They switched cams but this one was a different truck.

"There?" Hunter asked.

"Not unless they sell both beer and oysters..." Kat pointed out, and Hunter leaned back disappointed.

"Why can't you ever find a beer truck when you need one?" This got Fitz looking at Hunter and Kat realised Fitz was right.. he used the tech to compare trucks leaving no doubts. Structurally they were the same damn truck.

"Bloody hell." Hunter said drinking his margarita.

"They must be using a type of holographic projection to make it look like different trucks." Kat said, but the military would not have such technology available to them. Special ops group?

"Got you now." Fitz said as he tracked the truck while Aida chimed in.

"Got him, his name is...Eugene Enoch. Lives at Fairview drive..." Aida rattled off more information. It at least meant they knew where to go now.

"Thanks Aida" Fitz said and Hunter drove them to the address provided. It was a lovely quiet and private home in a equally quiet neighbourhood. From there they broke in to the house as quietly as possible to surprise him.

They found him in the kitchen at the fridge, the first oddity Kat noted was she couldn't read his mind. Both her and Hunter had their guns trained on him as they watched him pull a drink out of the fridge. The second creepy part was the fridge only had this weird drink in small bottles... nothing else. No food whatsoever..

"I've been expecting you." He said which only added to how weird this whole situation was as he turned to face them and closed the fridge door.

"What? No we're here to surprise you, so act surprised." Hunter said, as Kat watched him carefully.

"I can't hear his thoughts." Kat said this got him looking at her.

"No you would not be able to," He said, still both kept their guns trained on him now worried about what he was. "There is no need for violence."

"You were at the diner. I saw you. You put them in your truck and brought them here. Where are they?"

"Two zero nine one." The man answered calmly which got Kat and Hunter looking at each other then Fitz before looking back at the man confused, "Earth year. Two zero nine one."

 _'Earth year? Does he means 2091?!'_ Kat wondered as the man calmly walked into the next room and to a computer. He started typing into it as they had lowered their weapons and followed him into the room. Inside the next room was papers hung on the wall with strange glyphs, this obviously was not a normal man from planet Earth.

"Why do I get the feeling there's a kill room in the basement?" Hunter asked, the man stopped typing and rose. He stood aside as Fitz drew closer and both Kat and Hunter watched at a distance from over his shoulder. It was a video of the SHIELD team, Kat looked to the corner date and time. **September 29** **th** **, 2017. 11:15pm.** Doing the mental calculations this was the date and time that moments later Kat awoke unable to sense Daisy and the others.

"Where is this? What's happening?" Fitz asked as something that looked like a white stone turned to liquid and- _'Oh god no, another monolith? Really?!'_ Kat thought horrified to see it engulf Coulson and his team.

"No..." Fitz said taking shaky breaths then looked to the 'man' or whatever he was, "Who the hell are you?"

"I was sent here thirty-thousand years ago to observe and record the evolution of your species. What you would call an Anthropologist. My earth name is Enoch. I am a sentient chromocon from a planet which revolves around a star in the constellation you know as Signis."

"Yeah, we'll just go with Enoch." Hunter replied.

"Why?! Why did you send them through that thing?" Fitz asked.

"To fulfil a prophecy," Enoch replied as he turned to face the writings hung up in the room, "This speaks of the future. They were needed there."

"Look there is only so much crazy talk I can take before I start shooting holes in it." Hunter said rubbing his forehead to alleviate a fast growing headache.

"Why didn't you take me?" Fitz asked as Kat thought about all this then frowned. _'I know they are alive, but cannot sense them...'_

"You weren't part of the Seer's prophecy Mr. Fitz." Enoch said calmly.

That was when Hunter came closer to Fitz. "You don't seriously believe all this, do you? A prophecy and a monolith that sends you through time."

"Why not? We already dealt with a monolith that sends you through space." Kat said shrugging.

"Send me through too." Fitz said rising to face Enoch.

"The stone could only be activated from the other end. I only know when it would open, I have no knowledge of who opened it."

"Somebody does. The uhhh the Seer. Let's start there, take me" Fitz said.

"I don't think it's wise." Enoch replied.

"You don't think..." Fitz said, then Kat froze Fitz's mind literally shifted as if a light switch had been flipped. Before Hunter could react Flitz took his gun grabbed Enoch and slammed him to the table with the gun pointed at him, "You are going to take me to whatever or whoever the seer is or your future ends now."

Kat was too stunned to react as was Hunter who had never seen Fitz get so violent. But for her this worried her a little, for a split second it was not the Fitz she knew. She tried not to linger on it as Enoch agreed and left with them peacefully. He directed them to a park, the entire time Kat was quietly thinking about what she saw an sensed from Fitz. It was while walking across the grassy field of the park that she was brought out of her own thoughts.

"I am trying to help, Mr. Fitz. You did not need to threaten me." Enoch said calmly as they walked.

"Sorry." Fitz said adjusting his baseball cap, at least Fitz was himself once more. "I'm just worried about my friends."

"So who is it?" Hunter asked looking around for this Seer. They soon came to a bench where a woman sat. her daughter sat on a picnic rug colouring from what Kat could see.

"There." Enoch replied as Kat frowned, normally she was not one for intruding on others minds, but she wanted to make sure Enoch wasn't pulling their leg. The woman's mind was easy to read as she watched her daughter. Nothing out of the ordinary, but the daughter... the second Kat tried to read anything from the little girl she was bombarded with images that flashed through her mind too quickly to see. How the little girl made sense of any of it was beyond her. _'People, running, screaming. Buildings collapsing. A ship in the sky. The images were just too fast!'_ Immediately Kat pulled back and rubbed the bridge of her nose, she would need some strong pain relievers for the headache she now had.

"Reading her mind is not wise." Enoch said as Kat groaned.

"Thanks for the warning. Just wanted to make sure you weren't pulling our legs." Kat said.

It was then the woman noticed them. "Hi Enoch."

"Hello Polly." The group moved closer to get a better look at the mother and daughter. As Kat moved around with Fitz, she noted the little girl's drawings. Some of the drawings were very disturbing...

"I know you. You're Polly Hinton." _'Polly Hinton, Daisy mentioned a Hinton that when he touched someone the pair would see a death. Inhuman, but according to what Daisy told Kat he died, so his wife? And daughter?'_ Kat thought trying to piece it all together.

"Do I know you?" Polly asked concerned.

"I'm with SHIELD, can I?" Fitz asked pointing to the girl and Polly relaxed and nodded. While Fitz moved closer Kat stayed back not wanting to worry Polly by having too many strangers close to her daughter. As a mother herself she knew how distressing it could be.

Fitz knelt not far away and picked up a wooden carved Robin. "You must be Robin. I'm Fitz, I'm friends with Daisy."

Immediately the marker Robin was colouring with stopped moving, then resumed. On some level the little girl remembered Daisy. Sadly it was surprising she remembered anything, her mind seemed so... fractured. The images were overloading her mind.

"So she's the Seer?" Hunter asked, then came and knelt own by Robin. "You are a very good artist. Can I have a look?"

When Hunter got no answer he picked up one of the drawings showing the world, but with a big crack running through it. "This is prophecy?"

"She's been very active lately." Polly said giving Enoch a folder full of drawings. Fitz went over to have a look as Kat came closer and knelt by Robin.

"Hello Robin, my names Kat." As expected the girl kept colouring then noticed a drawing. "May I?"

Like with Hunter she got no response as she picked up the drawing. Meanwhile Fitz asked. "What is that? What are these symbols?"

"An ancient language from another galaxy. Never known to anyone on Earth until her."

Still Kat seemed frozen by the image in her hand not sure what to think. "Is something wrong, Mrs. Barnes?"

The question came from Enoch as Kat rose with the drawing. "Why would she draw this?"

Kat held it up showing the drawing, it was of two headstones under a tree with a sunset behind it. She was standing over the graves in the drawing, the scene was identical to where her mother was laid to rest. "She draws what she sees. The visions simply comes to her she cannot control what is seen."

Kat stood there just looking at the image shaken by it, there was no doubt Robin could see the future now. Quietly Kat set the image down and both Hunter and Fitz noticed it but had the good graces not to ask. Instead Hunter spoke up. "Quiet type heh? Wish you could teach Bobbi that, get a drink in her and she is like a whined up doll-"

"They are here for us." Robin said gesturing back to the approaching military.

Immediately Fitz urged them to get up and they prepared to make their escape.

"Put these in." Enoch said handing them all some earplugs. Kat immediately put hers in as did the others. She could not even hear what the blond lady coming near them was saying; not that it really mattered. Because a second later everyone in the part froze, when Enoch used a small device. Was this how Enoch kidnapped Coulson and the others? The group headed for Rusty's RV, and Kat asked Aida to cast a digital shadow to help in their escape. It was a pretty sake bet that they ditched their pursuers, but now Polly and Robin would be targeted too.

As Enoch drove and Fitz checked the computers, Kat tried to make the mother and daughter as comfortable as possible. "Sorry about dragging you into all this."

"It's alright, Daisy had us moving around for our own safety." Polly replied as she tucked Robin in for the night, "I am sorry if that drawing upset you. A lot of what she sees and draws upsets me too."

"It's okay, just took me by surprise is all." Kat said as she noticed Robin still awake. She was about to move away to give them some privacy when Robin caught Kat's hand.

"She is about to call." Within a second Kat's beads beeped from an incoming call. Turning them on Tess appeared.

"Mommy?" Tess said as Kat sat back down.

"Hello sweetie."

"You are suppose to check in." Tess replied trying to sound stern, but only coming off as even cuter.

"I know, been busy. I found Fitz, and met some new friends." Kat turned her wrist and opened a type of holographic window to show Robin and Polly, "Tess this is Polly and Robin Hinton."

"Hello!" Tess said cheerily, from there on, there was a nice short conversation, but it was late here.

"Tess sweetie it is late where we are. I am gonna let Polly and Robin get some sleep. Say goodnight to them."

"It was a pleasure meeting you, goodnight." Tess said.

"You too, Tess." Polly replied, then Kat wished them a goodnight. Moving towards the front of the RV, Kat kept the call window open as she spoke.

"Also look who I found..." Fitz just then turned around and Tess couldn't help her excitement.

"Fitz!" The SHIELD agent was surprised to see Tess after so long and how quickly she had grown. It was a similar reaction Hunter had had when he first spoke to Tess.

"What? Would you look at you? You have gotten so big." Fitx said happy to see Tess.

"I missed you." Tess said.

"And we have missed you so much." From there the pair talked for a bit more as Enoch drove. They were going to some Lighthouse at Lake Ontario. Which was where Coulson and the others were in the future. Eventually the call with Tess had to end as it would have been getting late for her too. Wishing Tess a goodnight and promising to be home soon Kat hung up.

"Tess has certainly grown." Fitz noted as they sat.

"Yeah, and she has been through a lot too..."

"You mean the drawing Robin drew, the one that upset you." Fitz said gently. "What happened?"

"I ended the war with HYDRA." Kat said after a moment.

"You don't sounds pleased about that." Hunter pointed out from the passenger seat.

"It was at a price..." Kat explained how Moira Nakagawa was the last one and also her mother. She also explained how she had been kidnapped, tortured, then Moira went after Tess. "Now you know why I couldn't come running when the Playground blew..."

"You had your own messed up battles to fight." Hunter said, and Fitz could only nod in full agreement. By then it was early morning when Enoch finally spoke.

"We're here."

* * *

 **Author's Notes:**

 **First off thank you Fin-Fish Jun-Tenshi for the lovely review. I had forgotten Hunter's full name, he usually just went by Lance Hunter. Thanks for reminding me. As promised I am trying to post more often which is why I have posted this chapter.**

 **Now as for this chapter there isn't much to note since it is following the show, but I did make a little nod towards Captain Marvel. The scene with the Ferrets and Kat mentioning getting a pet for Tess. The little girl loves orange tabbies... you can guess which fler-erm kitty Tess would love.**

 **Anyway I hope you enjoyed this chapter, either way all readers please leave a review.**

 **Lesliezin**


	74. Dumbest Attempts List

**Hello everyone,**

 **Here is chapter 74, enjoy.**

* * *

 **March 1** **st** **, 2018**

 **The Lighthouse**

The seaside lighthouse looked scenic and normal enough to the outside observer, but even places of beauty held secrets. Enoch pulled the RV up to the house by the the lighthouse and when they got out they were met by a couple that knew and greeted Enoch. No doubt this couple helped to guard the secret of this place. They even helped to unload the supplies from the RV for them to take inside. From there Kat followed the others inside to a room with a hidden elevator. As they descended deeper underground Hunter finally asked. "Under a lighthouse heh? How far down does this go?"

"Unknown." Enoch replied as Kat looked towards the ceiling, It had already felt like they had gone done nine floors.

"What is it?" Fitz asked.

"Unknown." Kat was beginning to think Enoch knew nothing of this place as Hunter and Fitz looked at one another and the doors opened on the elevator.

"Who built it?" Fitz asked.

"Unknown." _'Yep he has no clue about this place.'_ Kat thought as they got off the elevator and took the equipment off as well. "As of this point you are the only five humans that know of this place's existence."

"How do you know about it?" Fitz asked as Kat picked up some more bags alongside Fitz, but the look Enoch gave as he looked to Robin said it all. Robin had discovered this place.

"We'll stay until we can decide what to do with her, she is no longer safe."

"I could contact my friends in the Shadow Network they are good at hiding people and giving them new identities..." Kat offered.

"That is a good option. Thank you Mrs. Barnes." Enoch replied after thinking a moment.

"Why not just ask her? She seems to know everything else." Hunter asked.

"She gives answers in her own time. It's better not to interfere." Enoch said and Kat could understand that, the girl's mind was a whirlwind of future visions.

"Hey, you sent my friends into the future, I'd call that some serious interference." Fitz pointed out.

"Our protocol allows for one exception." Enoch replied, "The prevention of an extinction level event."

"What?" Fitz asked as Kat stood there stunned.

"So what happened?" Hunter asked, but Kat was already guessing from the drawings Robin drew. One was of a planet with a large crack in it.

"Unknown." Enoch replied. On that bombshell Enoch left the three standing there stunned on the elevator. Getting over their shock they moved the supplies and equipment into a large room that looked like a bunker. While Fitz and Hunter relaxed Kat called Tess and Bucky, as even deep down in the earth the signal was as strong as ever. She explained that they were hiding from the military and later when Tess left to go hang out with Aneka Kat explained more of the grisly details to Bucky.

"So this little girl is an Inhuman that can see the future, and she sees the end of the world which is why the others are missing?" Kat nodded, "And you believe this?"

"She had a drawing of me standing over where I buried Moira next to Four," Kat replied then sighed, "Plus as crazy as it sounds it kind of makes sense.."

Now Bucky looked at her like she was crazy, "I know they are not dead, Bucky. But I can't sense them, it just... makes sense."

"Okay, did this Enoch guy say what causes this extinction level event?"

"No he was a bit vague on that, but I did see some of what this girl saw. It hard to understand what I was seeing..." Kat trailed off trying to think of how to describe it.

"What did you see doll?"

"Death. Destruction... it was all a blur of images." Kat said.

"So what is the plan?" Bucky asked after a moment.

"Currently? Keep the girl safe from the military that try to use her as a weapon. Hide her, and try to rescue the others from the future. Not even sure we can do that last one..." Kat said thinking.

"Whatever you guys do, just come back to us okay?" Bucky pleaded worried.

"Hey, I am not talking about time travelling here. You won't catch me in a DeLorean." Kat replied making Bucky chuckle and shake his head.

"I can't believe you made me watch that movie."

"I had to catch you up with the times." Kat teased. They talked for a bit more then Kat returned to the area Fitz and Hunter had made into their camping area. Fitz was lying back looking at pictures of Jemma on his phone on his bedroll as Kat took a seat on hers close by.

"Checking in with the hubby?" Hunter teased, as he cooked them a late breakfast.

"More like updating him on the current situation." Kat replied.

"So he gonna call in the Avengers?" As Hunter asked this he handed her a mug of coffee.

"No, we don't even know what to do at this point... what would I even say? We need to prepare because the world is going to end? We don't even know how it ends..." Kat said worried as she drank some of the coffee. She knew Robin was seeing the future and unable to make much sense of what she was seeing but this just made her worry about Tess and Bucky now. Did the Avengers fail somehow? Kat wanted to better understand the situation before she tried to fix it otherwise they could end up just making everything worse. Like in all the movies and books... messing with time was dangerous.

Her words got Hunter looking over at Robin and her mother. "Sad isn't it? To know what she knows and not be able to do a thing about it?"

"Maybe she is trying..." Fitz replied.

"I think the saddest part is seeing so much that it overwhelms her. It's an unending cycle of images flashing through her mind... even I can't make sense of them. I guess she has had to simply get used to it." Kat said looking over at Robin.

"You can't save the world. Can barely save myself." Hunter said stirring the eggs, "What's her story? How do you know her?"

"Her father was an Inhuman. Every time he touched someone he and that person would have a vision of an impending death. It must have been torturous because he couldn't have any human contact not with his wife not even with his... baby daughter."

"Daisy said as much. She tried to save him... but before he died he showed her Lincoln's death." Kat said looking over at Robin.

"They still call these gifts?" Hunter asked.

"They sometimes are, but other times it's a nightmare." Kat said taking a drink of her coffee. It just happened to be a nightmare for Robin and her father.

"He also saved Daisy, and she was convinced that she could save him. Change the future, but..."

"What's written is written."

"Jemma and I were there holding hands. We had no idea..."

"So you and Simmons?" Hunter asked, and Fitz finally sat up.

"Yeah we're together now. Everyone knows." This got Hunter looking at her as if to ask if she knew which she nodded as Fitz put on his shoes. "Even looked for a place together."

"Congrats mate. I remember when you couldn't even admit that you liked her."

That was when Fitz scoffed. "Maybe it should have stayed that way. Everything that keeps happening to us does seem like the Universe doesn't want us to be together."

"The Universe doesn't want or care about anything, and even if it did why wouldn't it want you to be together? You two are so perfect for each other it makes everyone a little bit nauseous." Hunter said taking a drink.

"Maybe it's trying to protect her." Fitz said making Kat look at Fitz with a frown.

"From what?"

"From me. From what I was in the Framework. 'Cause that came from inside me... it wasn't programming."

"Is that the Fitz we saw back at Enoch's place?" Hunter asked, as Kat thought about it. There was a mental shift as if another had taken over.

"Yeah."

"Have to admit I kind of liked seeing that side of you." Hunter said and Kat shook her head, only Hunter would like that. "I mean it worked. Got Enoch on the right page."

"Yeah well it also got people killed."

"The person you were in the Framework wasn't you, Fitz. Not the real you anyway... we both know your not some HYDRA doctor douche bag." Kat said taking a drink of her coffee, but Fitz remained silent as if unable to believe her, so she looked to Hunter.

"Look, I don't know what you went through, but I know you're not a cold blooded killer. Every light needs a shadow you just have to learn how to control it. Use it when you need it."

"I can't stand it being anywhere inside of me. I think that is why they left me behind because I am too much of a risk to them... too much of a risk to Jemma."

"Bollocks, you wanna know why you were left behind? Ask the one that kicked you off the guest list." Hunter said looking to Robin. Taking his advice, Fitz took some breakfast over to Polly and Robin and was going to ask why he wasn't with his friends. "You look worried."

"Just thinking..." Kat replied.

"About?"

"Several things... the current concern is for Fitz. It's hard to explain.."

"Dumb it down I am sure I'll get it." Hunter joked.

It took Kat a moment to think of how to express her concerns. "When I read someone's mind, it's like a fingerprint. It's unique. Their thoughts sound like their voice, but the way they think is also unique like their fingerprint. I get used to the person's mental voice and the flow of their thoughts and I get used to their mind. I can easily recognise friends... family, especially loved ones. Even you, but at Enoch's place... I sensed Fitz and in one moment knew his mind. Then it was like someone flipped a switch in his head and I no longer recognised his... thought patterns. If that makes any sense."

Hunter was silent for a long moment than nodded. "He's changed a bit, and you have been separated from the SHIELD team for a while. It will just take you getting used to him again."

Kat really hoped Hunter was right as she looked over at Fitz, Robin and Polly. Robin handed a drawing to Fitz. Through Fit's mind she saw the drawing two tall black figures with long arms stood beside two smaller stick figures with black hair. They stood over a bloody brown haired figure that could be Daisy or Jemma. Immediately Fitz went over to Enoch, and Hunter followed them into the hall. However Kat decided to come over and check on Polly and Robin. Sadly Polly was trying to get her daughter to eat as she resumed colouring.

"Please, Robin will you just eat a little for me?"

"Your mom is right, all girls need to keep up their strength." Kat added trying to help encourage Robin to eat as she knelt close by. Still Robin continued to colour as Kat looked at Polly, maybe a different tactic? Kat sat close by looking at what she was colouring. "You know my daughter Tess loves to draw too, I bet you two would get along great. Maybe when this is over you two could be pen pals? She loves sending and receiving letters and drawings, she is always excited when she gets a letter from Cassie. Would you like that?"

For a moment Kat thought Robin would continue colouring as she gave an apologetic look to Polly, but when she saw the look on Polly's face she looked to see Robin sitting there looking at her. "Robin? Would you like that?"

The little girl turned and dug through the file of drawings her mother kept, then when she found the one she was looking for she gave it to Kat. At first Kat was worried it would be another gruesome picture, but instead it was a drawing of a brown haired stick figure wearing multi coloured shirt. In one hand was a stick and the other a letter. Kat smiled it was a contrast to some of the drawings Robin was making.

"Do you want me to give this to Tess?" Robin silently nodded. "Alright, I'll give this to her first thing, she will no doubt want to write you too. Now could I ask you to please eat your breakfast?"

The little girl wordlessly pulled the plate of food closer and began eating, much to Polly's relief who looked to Kat. "Thank you."

Kat merely nodded and carefully rolled up the picture to give to Tess when she returned to Wakanda. However a second later she noticed Fitz come back in wanting to talk to her. Excusing herself she went over to Fitz. "We need to break back into Blue Raven Ridge. Enoch says there is a way for me to get to the future there. "

"And now Enoch suddenly wants to do the right thing?" Kat asked looking to Enoch still holding the earlier drawing.

"It's prophecy now." Kat sighed thinking, just as Hunter came back from getting off of the phone with someone.

"He says he can do it."

"Do what?" Kat asked.

"Make our fake IDs."

"Is this another friend of Rusty's?" Kat asked concerned.

"If I say yes am I going to get another disapproving look?"

"You will probably get one anyway." Kat replied, then looked to Fitz, "You do know that Shadow Network could just as easily create the fake IDs, right?"

"Yeah but they're in China, My forger is a half hours drive..." Kat rolled her eyes.

* * *

 **March 2** **nd** **, 2018**

 **Blue Raven Ridge**

 _'This has got to be the dumbest thing we've ever attempted...'_ Kat thought as she hid in the back of the truck while Hunter drove and Fitz sat in the passenger seat. One would think Fitz would be more easily recognisable, but being an unofficial Avenger did have it's downside.

"We're breaking a basic rule of espionage, 'Never walk into the same place as two different people'." Hunter pointed out as Fitz looked more closely at the ID.

"Don't have a choice. You sure these IDs are gonna hold up?"

"I sure hope so, Cootes didn't have much time."

"Cootes?"

"Yeah he's an old friend of Rusty's. He's very-"

"Let me guess the best your money could afford." Fitz interrupted.

"That is short for 'we might have to fight our way in'." Kat added, then kept down as Hunter pulled up to the gate.

"Afternoon. We're here to fix a hole in the wall." Hunter spoke with an laughable American accent.

"IDs." Immediately Hunter handed the guy their IDs and paperwork.

"Rusty Pelter and Jimmy Fudderman?" Kat had to cover her mouth to keep from laughing at the silly names.

"That's us. You break it, we fix it, and charge you the military mark up." Kat was nearly in stitches from wanting to laugh, but also certain that no one with half a brain would believe this BS. As the guy turned away to check the information Hunter looked to Fitz and asked in his normal accent. "Too much?"

 _'Bobbi was right, you do sound like a moron when you speak with an American accent.'_ Kat thought to Hunter. He made a quick middle finger gesture to the back at Kat when no one was looking.

"If Cootes doesn't have us in the system then this is all over." Hunter said reminding Kat of how serious the situation was.

"No then we find another way." Fitz said as Kat thought about how else they could infiltrate this place.

"What? From our tiny little cells?" Hunter asked, they waited the painstakingly long moment when the guard came back to them and said the last words Kat expected to her.

"All clear. Know where your going?"

"Know it like the back of our hands. " Hunter replied once more in the terrible American accent. Soon he drove through the gates until they arrived at the main storage facility, then stopped. The pair got out and came around the back. They opened the back doors to let Kat out as she was already dressed in a soldiers military outfit. She hopped down while Fitz and Hunter pulled off the fake jumpsuits. "Rusty always said there was alien artefacts in this base, maybe he wasn't so crazy after all."

"There is more than that here... the trackers on the Zephyr One shows it as being here." Kat pointed out. This got both men looking at her surprised, "Oh c'mon you know how I am."

Hunter chuckled as he pulled out two of the three long tubed containers. He accidentally bumped on against the side causing Fitz to react as he took from off of Hunter while Kat grabbed the third. "Woah woah! Careful. These are extremely volatile and unpredictable... Screw up once and you can lose a limb."

"Oh c'mon they're not that bad." Kat replied as they moved around the truck.

"Once we do this... that's it. No turning back.." Hunter said making it sound even more dire.

"Let's do it." Fitz said and together the three of them knelt down placing the containers on the ground. All three of them moved to unlatch the ends of the containers.

"Okay," Hunter said as the three looked at each other then straight ahead, "Release the ferrets."

Dropped the lids the three ferrets scurried out and away. "Such a shame they are so cute."

"We really need to work on your definition of cute. You would find a talking Raccoon cute." Hunter teased as they moved for the storage room. Hunter soon knocked out one of the two guards outside.

"They'll instinctively head for the vents," Fitz said as he got the access card off of the guard's unconscious body, "Motion sensors will interpret that as a escape threat. Closing the perimeter. Leaving us alone in here."

"Which is fine until we need to get out." Hunter muttered, the trio entered the warehouse and shut the door behind them. Using flash lights they looked for the item Enoch spoke of.

"This is it." Fitz said causing Kat to turn to the crate he was knelt at. They wasted no time opening it to make sure they had the right object.

"You sure this is it?" Hunter asked, as Fitz blew the dust off and tapped the screen. The blue lighting confirmed what it was.

"This is gonna get me there, if I'm lucky... Alright let's get this back on the truck." Fitz said, but Hunter was no longer next to them.

"We're not gonna need a truck, guess who was right?" Hunter asked as he flipped a lever lighting up the warehouse to reveal the Zephyr One. As the three looked on the SHIELD plane, Kat spoke up.

"Yeah I know. I love it when I'm right too." Both men looked at her smiling as they patted her on the back. Wasting no time Fitz and Hunter were pushing the object up the ramp of the ship while Kat made room for it in the cargo hold.

"Brings back memories. We had some good times back in the day. In between all the bad times, getting shot at and chased. Attacked by monsters... " Hunter said as they finished loading the object.

"Yeah this place... the base always felt like home. Like family." Fitz said as he leaned on another crate.

"Ah don't worry about it, you'll be together again soon enough." Hunter said smacking his back.

"You're just saying that."

"Yeah of course I am," Hunter admitted, "They're stuck seventy odd years in the future and our world's about to end. The odds my friend are not in your favour."

"Are they ever?" Fitz asked as Kat opened a case to find splinter bombs.

"No, but we are used to that." Kat said smiling over her shoulder at the other two.

"Well let's see what we got here.." Hunter opened another case and laughed, "Fitzy we just hit the jackpot."

Kat closed the case she had opened and came over to look at the all too familiar Icer guns. Fitz picked up two of them. She didn't really hear what Fitz said because she heard the thoughts of an approaching group. They weren't alone. Immediately she grabbed two Icers too as the group came around the corner. "What's going on here?"

Immediately both her and Fitz opened fire, Fitz hit one as did Kat and both knelt behind boxes to avoid the bullets being fired back. It was in the lull of the shooting that Fitz moved up and shot another while Kat shot another two about to hit Fitz. Both ducked behind more crates.

"Go upstairs, fire up the guidance system, and activate auto take-off. Kat and I will hold them off here and close the doors! " Fitz ordered Hunter.

"Shouldn't you do the technical and I'll-" Hunter was cut off as more bullets were fired.

"Go!" Immediately Hunter was about to leave when he realised something.

"Uh where is the auto take-off switch?"

"Second to the left panel just past the flight control... third button down. Flip the switch to turn the engines on then press that button. Auto-pilot will take over until someone switches it off." Kat called out, then shot back at the soldiers.

"Right got it!" Hunter then dashed off to do as he was asked, leaving Kat and Fitz to shoot at the soldiers. She covered Fitz as he made his way to the button and pressed it then knelt by the crate she was at.

"Damn Fitz, wanna tell me when you became such a bad-ass?" Kat asked getting Fitz to smile at her. With the loading bay doors safely shut, Kat helped Fitz up.

"I work out now..." The answer got Kat laughing as Hunter came back.

"Uh I hope one of you knows how to fly this thing."

"I do." Kat replied setting down the Icers and heading for the cockpit.

"Oh right. Of course you do." The first thing Kat did was activate stealth mode as she took the controls. It had been a while, but like with all things Kat never forgot. She certainly sat up here with May enough to know what to do. Flying them back towards the lighthouse they contacted Enoch who instructed them to land. At first Kat thought the android had lost his mind until he opened a hidden landing bay under the water. Landing the trio got off and they gathered some of SHIELD's weapons to hide in a wall panel for the future. Hunter cut open a hole to put the chest full of weapons in.

"These will be waiting for me when I get there. Team SHIELD will be fully armed." Fitz said putting Mack's shotgun axe on top before Hunter resealed the hole. Once down they went to the other room the object was in to find Polly looking at it.

"How does this get Fitz to the future?"

"It's a cryo-freeze chamber." Fitz answered calmly. Kat had known that the moment she saw it, she knew from here Fitz and SHIELD would be on their own. She hated leaving them like this, but there was simply no way she could go.

"What?!" Hunter asked.

"Yeah taking the long way there. Go to sleep for seventy-four years." Fitz said as he came over and wrote on the back of a post card.

"That is the most insane idea in our history of insane ideas. Did you know about this?" Hunter asked Kat who simply nodded but looked worried."We can't hide you in a wall you'll suffocate when you wake up, and if we leave you lying around here who knows what people or things are gonna find their way in there."

"He's not going to be here. I summoned a Chronocon vessel. We'll orbit a planet safely away from Earth until he wakes up." Enoch explained.

"Oh great that's brilliant." Fitz went over and placed the postcard underneath the wooden Robin that Robin had. The little girl was fast asleep.

"Are you ready?" Enoch asked, as he watched Fitz then looked at Robin.

"We'll look after those two." Hunter said.

"They'll be kept safe." Kat promised.

"Thank you Lance Hunter... Katrina Barnes."

"Just make sure he gets back okay." Hunter replied.

"Make sure they all do." Enoch nodded to the both of them as Fitz came over to them.

"Well I guess this is it."

"And I have had a hell of a time as always. I guess I underestimated your odds." Fitz clapped him on the shoulder, "Don't die out there mate."

The pair then hugged each other goodbye before Fitz turned to her. "I really don't like just sending you off like this..."

"I know. I also know you'd come with me if you could." Fitz said.

"But you know why I can't," Kat said as Fitz nodded, "So if any of you die out there. I am going to be extremely pissed off at you guys. I mean drag you kicking and screaming back to life level pissed off."

Fitz smiled as he came up hugging her rightly. "Just keep safe and don't do anything stupid okay?"

"I'll try." Fitz said as he released her and moved to the cryo-freeze chamber. They watched Fitz lie down in the machine and the lid be lowered over him. In the window they could see Fitz's face, and Hunter leaned over to crack a joke to help Fitz relax a little.

"I love you."

"I know."

 _'Avoid Darth Vader if you see him.'_ Kat thought to Fitz just before he was frozen in the chamber.

"It is done," Enoch said straightening.

"Take care of him." Hunter said as Enoch prepared to leave with Fitz. All too soon Fitz and Enoch were gone leaving the pair alone. "So what now?"

"I told Enoch I was going to place some sensors, It is highly likely that when they come back from the future it will be here... This way I can monitor the area and know when they return. I have contacted the leaders of the Shadow Network, they are working on new IDs and everything needed for Polly and Robin to start over."

"I am also gonna call Bobbi let her know what happened and she will keep an eye on them." Hunter said as they moved about the lighthouse. Kat placed a number of camera sensors when she asked.

"How would you and Bobbi feel about working for the Shadow Network?"

"Depends... do they pay well?" Hunter asked and smiled. With everything in place and all the phones calls made. They gathered their things and left the lighthouse. Clicking her kimoyo beads, Kat called the Talon to her and they boarded and left. A quick trip to China later, they picked up the fake IDs, bag of money, and safe house location for the Hintons. From there Hunter was introduced to the Shadow Network, and would travel with the Hintons and meet up with Bobbi. Now it was time for Kat to part ways and head for home.

"Well it has been a blast as usual." Hunter said casually.

"We'll have to do it again." Kat joked, then was hugged by Hunter.

"Take care of yourself Guardian Avenger." Hunter teased.

"I can still punch you, ya know." Hunter pulled away, and soon got in a black van with the Hintons and some Shadow Network associates. She watched the van drive away until it was out of sight. Then got on the Talon for the long flight home. She wondered what Bucky and Tess would make of this latest story.

* * *

 **Three months later...**

 **Wakanda**

The cool night air made Kat shiver and press against Bucky as she slept, but then out of nowhere something woke her. At first she wondered if there was an alert on her phone, or Aida was trying to contact her. But she did not recall hearing any noises, for a moment she laid there thinking. What had woken her? She listened carefully hearing the crickets outside, and the soft breathing of Bucky next to her. She looked across the way to find Tess fast asleep. Maybe it was Sharon or one of the Avengers? Closing her eyes she pulled on the mental tethers sensing them on the other ends, but they were fine. Then it clicked... she sensed them! Coulson, May, Jemma, Mack, Yo-yo, and Daisy.

Immediately Kat sat up pulling on the tethers to make sure she wasn't imagining it. They were there! However that was not all... it was both unnerving and a little disorientating to sense two individual Fitz's. The Fitz frozen in cryo, and the Fitz that came back with them.

Bucky stirred then as he groggily asked. "What is it, doll?"

"They're back." A second later her phone beeped with the alert confirming it.

* * *

 **Author's Notes:**

 **Well first off thank you Fin-Fish Jun-Tenshi for your lovely review. I really appreciate it.**

 **As for this chapter not much to say. It's tied directly into Episode 5 'Rewind'. Who here thought Kat would actually go with Fitz into the future somehow? I am already over half way through writing the next chapter so hopefully soon I can post that. I am hoping to finish Infinity War in this story before Endgame comes out because it will leave a big question mark until we see Endgame. As if there wasn't a big enough question mark with the way Infinity War left things, but this will only add to the questions...HeHee.**

 **Anyway I hope you all liked this chapter, please do leave a review because I love hearing from everyone.**

 **Lesliezin**


	75. The Shopping List

**Hello everyone,**

 **Here is Chapter 75, enjoy.**

* * *

 **April 8** **th** **, 2018**

 **Wakanda**

"And you are certain they are back from the distant future?" Shuri asked sceptically. The group stood in Shuri's lab as Kat came to tell the princess she would be leaving Wakanda for the Lighthouse. Her bags were already packed by the door. Wordlessly Kat came over and activated one of the sensor cams showing May and Fitz in a storage room.

"This is a sensor camera I set up three months ago that Aida has been monitoring. She told me one of Enoch's fellow Chromocan buddies has been wandering the facility, but last night, moments after I sensed them... Aida spotted them," Kat explained then switched cameras which showed them simply appearing, "They just... appeared. One moment I couldn't sense them and the next-"

"You could." Shuri said stunned by the footage, then she turned to Bucky and Tess, "And you're both okay with her leaving right away?"

"Mommy has to she's SHIELD's advisor." Tess replied trying to sound stern.

"Yes we will be worried about her, but they're important to Kat." Bucky added.

"Okay just checking." Shuri replied smiling, then turned to Kat, "Good luck and stay safe. As you know they are at the top of the most wanted lists."

"True, but so am I. Us most wanted criminals need to stick together." Kat joked, then Shuri hugged her. From there Kat picked up her bag and headed for the Talon with Bucky, Tess, Myra, and Shuri in tow. Sadly King T'Challa and Okoye were in a meeting and could not see her off, but he wished her luck earlier. Nearing the Talon Kat noticed something new about her Talon, it was given a name on the side. 'Shadow Talon' in silver and purple styled writing.

This got Kat to look at Shuri who asked. "What? It needed a name. Besides this way it's more identifiable as yours."

"It looks amazing Shuri, thank you."

"I wish I could go.." Tess spoke up reminding Kat of her current mission. She knelt down in front of Tess

"I know you do sweetie, but I don't know the situation. They could be in danger, and I can't risk you. Let me make sure they are okay first, then we'll see. Okay?"

"Okay..." Tess said looking down pouting, but by then Kat knew Tess had learned the power of manipulation.

"Tess? Are you hamming it up for me?" Kat asked as Tess refused to look up but she saw a little smile, "You are hamming it up, I knew it!"

"Nu-uhh..." Tess giggled.

"Yes you are you super manipulator you. Using your cuteness super power on me.." Kat said and started tickling Tess who burst into fit of giggles. After a moment Kat stopped knowing she would have to leave. "Alright, I have to go now. You'll be good right, little miss trouble-maker?"

"Yeah."

"Okay, but first... where is my hug? You know I demand hugs before I leave.." Immediately Tess hugged her, and Kat really didn't want to let go. When she did let go, she said goodbye to Myra and Shuri, then turned to Bucky. "I'll try to be back ASAP., I promise."

"You better." Bucky replied then pulled her close and was kissing her deeply. Finally it was time to go as Kat hesitantly pulled away from Bucky.

 _'Well if I fail to keep my promise, you could keep me in the hut however long you like.'_ Kat thought to Bucky, then said aloud. "I'll be back before you know it."

Getting aboard the Shadow Talon, Kat prepared for take-off, and was soon leaving Wakanda to return to the Lighthouse. The flight was mostly uneventful with Kat trying to prepare for whatever was waiting at the Lighthouse. With Coulson's team it could be anything from them chilling on the couch drinking beers to full scale alien invasion! In any case Kat decided to suit up in case it was the latter, and that was probably for the best. Twenty minutes out from the Lighthouse Aida spoke. "Kat we have a potential problem heading for the Lighthouse. A Quinjet, it should be coming into view now."

Looking out she soon spotted the jet heading toward the Lighthouse, she could intercept it since it was flying slightly ahead and on her right. "I see it, patch me into their communications. We need to know if this is a friend or foe."

"Okay your patched in." Aida replied.

"Unidentified Quinjet, this is... Shadow Talon, please identify yourself" Kat said after clicking the button, but there was silence on the other end. After a moment Kat clicked the button again, "Unidentified Quinjet please respond and identify yourself, or I will assume you are hostile. Over."

There was still no response as it continued no doubt heading for the Lighthouse, Kat sighed and was just about to click the button again when an unexpected response came. "This is SHIELD Quinjet 313. Kat is that you?"

That voice, Kat immediately placed the voice on the other end—Mike Peterson. "Mike? That you?"

"Yeah, Coulson called. We are on route to the Lighthouse. I am guessing that is where you're heading too?"

"That is correct. It's good to hear from you."

"Yeah you too. How did you learn of this place?" Mike asked.

"Long story, but the short version is Hunter and I helped Fitz get to the future. We were at this base three months ago." There was a long pause from Mike's side.

"I think we will need the long version." Mike replied getting Kat to laugh, no doubt he was not alone and she was on speaker because she could hear others in the background.

"Well we are fifteen minutes out, I'll try to explain..." From there Kat told him what all happened after their last phone call. How she met up with Hunter, rescued Fitz, learned the others were in the future and had sensor cameras at the Lighthouse to tell her when they would return.

"That is just insane..." Another guy replied at the end of her explanation.

"Yeah well that is a fun weekend for me." Kat joked as they were coming up on the location, "You guys wanna announce that we are here?"

"Sure." Mike replied.

"Good. Let's hope someone is home to open the door..."

No doubt the lighthouse must know two aircraft were approaching the base after all. "This is SHIELD 313 and Shadow Talon requesting to land. Repeat- SHIELD 313 and Shadow Talon requesting to land. Do you read?"

"We read you, permission granted." Mack's voice was wonderful to hear making Kat smile. Soon enough the hanger opened right in the middle of the sea like it had before. Together both planes made their descent. Landing next to Mike's jet Kat immediately got up and lowered the ramp. To her right Mike and a squad of SHIELD agents were stepping off and ahead was Daisy, and May. They had their guns drawn until they saw the familiar faces of their allies from both planes, and Kat was simply glad to see May and Daisy again. She looked over at Mike amidst the agents she had never seen before, and some of them looked back stunned as they recognised her. A second later Mack, Fitz, and Jemma rushed out stunned to see them—well not so much Fitz.

As Kat got closer she called out. "Ya know when we cryogenically froze you, you never said it would take three months Fitz. In other words... you're all late."

Kat might have joked with them further but their thoughts were racing. Something was wrong which was when she noticed two missing from the group.. Yo-yo and Coulson. "What happened?!"

"Follow us, we'll explain." May said not wanting to waste time. Looking towards Peter the group followed. Then they immediately began to explain that Coulson was trying to close a dimensional tear into a fear dimension. He went down there alone, and they had lost contact with him minutes before they arrived.

"Alright stay here, I'll get Coulson." Mike said.

"No, we'll get Coulson." Kat corrected, some of them immediately began to argue until Kat shot them a look, "I have not sensed a lot of you for over nine months! Now that I can I am not letting Coulson get killed by a fucking fear illusion! Mike? We going?" With a simple nod the pair headed down to the level this tear was at.

"You sure about this? They did say it manifests a person's fears." Mike asked.

"There is not a lot I fear these days.." Kat said as they stepped off the elevator. As she turned she saw an all too familiar face, and immediately shot the older red haired man. "Huh...so much for fear."

"Who was that?"

"Alexander Pierce..." When Mike looked at her funny she sighed, "The sperm donor is what I call him... rather therapeutic to shoot him."

Mike merely shook his head then saw down the other way. "How about them? Will it still be therapeutic?"

Kat looked at the alien looking creatures down on all fours that immediately charged at them, and she began shooting. _'Who the fuck conjured these in their wildest imagination?'_ Kat wondered as more seemed to appear out of nowhere. "Go find Coulson, I got these..."

Immediately Mike took off to help Coulson while Kat got in some target practise. She must have shot five of the freaky looking creatures, and when no more appeared she followed after Mike. Up ahead she could hear gunshots and blasts. She found Mike fighting a swarm of those creatures she had shot, while Coulson picked up some type of device. However between him and the glowing blue tear in reality stood another familiar face. Running around the boxes she jumped and kicked Grant Ward or his apparition out of the way. Flicking her wrists she called out her wrist daggers and attacked Ward. The fear apparition tried to block her attacks, but all too quickly Kat ran, jumped, and sliced down through the Ward double. Turning around Kat saw a stunned Coulson.

"You have no idea how long I have wanted to do that." Still Coulson looked surprised to see her so Kat gestured to the tear. "Today would be nice before more show up."

Hearing a creature behind her she pulled her gun and resumed shooting as Coulson activated the device to use on the tear. A second later there was a small explosion and suddenly Kat felt like she was being dragged towards the rift. Using her wrist daggers she slammed them into a heavy crate to keep her from flying off. Meanwhile Mike grabbed Coulson as he grabbed onto something else to keep them from being dragged in. Looking up Kat saw the blue tentacle alien wearing a suit coming around the corner.

"Mike!" Kat called out warning him of the threat coming closer. Turning Coulson around he punched the creature then ducked so Mike could shoot it. A second later the rift closed with a gust of wind that knocked Mike and Coulson to the floor. Luckily Kat was leaning over the crate. Pulling her blades free she straightened as Coulson and Mike sat up with Coulson kind of in Mike's lap.

"You're uhh... you're real right?" Coulson asked warily. "Please tell me you're real."

"Would it make this any less awkward?" Mike asked, as Kat pulled her phone out. This was too good an opportunity to pass up.

"Yeah."

"Good." Then Coulson noticed her come closer.

"Kat, you're real too right?" Kat held up one finger as if to tell Coulson just a second. Then they both heard the distinct sound of a camera shutter as she snapped a picture of them in the awkward pose. Then she put her phone away.

"Yeah I'm real." With the immediate threat dealt with the three went back upstairs where Kat could finally greet the SHIELD agents properly after being away for too long.

"It's good to see you Galadriel." Mack said once Kat had been hugged and greeted by the group.

"You have no idea how good it is to see you guys.. I couldn't sense you guys for a while there," Kat said then noticed one was still missing, "Where's Yo-yo?"

"Sadly we got back and well there has been a lot we've been dealing with." Coulson said, from there they got her up to speed on what happened. It was certainly a lot to take on board, and to hear Coulson was dying of his old injury and Yo-yo had lost her arms; Kat was not sure how to respond.

"Well fuck! That's pretty much all I know to say... so you guys have no idea how the Earth gets cracked open like an egg?"

"Did you not hear the part where I am the cause of that?" Daisy asked.

"Oh I heard it, I just chose to ignore it. What idiot told you that you shatter the planet? And why would you believe them?" Kat asked bluntly.

"Because they were all saying it." Daisy pointed out, "And you can't rule out the possibility."

"Yes I can and am. You don't tear the Earth apart. One because you wouldn't, two because of that stupid device in your neck which is coming out as soon as we can figure out how to get it out. And lastly three because you can't... it is mathematically and physically impossible for you to do!" Kat said firmly leaving no room for arguments.

"Regardless it's too big a risk, so no removing the device." Daisy argued, but Kat was not having that one way or another that device was coming out. Instead Kat asked.

"Daisy.. are you familiar with the Richter scale?"

Daisy rolled her eyes she knew what the Richter scale was. "Yes I know what the Richter scale is."

"The highest level Earthquake to be recorded in history is a 9.5 Earthquake back in 1960! You can read about it in history books, but it didn't break the planet apart like an egg. What your talking about would be one-hundred times the centrifugal force of a level nine earthquake. You simply are incapable of causing it. For starters it would shatter every bone in your body and literally tear you apart to wield a conductive force that size. In other words... it would kill you before you even reached the correct seismic level to shatter the Earth."

"So in other words... Daisy isn't the one to break the planet?" Coulson asked sounding more and more relieved.

"Not unless she gets a massive, and I mean super massive; power boost." Kat said confident that Daisy was not the one to destroy their world. It had to be something else.

"So if not Daisy, then who?" Mack asked concerned.

"No idea, you tell me. You're the ones stuck in dystopian future with a bunch of blue assholes."

"Sadly we have no idea what shattered the planet, all records of the event were destroyed by the Kree." Jemma pointed out.

"I really hate those blue assholes." Kat groaned.

"I know right." This time it was a man that had gotten off the jet with Mike and the others.

"Who's this?" Kat asked as she noted his odd clothing.

"This is Deke Shaw he is from the future." Daisy answered, then looked to Deke, "This is Katrina Barnes an Avenger."

"Not really an Avenger."

"They are calling you the 'Guardian Avenger'."

"I hate that name..." Kat muttered.

"I think it is really cool." Coulson replied causing Kat to look at him then smile, "Anyway we have some preparations to make."

"You're invited." Both Fitz and Jemma said at the same time.

"Ooookay, invited to what?" Kat asked.

"Our wedding." Jemma replied.

"Oh wow. Okay great, finally you two are tying the knot. Yeah I'll be there." Kat replied a bit stunned but happy for them, "When and where?"

"We have some last minute preparations to make, but level 27 in about four hours." Coulson replied.

"Okay, in the mean time I would like to see Yo-yo." Kat said not for a second forgetting about her other friend.

"I'll take ya. She'll be glad to see you." Wordlessly Kat and Mack left the main control room heading down the hall to the medical wing.

"How is she?" Kat asked trying to find out how Yo-yo was, but it seemed like a terrible question, "Sorry that's a stupid question."

"No it isn't. She is recovering." Mack said.

"I'm sorry I wasn't there to-"

"Hey it's okay, you're here now that's what matters." The pair entered the room to find Yo-yo asleep, but Kat's eyes were drawn to the horrible fact that where Yo-yo's arms should be were two white bandages that ended abruptly. Mack took a seat close by and Kat took the other seat. They both spoke softly for a bit not wanting to wake Yo-yo. Eventually she stirred, then woke looking at Mack.

"Hey turtle-man."

"Hey there, guess who is here to see you." Mack replied then looked to Kat, Yo-yo followed his gaze and smiled faintly at Kat.

"Galadriel... it's good to see you."

"Yeah you too Yo-yo. I wish it was under better circumstances." Kat replied.

"It's just like I saw in the future. It's all coming true." Those words sent a cold shiver down her spine.

"What did you see?" Kat asked worried then looked to Mack before looking back at Yo-yo.

"Myself... like this. And what she said..." Yo-yo trailed off shaken by the memory.

"Hey, it's okay. We don't need to talk about that." Kat said trying to sooth Yo-yo. Instead she picked a more light hearted subject, "So I hear Fitz and Jemma are tying the knot...finally. You talk about Mack being a turtle those two were moving at a snail's pace."

This got Yo-yo to laugh a little, then the smile slowly faded. "I wish I could be there for that..."

Kat looked at her watch they had three hours and twenty minutes left. "Well we better get started then. We only got three hours to set up the equipment that way you'll have a front row seat."

* * *

The woods inside on the twenty-seventh floor was lovely with a lake nearby but still very unsettling as she and Mack got off the elevator and moved to join the others. With them moved one of the seven dwarf drones Fitz had, they had rigged it with a camera that connected directly to Yo-yo room on a big screen T.V. Daisy was the first to notice her being followed by the dwarf and give a questioning look.

"Mack and I, we borrowed one of the dwarves to transmit a live video feed to Yo-yo's room so she can see the wedding first hand. "

"Who's controlling it?" Jemma asked.

"That would be Aida, not the evil psycho bitch-bot-"

"I know which Aida you mean." Jemma smiled.

"Isn't this Aida more... talkative?" May asked.

"Normally, but after being copied she's a bit worried she might upset you guys." Kat said annoyed that Aida felt she had to tiptoe around the agents that should trust her.

"That is just silly. She doesn't need to do that... Aida please say something." Jemma urged, for a second nothing then Aida replied.

"Congratulations on getting married. You look lovely Jemma." This got the bride smiling, then Daisy handed Kat a bouquet of flowers to signify she was one of the bride's made along with Daisy and May.

"You'll need these." Daisy added as Kat took the flowers, that was when Kat heard the elevator doors open and they noticed Fitz, Coulson, and Deke. As they got closer immediately Kat, Daisy, and May moved off to the left with drone following but continuing to watch the main couple. Kat once more pulled out her phone to record the ceremony for Tess and the other back in Wakanda.

"Wow, you look stunning." Fitz said.

"Pinned into this thing in thirty different place. It was the only wedding dress at the second-hand shop, apparently. They couldn't find you a kilt?" Jemma asked as Fitz looked down briefly.

"Uhh...no."

"Dearly beloved, we are gathered here today for a moment we all knew was coming some of us even before these two did. And I think we can all agree that to wait even one second to do this is playing with fire. All in favour?" Coulson asked.

"Aye!" The group called out.

"The ayes have it. So, alright. Time for the exchanging of the vows, I guess." Coulson continued.

Jemma handed her bouquet off to Daisy then pulled out a piece of paper and began to unfold it. "I have to write it down. Fitz. I knew from the moment I saw you from our first conversation about dielectric polarisation, that you would be in my life for a long time. But I didn't know... you would be my life. My heart. My home. We joined this team for adventures and got more than we had hoped... but I can't wait for our next adventure—building a family together. My love for you grows deeper and always will no matter where the universe takes us next."

Kat could not help smiling and even tearing up like Daisy at the beautiful speech. She watched the bride turn to Daisy handing her back the written wedding vows.

"Agent Fitz?" Coulson asked urging him to say his own wedding vows. Fitz looked apprehensive as he rubbed his hands together, it was a nervous habit he had.

"Umm," Fitz cleared his throat, "Okay, umm I have been thinking about what to say." Kat smiled as Fitz gave a nervous laugh. Knowing he was worried that Jemma would change her mind, the thought made him grow serious. "Just... words don't really seem enough."

He then took her hands before continuing with his vows. "I think that you are perfect. And umm... I don't deserve you, Jemma. I don't. I don't deserve you, and I'm well aware that I am the luckiest man on any planet."

Seeing them together and so happy just made this moment all the more important as she tried to take in every detail and commit it to memory. Finally Fitz looked to Coulson who spoke. "Okay. Let's have the rings."

Immediately Jemma turned to Daisy and Fitz to Mack who were holding the rings. "Quickly please. Before this forest collapses around us."

Once they had the rings, Fitz took Jemma's hand. "Okay Fitz, repeat after me: With this ring..."

"With this ring..."

"I three wed. "

"I thee wed." Fitz repeated, and the same was asked of Jemma as she placed Fitz's ring on his finger.

"Now by the powers vested in me by—well, by the two of you. I am so happy to pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss the bride." Coulson said, and the pair moved together to kiss. Mack gave a cheer, while the others clapped, and Kat laughed as the pair parted to be congratulated by the rest of the team. Amidst them Kat moved up still filming.

"Congrats Fitz and Jemma. Can you say hi to Tess, Bucky, Shuri, King T'Challa, and Okoye on your special day? They would have loved to have been here for this."

"Of course," Jemma replied then spoke to the camera, "Hello to everyone back in Wakanda. We wish you could have been here to celebrate with us on our special day."

"Absolutely, we would have asked that you be here but given the circumstances we didn't want put any of you in needless danger." Fitz added.

"But we hope you will enjoy this recording, and later I promise especially to you Tess we will celebrate when the situation has calmed down."

"I am sure Tess will love that." Kat replied.

"Ladies and gentlemen we had best moved the celebrations elsewhere before these woods collapse."

Coulson said, and so the group got on the elevator leaving the woods behind. All in all it was a lovely ceremony with some celebrating yet to be done.

* * *

 **April 9** **th** **, 2018**

 **The Lighthouse**

The next morning Kat was up early and getting ready to head back to Wakanda. The SHIELD team needed more 'updated' supplies in the forms of medicine and technology. So she moved about checking the storage area's inventory to find out what was needed. Sure some of the medication was made with a long shelf light, but that was back in the 1980s. They needed modern medicines and tech and where better then Wakanda? After checking to see what the Lighthouse did and did not have, Kat headed for the medical wing to find Simmons and Mack tending to Yo-yo.

"Everything is stabilising... back to normal range. Bit of good news. How's the pain?" Jemma was saying as Kat came in.

"Nothing I can't handle. Thank you."

"Don't worry, I going out to do some shopping. Gonna get something to help with the pain and nerve damage. Wakandan medicine is amazing." Kat spoke up, but immediately Yo-yo was taking a breath to protest and Kat knew she didn't want to be knocked out anymore than she had been. "Don't worry it won't have the nasty side effect of knocking you out."

"Thanks Galadriel." Yo-yo said relaxing as Mack fluffed her pillow more.

"Well how's this? This fine?" Mack asked.

"It's fine."

"Good. Okay. Well you need to stay warm." Mack said clearing his throat and pulling the blankets up to keep Yo-yo warm. "Uh can I get you anything to eat?"

"Mack, enough," Yo-yo said getting annoyed at his fretting. "Seriously, if I had arms I would strangle you right now."

Hearing footsteps behind her Kat turned to see Coulson enter the room. "How's the patient?"

"Cranky." Mack answered.

"How are you feeling?"Jemma asked Coulson concerned as Kat watched him carefully.

"The same way I was feeling before you knew anything was wrong with me. Thank you for asking, but please. Stop asking." When Coulson looked back as Yo-yo Kat and Jemma shared a look as Kat thought to Jemma, _'You have the blood sample right?'_ Jemma gave a brief nod as Coulson spoke to Yo-yo. "Fitz is gonna do the best prosthetics work he's ever done for you, but it may take some time... we don't have the necessary materials here, but Kat is gonna head to Wakanda and see about getting what we need. In the mean time I need you to focus on resting and healing."

"Sitting still isn't my strong suit." Yo-yo pointed out getting Kat to smile,

"I know, but he'll make it worth the wait."

"Plus Shuri will most likely want to help once I explain that situation here. No doubt she will want to collaborate with him so, it'll be better then even Coulson's arm. She and Fitz work great together." Kat said.

"Even better. See?" Coulson came around the bed to show off his prosthetic to Yo-yo, "People can't even tell the difference. And, honestly this one is way more fun. Imagine what Fitz and Shuri can cook up-"

"Does it feel the same?" Yo-yo asked.

"Actually no, it doesn't feel at all, but you get used to it." Coulson said after a moment.

Sadly there was no replacing a lost limb completely as Yo-yo sighed and asked Mack. "How are you gonna feel about dating someone with robo-parts?"

"Those aren't the parts that matter." Mack said, but both Jemma and Kat took his words by another meaning.

"Mack!" Jemma said.

"Honesty a little discretion here man." Kat added.

"What? Oh no c'mon. That's not what I meant. What I meant was that the thing I hate about robots is that they have no heart, no soul... those are the parts that matter."

"Nice save. And sweet," Yo-yo replied, "Okay. You can be annoying again."

"Well it's my turn now. It's time to break up this party. You need rest."

"I need a beer." Yo-yo said.

"I'll see what I can do about that." Mack replied.

"I'll put it on the list." Kat added.

"In the mean time you listen to the doc, alright?" Mack continued as he leaned down and kissed Yo-yo's head. The two men headed for the door to leave when they noticed Kat wasn't leaving.

"You on your way out Kat?" Coulson asked.

"Yeah I am gonna be flying out soon, I just need to ask Jemma if there anything else she needed me to get."

"Right, well good luck out there and stay safe." Coulson said then remembered something, "Oh before I forget..."

Kat watched Coulson pull a cloth baseball cap form his back pocket, it held the SHIELD logo on it. "Found this in one of the storage rooms, and thought Tess might like it."

Handing her the baseball cap, Kat smiled down at the item then looked to Coulson. "She'll love it! Thanks Coulson."

"No problem, good luck out there." Coulson said.

"You too, I'll be back as soon as I can." Kat replied as the two men left the room. Once the two men left and Jemma made sure Yo-yo was comfortable she turned to Kat and they headed to the nearby lab.

"I have a list of the items I need..." Jemma stated aloud, but luckily no one was around as she handed Kat the case, then whispered the next statement. "Coulson's blood. Hopefully the medical advances can help restore Coulson and save him."

"If there is a way, Shuri and I will find it. She loves a good challenging puzzle, I have no doubt she will be eager to figure this out." Kat replied calmly.

"Good luck Kat. "

"You too. I'll be back ASAP." Kat said then headed for the hanger. Along the way she saw the others and bid them good luck as she headed for the Shadow Talon that would take her back to Wakanda. Pretty soon she was in the air and on her way hope with the list of things she would need and Coulson's blood sample.

* * *

 **April 10** **th** **, 2018**

 **Wakanda**

It was the next day that Kat landed, she had messaged ahead to say she was coming home so Bucky and Tess were waiting for her. Upon stepping down the ramp Tess ran up hugging Kat, and she hugged Tess back. Kneeling down in front of her daughter, Kat said. "I have something for you. Close your eyes?"

Tess eagerly closed her eyes and Kat put the baseball cap on her daughter's head. As soon as she felt the cap on her head Tess opened her eyes wanting to see what it was she took it off to look at it and smiled down at it. "Coulson got it for you. He thought you would like it."

"I love it!" Tess replied overjoyed then put it back on.

"You're a SHIELD agent now. High five." Kat said and held up her hands letting Tess give her a double high five.

Together they headed for Shuri's lab, Kat really could not afford to waste time. She wanted to explain the situation, but with Tess there she really didn't want to worry the little girl too much. Instead she played the video of Fitz and Simmons getting married which made Tess even happier. Since it was early that morning though, Myra took Tess to practise after viewing the video while Kat explained the situation she had literally walked into in the Lighthouse.

"I also brought with me Coulson's blood sample. I was hoping you could help me find a way to reverse it." Kat finished as she handed Shuri the vial of blood.

"Let's see what we've got." Shuri said taking the sample from Kat to examine. Putting a drop under a microscope they brought it up on the big screen where they could see the damage at full scale. Jemma had not been exaggerating... the cells were dying and looked like they had been dead for some time. Next Kat plugged in the scans Jemma performed on the area to show the spread of the dying cells and tissue.

"My god, you were not kidding. This tissue looks to have been dead for several years!"

"That is because it was, Before the Chitauri invasion of New York, Coulson was stabbed through the heart by Loki. He was dead for three days when Fury used Kree blood to bring him back... but now. Now that has been burnt through by the rider. He is dying of his old injury." Kat explained.

"Even with our medical advances, this may be impossible." Shuri said worried.

"I know it's a big ask..."

"I did not say I would not try." Shuri reassured, then turned to Kat, "But I imagine there is more needed after what they went through."

"There is... when I got there Yo-yo, some sick bitch cut off her arms when she tried to save Mack. They patched her up, but she doesn't want to be too heavily medicated. Also there is nerve damage..." Kat called up the medical reports Simmons did so that Shuri would have the full details.

"She'll also need prosthetics." Shuri pointed out.

"That was the other ask, and better tech to communicate. You and Fitz work well together, it won't be the same as having her arms, but with you and Fitz on it it'll be damn close." This got Shuri smiling, she had enjoyed working with Fitz before.

"Give me the shopping list. I'll get you what you need. Right now you look exhausted... go home get some rest." Kat knew there was no arguing with Shuri, she was beyond tired, so she simply nodded and left with Bucky. That left Aida and Shuri to compile everything she was asked to get right down to the British snacks Fitz asked for.

* * *

 **:**

* * *

 **Author's Notes:**

 **First of thank you Fin-Fish Jun-Tenshi for the lovely review as always I love reading the reviews.**

 **As for this chapter, for those Agents of SHIELD fans we skipped from episode 5 'Rewind' straight to the 100th episode, which is the 12th one 'The Real Deal'. I loved that episode and since it was an ever important episode Kat being in it just felt right. The other thing to note is since I cannot directly reference Captain Marvel, I thought it cute that Coulson finds a SHIELD baseball cap for Tess similar to the one Carol Danvers wore.**

 **Aside from that I am going to try to post another chapter today, so all the more reason to write a review. I am going to try and catch this story up, but time is just not one my side. Either way though please leave a review. I do love reading them.**

 **Lesliezin**


	76. 2 Days and it all goes to Hell

**Hello everyone,**

 **Here is Chapter 76, enjoy.**

* * *

 **April 12** **th** **, 2018**

 **Wakanda**

It had been two days of gathering the equipment while Shuri also studied Coulson's condition. Sadly without Coulson here and only receiving updates from Simmons there was not a lot Shuri could do, she tested different medicines trying to either slow down or stop the tissue from dying further. Meanwhile Kat checked to make sure she had everything including something not on the list. She had talked to Shuri about it and she reluctantly agreed to help Kat. It was just a matter of getting the person to Wakanda. For now she received an alert from Aida. "Alright... that is the last of it."

"So you will be heading back soon." Shuri noted, then sighed, "Thus far I can find no means to reverse what is happening to Coulson. I will keep looking and let you know if I find anything."

Kat came over and rested a hand on her shoulder. "It's okay, it was a long shot to begin with. I appreciate everything you're doing. Thank you Shuri."

The teen nodded, "You had best get going, I'll be in touch."

The pair hugged, then when Kat pulled away Shuri added. "Good luck out there. Be safe."

"Of course." With that Kat left the lab and headed for the loading bay. and her Talon where Tess, Myra, and Bucky were waiting to see her off. Tess was still wearing the SHIELD baseball cap Coulson had given Kat to give to her. She looked like a adorable miniature SHIELD agent, sadly she was disappointed she could not go to see Coulson's team. Instead Kat pulled her phone out.

"Wanna thank Coulson for the SHIELD cap?" Kat asked as she knelt in front of Tess, the girl smiled at the idea and nodded eagerly. Thus Kat clicked the video recorder.

"Okay, go ahead."

"Hello Coulson, May, Daisy, Jemma, Fitz, Mack, and Yo-yo. I miss you guys a lot. Thank you for the cap. I love it!" Tess said posing with the SHIELD baseball cap, then acted serious, "You guys have to come here so I can hug you otherwise I'll be mad."

Kat wanted to burst out laughing at how cute Tess looked trying to sound stern and appear serious. Kat thought to Tess. _'Use your superpower.'_ Immediately Tess swayed in place as she added. "Pretty please... I wanna see you guys. "

Kat gave a thumbs up to Tess then to add to it Tess blew the phone a kiss then waved. "I better see you soon... bye."

Kat stopped recording as she said. "Now they simply can't refuse you. They will have to come see you."

Immediately Tess hugged Kat and she hugged her back. "Be careful mommy."

"I will, I'll be back before you know it."

"Good luck out there Kat." Myra added, then Kat looked to Bucky who pulled her close to kiss her goodbye. This was getting a lot harder especially when Bucky would kiss her like this. Pressing to him she lingered in the deep kiss for as long as she could. When he released her lips he whispered to her.

"Please come back safe doll."

"I will, you know I will." Kat promised, then hated being released from him. Taking one last look she boarded the Shadow Talon and prepared to return to the Lighthouse.

* * *

 **Ten hours later...**

Kat leaned back in her chair sighing after landing in the hanger of the Lighthouse. She was once more back in the thick of it, and hoping the SHIELD team had not gotten into too much trouble while she had been away. However just as she was about to get up she noticed the hanger... vacant. No Zephyr One, no Quinjet, no nobody! What the hell was going on? Someone had opened the hanger to let her in. Getting up Kat lowered the ramp and came down. Still no one... looking around her she wondered what the hell was going on until she spotted a SHIELD agent.

"Hey, do you know where everyone is?" Kat called out as the guy turned.

"Yeah, Daisy took May, Deke and a lot of agents to find and rescue Coulson. That was... several hours ago."

"Rescue Coulson? What happened?" Kat said coming closer, as the agent explained the whole mess of the last two days. It was insane she had been gone for only two days! But now it kind of made sense what she had sensed from Fitz before... _'It was like a light switch being flipped... Fitz's personality shifted... Of course a split personality disorder has developed.'_ Kat thought, there had to be others here.. Yo-yo was probably still resting, Jemma would be there to watch her and be close to Fitz. That also meant Mack was here too.

"Okay well thanks I think I will go check on them, can you have some agents take the supplies off the Talon?"

"Sure." The agent replied and Kat headed inside to locate the others. She went to the medical wing, but the lab was empty as was the medical room Yo-yo had been in. Where were they? She was just leaving and about to head for the holding cells as she heard voices up ahead.

"Yo-yo and Simmons broke him out." Mack's voice sounded followed by another's voice.

"What? Why? Where would they go?" As he came into view Mack saw her.

"I just got back, what the fuck is going on?" Kat asked.

"Long story Galadriel, but I am glad your here." The trio headed for the control room to locate the three wayward agents. The room was eerily empty so Kat immediately began typing into the computer.

"Can you locate them?" The agent asked.

"She can locate anything Piper. Right?"

"Course I can Mack, you know me... Okay they took the Quinjet and disabled the tracker, but I can track the transponder code."

"The transponder codes are how we ID the jet how-" Mack started to ask.

"Because that is... how my mother tracked me." Kat said disturbed by the memory. She kept typing as she tracked the jet to England? Before she could do much more an alert came in. Zephyr One was requesting to emergency land. Kat thus opened the hanger and they rushed to the hanger to meet the others. It was at the entrance that Coulson, Daisy, and May were wheeling in Deke on a gurney.

"Mack, where have you been? Get Simmons we need her-"

"She's not here. She and Yo-yo locked me in Fitz's cell, and ran off to England. Kat was tracking them for me." Mack replied as Kat moved with them heading for medical.

"I leave you guys for two days and it all goes to hell." Kat muttered annoyed, but also concerned for the poor guy in need of medical help.

"Fitz's cell?" Coulson asked confused, "Must be the long story you mentioned."

"Yeah. I left you in charge. What the hell happened?" Daisy asked Mack.

"Well they think they can't be killed, you try arguing with someone that is totally irrational."

"We'll decide who rational later. What are we going to do for Deke?" Coulson asked.

"He's coughing up blood. If Simmons is AWOL we have to get him to a hospital." Daisy said.

"We don't have time for that..." May replied as they neared the medical wing.

"She's right, if he is coughing up blood..." Kat looked at where the bandages were. The chest area most likely the lungs, "It looks like he sustained a gunshot wound to the lungs, hence him coughing up blood. He is also going into shock... what was used to sustain him on the Zephyr?"

"We used the hemostatic granules to stop the bleeding." Daisy replied.

"That would have only lasted about half an hour at most, beyond that a tear could happen. I am guessing the gunshot punctured the lung, what you did slowed the bleeding but his lung if filling up with blood." Kat concluded.

"Piper, you were in training to be a field medic for the strike team." May pointed out.

"Yeah but she seems more knowledgable..." Piper said looking at Kat.

"Read a lot of medical books while pretending to be a nurse. I remember it all, never practised it. But no time like the present to put what we know to use. You in?"

"Uhh yeah okay, but we're not surgeons."

"Just talk me through it. I am not afraid of blood and I got a steady hand." Mack put in. Given the circumstances Deke's life rested on Kat's memory of medical books, Pipers training, and Mack's steady hands. All in all it wasn't good, but it would have to be enough. The trio went into surgery with Deke to keep in alive and properly treat his wound. "Almost cleaned out."

They had cleaned the wound to get a better view of what they were dealing with and it was clear he was shot where Kat thought.

"Okay... where do we go from here?" Mack asked.

"I think he has..."

"Hemothorax... blood in the chest cavity. We'll need to stop the bleeding and drain it." Kat replied as she looked more carefully at the injury, "That also means Mack you'll need to cut him open to see what we're doing."

"What about anaesthesia?" Mack asked.

"Well he is already unconscious and I haven't read that chapter yet." Piper replied nervously.

"Hey it's okay I have and we had to sedate him for what we are currently doing. So we're good." Kat replied, "Proceed."

The trio worked carefully to stop him from bleeding out then drain the blood. Kat carefully kept the area clean so Mack could see better what he was doing, while Piper handed him the tools needed to get the job done.

"Is that furrowed frown about our patient or about Yo-yo?" Piper asked. _'Both.'_ Kat thought to herself as Mack worked.

"One minute I'm terrified for her, and the next I am furious with her." Mack said as he worked.

"I get that," Kat replied understanding how Mack felt.

"Yeah but, Elena's always been stubborn... but ever since her arms..."

"Yeah well, if I hadn't let Hale..." Piper said feeling guilty for what happened to Yo-yo, Kat briefly saw the memory, but understood that Piper never meant for that to happen.

"No, don't do that," Mack said, "You made a mistake."

"Yeah, a big one. Like how do you even begin to make up for something like that?" Piper said as she handed Mack another tool while Kat cleared away some of the blood from the wound.

"Everybody makes mistakes Piper." Kat replied.

"Exactly. Me? I fix something else. That's why I like engines, putting the pieces back together..." That was when the machine started beeping at them that his vitals were dropping.

"No no no no no..." Piper said grab another instrument.

"Guys what do we do?"

"Something must have ruptured or..." Kat said worried and thinking as the area filled with blood.

"We need to find the source of the bleeding."

"The bullet must have nicked an artery..." Kat added as she cleaned up the area enough for him to see.

"Good call Galadriel," Mack replied seeing what she was seeing. Removing the bullet, Mack then asked. "Alright step two?

"You have to clamp the artery before his blood pressure drops any lower." Piper read.

"Did not think I would be doing this today." Mack added.

"Think of it as an engine, and oil is leaking it's very important that no more oil leaks." Kat offered.

"Thanks." Mack replied as he stuck his fingers in to clamp the artery, but this caused Deke to thrash on the table, Kat immediately held him as Mack yelled. "Damn it, stay still!"

"We're trying to help you." Piper added.

"Sedated remember? It's a natural response..." Kat pointed out as she held him, then grabbed a sedative and jabbed his arm. A moment later he stopped and relaxed as he was knocked out. Soon his vitals returned to normal.

"He's stabilised." Piper said.

"Okay. That step two?" Mack asked relaxing.

"Don't go high-fiving each other just yet. This is just the start..." Kat said.

"Again she is right, step three is you sew his artery shut so he doesn't bleed out and die." Yeah that looked like a joy ride Mack wished he did not have to go on.

"Hey relax, we'll take this one step at a time." Kat reminded him as they resumed their work to save Deke's life. It was a slow gruelling process as they worked the next couple of hours to ensure the artery was sown shut and they could patch Deke up. Finally they were able to close the wound and relax as Deke would live another day.

Getting out of the medical suits Mack pulled off the breath mask as Deke was waking up heavily drugged. "Welcome back"

"You are on a lot of drugs," Piper added, "But hey, good news you didn't die."

"Just relax and enjoy that feel good feeling. Also rest." Kat spoke up as she stood across from Mack.

"Thank you. You guys saved me."

"Well we're just glad you pulled through." Mack replied.

"Is Daisy here? She's so pretty." Deke said completely drugged as Kat looked at him stunned.

"What now?" Mack asked just as stunned, but it seemed Deke was going to continue speaking his mind.

"I want to put my mouth on her mouth and move it around a lot," By then both Kat and Piper were laughing some, "But I don't want to that unless she wants to too cause that's what makes it nice. But I don't think she wants that cause she does not like me one bit."

"I mean she's... she's not my type, but I... I get it." Piper replied as Kat shook her head. It just occurred to her how close she was to Daisy and how much she had been worried for her. She viewed Daisy like... a sister. That was what it felt, like they were sisters. Still this was just too funny to ignore.

"Okay spaceman, maybe we should..."

"Maaaaacccck!" Deke called out stunning them, "Dude! You are so cool." The drugged man leaned forward to take Mack's hand as he did some type of unique bro handshake. "Do we know any handshakes?"

Kat was practically shaking with laughter at the scene playing out before her.

"Uh I appreciate that, but..." Mack said trying to calm him down.

"Should I shave my head?" The question stunned them once more as it was out of the blue. Piper was the first to answer finding it just as amusing as Kat did.

"Yeah, no I see no flaws in that plan."

"Maybe then Daisy would like me because she... she protected me. She's very smart."

"Uh okay, would it hurt him if I turned this up?" Mack asked holding up the button to give him more morphine.

"Awe but this is so much fun." Kat said getting a look from Mack as Piper was also trying not to laugh, but still looked to Mack.

"Yeah, I don't think.."

"Good." Mack said clicking the button.

"I also... oh my brain is falling..." That was when Deke went to la-la land.

"Killjoy." Kat replied just before Daisy came in.

"Hey something weird just happened." Right then all three of them were considering telling Daisy about Deke's words, but Mack spoke first.

"Nah I-I wouldn't.."

"Uh remember the signal transceivers from the mechs?" Daisy asked holding a tablet.

"Yeah."

"We got a ping. We're tracing it."

"Just like the Quinjet," Mack replied, then looked to Kat, "Can you track the Quinjet's transponder signal?"

"Yeah it will take time if the jet is powered down, but I can find it." Kat replied, she was about to leave when Daisy stopped her.

"There is something else.. Robin and her mother is here. She keeps asking for you."

"Alright, I guess I will go speak to her first then meet you all up in the control room." Kat replied, Daisy told her where the two guests were and headed straight for their room. Knocking on the door a moment later Polly opened up and smiled at Kat.

"It's good to see you again Polly. How are you and Robin?" Kat asked.

"We're doing well, Robin she has been asking for you ever since she started drawing again. Come in." Entering the small room it was lit up by lamps, in the middle at the table sat Robin drawing away. The table was littered with many drawings. At the back was a couple of bed and dressers. Coming closer Kat sat across from Robin.

"Hello Robin, I am told you wanted to see me? Is everything okay?" Kat asked gently as Robin stopped set down her marker and looked at Kat. "Is something wrong?"

Robin looked down at her drawing then handed it to Kat. It looked like buildings... and some type of doughnut in the air? But upon looking at it more closely she realised she recognised some of the buildings. This was the New York skyline... and what was over it must be some type of ship?

"You cannot stay." The words from Robin made Kat look up. "When this happens... you have to leave."

For a long moment Kat was stunned. She couldn't stay? Why not? Wordlessly Robin got up and came around the table, she took Kat's hand and placed it against her head. "You want me to read your mind?"

Robin nodded, so taking a shaky breath Kat focused her mind as she closed her eyes. _The flashes were too quick! Buildings being destroyed... Stark—Banner they... the image changed. Wanda at a train station fighting protecting Vision..The images were still too fast she could make little sense of what she was seeing or why. The worst part was it was mixed with other images.._

 _'Shhh relax Robin try to block the other images and just show me what you want me to see.'_ Kat thought to the little girl, _It worked to a degree, the images slowed a bit more... but that also made it more terrifying. Now she saw what Robin had drawn a ship over New York. Two creatures attacking Vision and Wanda. Then... a field in Wakanda. An endless sea of creatures... Steve getting overwhelmed, then in a flash of images being punched by a large purple man. She saw the other Avengers getting knocked aside as if they were a minor nuisance then... empty cities. Abandoned cars... no one... failure. They failed.'_

Kat pulled out of Robin's mind unable to keep seeing more. She was breathing shakily as she looked at Robin. "You cannot stay."

Kat once more looked down at the image Robin had given her realising this was what was coming, and the Avengers were not enough.

* * *

Leaving Polly and Robin's room Kat needed air and time to think. The drawing was folded up in her back pocket, she didn't dare speak of her deadline to the others. She just hoped she had time to help them before having to return to Wakanda. For now she needed to focus one step at a time. So step one... track the Quinjet and locate Yo-yo, Fitz, and Simmons for Mack. Heading for the control room she had just walked in on a briefing Daisy was giving as they were going after Hale. "Sorry, I didn't know you were... I'll just..."

"No it's okay Kat after all you are SHIELD's advisor. Extra insight might help..." Daisy replied, so Kat came over to join the briefing.

"Anyway we confirmed that this is Hale's base," Daisy said continuing as she called up the satellite images, they had.

"It's a decommissioned military base, which means it's highly secure and way off the grid." May added.

"We need to hit them hard and fast, knock out their defences before they know we're there. "

"Lighthouse rules, club 'em from behind don't stop swingin' till they stay down. What?" Deke asked as he noticed Mack watching them. They were standing next to each other when Mack must have noticed the scent.

"You wearing body spray?" Kat forced the laugh down remembering Deke's drugged up confession. Either way Daisy continued the briefing.

"May and I go in, we get the gravitonium, get the Queen off the board. Kat you wanna come?"

"As much as I would love a ladies night out, I still need to run a trace see if I can find the runaways." Kat said looking to Mack briefly then back to Daisy, "Don't have too much fun without me?"

"We'll try not to." May said with a brief smile.

"And I was looking forward to ladies night..." Daisy said, but understood that finding Fitz, Jemma, and Yo-yo were equally important especially to Mack.

"I know sorry, rain check?" Kat asked and Daisy smiled and nodded.

"When do we leave?" Coulson asked.

"You're not coming." May replied.

"I'm not?"

"We just got you back, and I need you to stay here and quarterback. Mack find Fitz's schematics and start building the artificial gravity system for Zephyr One." Daisy instructed.

"Oh please don't tell me we're going back to space."

"Not until we have to. "

"And me?" Deke raised his hand, making Kat smile as Daisy looked up. "You need me to uh back you up, or..."

"You literally just got shot." Daisy pointed out. "Why are you out of bed?"

"I've handled worse." Deke said as Kat shook her head.

"Um no you stay here, help Mack."

"Alright yeah, if that's how you want to play it." Deke replied as Mack looked like he wanted to shoot himself. It was so obvious that Deke was in love with Daisy... he was like a love struck puppy. Most likely Daisy had noticed, but was choosing to outright ignore it.

"Okay Z-One's wheels up in five. Let's go." Daisy said ending the briefing, Kat ignored what Deke said next as she went to the computers to open up her latest search. She noticed Coulson and Daisy speaking for a moment but focused on her new task.

"Hey uhh, what did Robin want?" Daisy asked, the hacker had not left the command centre, but stayed behind to ask the burning question..

"She wanted... she wanted to show me something. Since I can read a person's mind I am probably the only other person that can see what she is seeing... " Kat said.

"Wow, what did she show you?"

Kat paused thinking of what to say, then said. "A lot of it was unclear images moving too fast to make sense of. Give me time to figure it all out?"

"Yeah sure, I'll let you get to your search." Daisy said then left the room. From there Kat was left mostly alone except for Coulson who stood at the screens to quarterback the mission. Regardless Kat began to run her searches. Even cloaked the Quinjet should have been traceable, but if turned off... well finding them would be harder. She knew they went to England, but the signal stopped there. Eventually Coulson left to help Mack since the team was not at Hale's base yet. When they got back to the control room Kat had narrow the search of the Quinjet she located the last known location before it shut down, and asked Aida to search the old records of HYDRA tech since Hale was after a device from HYDRA.

"Alright I narrowed the search down to the transponder's last known location. It's Herefordshire England where Talbot had some of the HYDRA tech in an old factory."

"Good to know, we-" Coulson replied just as an incoming transmission came. Mack typed into the keys to activate the video call. It was May and Daisy reporting on their success and capturing Hale. Apparently she surrendered without much fuss because her daughter Ruby left to go infuse herself with Gravitonium. Which got Kat's attention, they had mentioned gravitonium a lot and the 'Destroyer of worlds'. They explained how they found Creel the man that could alter his skin into any material.

"There is something wrong with him. Creel touched the Gravitonium and felt... people in there."

"Franklin Hall" Coulson replied thinking.

"Iain Quinn too."

"We've seen it consume people, but apparently it also absorbs their consciousness. " Daisy said.

"Is that even possible?" Deke asked.

"Well assume the answer to that question is always yes." Mack added.

"How is Creel doing now?"

"He's barely hanging on, he's lost in his own head. We had to sedate him." May replied.

"We have to get him help. I owe him that much."

"I could try to calm his mind. At least for a bit...it worked with Robin a little. Besides knowing that two guys are arguing in his head. Maybe I can get them to shut up at least until we can find a more permanent solution." Kat spoke up.

"Sounds like a good plan." Coulson replied.

"Yeah it does, but right now we have to stop Ruby."

"According to Hale, Fitz and Simmons have been spotted on site." May added.

"Let me guess old factory in England at these coordinates?" Coulson asked as he sent to them the coordinates.

"Yeah that's the place... I take it Kat was able to track the transponder signal?" Daisy asked looking to Kat.

"It wasn't as easy as my moth—the last HYDRA head to use this program made it look. Usually the jets need to be on in order to trace the transponder codes. But managed to narrow the location based off of where it was moments before powering down then referenced areas where Talbot stored old HYDRA tech." Kat explained. "Sadly the jet has been off for hours... meaning if Ruby shows they could already be in danger."

"Do you sense anything from them?" Daisy asked.

"My powers don't exactly give me an update on their activities, Daisy. I know they are alive and okay, but beyond that... nothing."

"Damn it Yo-yo. If that crazy girl powers herself..." Mack said getting worried as he leaned forward.

"Daisy, you can't go there. That's too dangerous." Deke replied getting concerned for her.

"For the hundredth time I am not going to quake the Earth apart. Besides Kat confirmed that it is simply impossible for me to do."

"That's not what I'm saying, I'm saying you have to be careful because-"

"No matter what. I am not going to use my powers around the Gravitonium."

"If you won't quake and Ruby's powered... she'll kill you!" Coulson said now even more worried.

"Sir, you brought me back to lead, this is what that looks like."

"There is another factor to consider as well. The Gravitonium is a highly volatile substance, but if used to power Ruby... well you need to be extra careful Daisy."

"Not you too-"

"Because it might not be Ruby that gets powered... it might be you." Kat replied this got the group around her and the ones on Zephyr One to pay more attention, "Remember how I said it would take a super massive power boost for you to rip the Earth apart?"

"Yeah..."

"Well this equates to that, if for some reason you end up in the Particle Infusion Chamber and are charged up with the Gravitonium.."

"I could still end up being the destroyer of worlds..." Daisy finished.

"But she wouldn't even charged why would she destroy the world?" Deke asked.

"It might not necessarily be her, but the other occupants of the Gravitonium. This stuff is driving Creel bonkers than it could drive anyone that comes into contact with it nuts." Kat pointed out, then looked back at the screen with Daisy and May, "You need to also avoid stepping into that machine, or being... knocked into it."

"Copy that." Daisy replied.

"Regardless you can't put yourself at risk like that." Coulson argued.

"We'll make those decisions Phil, not you." May added no doubt still angry that Coulson had willingly handed himself over to Hale before.

"Look we need every advantage we can get. So go through Robin's drawings see if there is anything we can use. Kat can you talk to Robin again while they go through her drawings?"

"Sure." Kat said not wanting to admit how unnerving it was to see Robin after their last conversation.

"Thanks." With that they cut the communications, but everyone in the room was tense at this latest development.

"Women huh?" Deke asked as Kat looked at him annoyed. After all she was a woman too.

"Shut up Lemons." Mack replied, as Coulson tapped some keys.

"Well I better hop to it then..." Kat said as the three men looked to her.

"Why would she talk to you?" Deke asked.

"Because I am the only other person that can see what she sees, that and I think she likes me. After all I am really good with kids." Kat said as she walked backwards as she talked then turned and left the command centre. She immediately headed down to Polly and Robin's floor to speak with Robin or learn more. When she noticed the door open and frowned... coming closer she called out thinking one of them had simply left the door open.

"Hello? Polly? Robin? I need to-" She had just came into the room to find the table on it's side, and Polly on the floor unconscious. "Oh shit! Polly!"

Calling into her comms she spoke. "Aida contact Coulson and the others and lock down the Lighthouse someone got in here and took Robin."

"On it. Coulson, Mack, and Deke are already in route to your location." Not a second later the three men appeared.

"She's unconscious but alive." Kat replied. "I've asked Aida to lock down the Lighthouse. Whoever took Robin will not get far."

"He took her. Talbot took her." Mack sighed, since Mack was thinking about it Kat witnessed the encounter. He had been in the control room when Mack caught him.

"No. He wouldn't."

"Earlier I saw him, he was messing with the feeds. And he mumbled something. Said... he was happy to comply." Mack said as Kat looked to Coulson.

"Whitehall's signature move..forcing compliance from people." Kat said as Coulson paled.

"HYDRA had him for six months. How could I have missed it? We have to find them."

"I'll stay here with her." Deke offered which was the best option, when Polly woke she would be panicked and perhaps Deke could calm her some. Immediately they left and Aida contacted them.

"I have located them. Talbot is trying to override me and unlock the hanger to escape. Robin is with him." They rushed to the location where Talbot was working and Robin was just standing there. Normally a child would be terrified, but Robin knew how this would end.

"Talbot stop-" Immediately Talbot moved to use Robin as a shield as Mack came around and pulled a gun.

"Drop it!"

"You drop it! Stand down!" Talbot replied.

"Everybody calm down." Coulson urged not wanting to risk Robin. "Glenn look at me. Why are you trying to get into the hanger? What are you doing?"

"A soldier never questions his orders. Soldier always completes his mission."

"This isn't a mission. This is Hale She got into your head, she brainwashed you. "

"Robin, it's gonna be okay, Sweetie..." Mack said.

"Don't you talk to her!" Talbot yelled, but what he didn't know was Kat did not need to speak for Robin to hear her.

 _'Listen to Mack. You're gonna be okay. You trust me right?'_ Kat thought to her.

 _'Yes..I know.'_ Robin thought back. This conversation happened while they urged Talbot to fight Whitehall's compliance programming.

"I know you're my friend and you would never kidnap a little girl." Coulson said.

"Kid—kidnap? That—that's a hell of an accusation Phil."

"Considering her mother is unconscious in the room, I would say it is pretty accurate." Kat pointed out. This got Talbot looking at Kat.

"And what do you know?"

"I know that Gideon Malik kidnapped your son threatening to hurt him, and recently the last HYDRA head tried to take my daughter away. It's a common move HYDRA does as is the HYDRA programming. " Kat pointed out.

"I got a job to do." Talbot said trying to ignore Kat's words.

"She is not much younger than your kid. Think about your son, Talbot." Mack added.

"Think about it, What if that was George? You know this is wrong."

"Shut up! You shut your damn face!"

"It's not too late to turn back." Coulson urged.

"No. My compliance is my reward and I must be..I must be rewarded."

"Ignore that. That's the programming talking, not you. Fight it. You can beat it."

"I can't!" Talbot said inside his mind he fought the impulse to comply as he released Robin, "I can't I can't complete the mission. I gotta... I got to stop myself."

"That's right."

"There's only one course of action." Talbot said as he placed the barrel under his chin.

"Talbot. Stop don't do this." Coulson pleaded.

"It doesn't matter anyway. I am not the same Phil. I can't trust my thoughts..There's no other way."

"Robin. Come here. Come on." Mack urged and immediately the little girl came closer but stopped and looked at Kat.

 _'Go with Mack, he will take you back to your mommy. Okay?'_

"Okay." Robin said aloud then went with Mack.

"Phil... tell George I'm sorry."

"Put the gun down."

"I can't!" Coulson was about to use the programming against Talbot but Kat thought to Coulson. _'Coulson don't! Let me talk to him. Trust me.'_

"Yes you can General. You're stronger than this, you can beat this." Kat urged.

"I can't! And even if I could I can't look Carla or George in the eye again."

"And I am saying you can. Wanna know how I know?" Kat asked when Talbot didn't say anything Kat continued, "Because my husband went through what you went through... for fifty years he was forced to do HYDRAs bidding. He was forced to kill anyone they ordered him to only to be frozen over once done. And even when he broke free, he didn't feel free. He felt trapped, and guilty for all the horrible things he had done. But with my daughter and I he broke free of that programming... No matter what he did we always forgave him."

As she spoke she slowly gained Talbot's full focus and as she drew closer he recognised her. "You—you're... I recognise you. You're that Katseye or.. the Guardian Avenger."

"Yes General."

"And... and the man you speak of.."

"James Barnes... the Winter Soldier." Kat said, "See? I know exactly what this is like, and what your wife and son must be going through. Which is how I know Carla and George will forgive you. They won't care what you did, they will understand and they will help because they want you in their lives General. You're life isn't over. Now please give me the gun..."

Kat held out her hand hoping he would hand her the gun which he did much to both her and Coulson's relief. "I can't be trusted, you need to lock me up... less risk."

"Alright, I understand. Don't worry we'll get you some place comfy where you can rest. We'll get that HYDRA garbage out and you back to your family soon enough." Kat said as she took Talbot to the holding cells. Mack and Coulson followed at a distance watching to make sure Talbot didn't try to hurt Kat, but in the end he went into the cell without a fight. After getting him a nice steak dinner, and checking on both Polly and Robin Kat eventually made her way back up to the control room. However now Kat worried over what would hit them next.

* * *

 **Author's Notes:**

 **First off thank you Fin-Fish Jun-Tenshi for the lovely review. If you enjoy Deke no doubt you enjoyed the drugged up Deke as much as I did.**

 **As for this chapter... the biggest thing to note is the foreshadowing of Infinity War when Robin warns Kat she can't stay to help Coulson's team see this through she has to leave them soon. Yeah we're getting there. I hope I get through this before Endgame hits.**

 **Anyway please leave reviews I love hearing from you guys. In the mean time I am already working on the next chapter.**

 **Lesliezin**


	77. Pulled in Two Directions

**Hello everyone,**

 **Here is chapter 77, enjoy.**

* * *

 **April 11** **th** **, 2018**

 **The Lighthouse**

After General Talbot, Kat contacted Wakanda with an update. She wanted to get help for the General so that he could finally return home. She also asked the Shadow Network to run searches for General Hale. Currently it was all one big fucked up mess. Daisy and Hale tried to help Ruby only for Yo-yo to slit the teen's throat. Kat had had time to think over it and after they brought Creel to the base and she had to calm his mind, she knew that there was nothing really that could have been done for Ruby. Her calming Creel's mind was a temporary fix, one that sadly would not last. She could not bring herself to tell the others that he would never fully recover from touching the Gravitonium, and the same would have gone for Ruby. While she knew it was wrong to simply slit a teenager's throat, the horrifying fact was it was a mercy what Yo-yo did. Some might say that is cruel and heartless, but Ruby would have continued to suffer endlessly after her exposure.

On the flip side she could also kind of see Yo-yo's perspective, she had lost both her arms and it was easy to seek revenge even if it was wrong. She did not approve of Yo-yo's actions, but she understand why Yo-yo did it. Then there was Yo-yo, Fitz, and Simmons going AWOL and thinking nothing could kill them. Daisy getting a bit bossy, and Coulson getting suicidal. Compile it all together and a lot of mistakes had been made, but hopefully now everyone could finally start singing from the same hymn sheet. Currently Kat stood in the briefing with the others as Coulson went over the details. "Once Zephyr One breaks through the upper atmosphere, we can slingshot the Gravitonium at high velocity into the sun destroying it for good. As anxious as we are to contain an element that may cause the future destruction of the planet. We have to get Zephyr ready for space travel first."

"'Future destruction'?" An agent asked Piper.

"It's complicated just go with it." Piper replied.

"So how close are we?" Coulson asked as Kat stood silent just watching the briefing.

"On the Zephyr, RCS thrusters are operational. On the Gravitonium..." Fitz said but trailed off so Jemma continued.

"We're nearly finished extracting residual traces from the machine which seems to have refined the element in some way."

"Should be enough to power the pseudo-gravity engine. So, in other words we're close." Deke added. "I've kind of been consulting so..."

"We should after extracting the residual traces of the Gravitonium destroy the machine. It's a HYDRA creation and even with the Gravitonium gone... we shouldn't take chances." Kat pointed out.

"I agree, this machine is too dangerous to exist." Coulson said.

"Meanwhile, Carl Creel still needs medical help. Kat has helped calm him, but as she said it's temporary. And I think we should get Robin and Polly safe too. After General Talbot..." May was saying.

"He's not going anywhere." Piper piped in.

"I know " May replied.

"Besides that doesn't make them safe here. Hale is still at large and she programmed Talbot to go after Robin, we can't risk them." Kat added.

"Which is why I have been talking to Tony Caine." May added.

"What, my Tony? Candyman?"

"He's arranged for Creel's treatment, and he says he could take care of Robin and Polly... for now."

"Great do it. Maybe Davis can-"

"I'll take them." Daisy spoke up, and Kat realised she had another hidden reason for leaving the lighthouse. "It's the least I can do after dragging them out of hiding. Unless there is some objection."

Daisy had not been subtle in her challenging attempt, but no one wanted to argue with her then. Coulson looked to the others as Fitz replied. "No, they will be safer than here."

"Well make it quick. General Hale's MIA and I doubt she has taken an early retirement." Coulson replied.

"Wait, explain to me how she got away. Didn't you have them contained?" Mack asked not knowing the full story of what went down.

"Yeah we did." Daisy said then looked at Yo-yo.

"That girl was a tickling bomb."

"And she went off when you cut her throat. A gravity surge knocked everyone back, and disrupted our equipment." Daisy explained.

"She slipped away." May added.

"I was afraid you would have to quake Ruby and crack the Earth." Yo-yo said trying to defend her actions.

"That shouldn't even be an issue, speaking of cut-throat." Daisy looked to Fitz on that one. Was she trying to pick a fight with every one of them?

"Alright let's keep it productive." Coulson said trying to keep the team calm.

"There'd already be a crack in the universe if he hadn't " Jemma said defending Fitz while Yo-yo tried to argue her point and the tension just climbed.

"Look I did what I did. I am not proud, but it was the right choice."

"It was revenge. You let your emotions get the best of you. Ruby should be locked up and she is not the only one." Daisy argued.

"All I did was kill the person called the 'Destroyer of Worlds'."

"That's what Daisy was called. We're lucky you didn't cut _her_ throat." Deke chimed in, no doubt trying in his own cute way to side with Daisy, but Daisy didn't want his input

"Just stop, Deke. The point is you don't make that decision."

"Then who does? You? We all have blood on our hands, why am I the only one being singled out?"

"That's not what we do here. This is SHIELD we protect." Mack pointed out.

"She was a psychopath. Ask Fitz." Yo-yo said, and Jemma was siding with her.

"Yeah just look at his cracked rib. If you would have seen what she was like this never would've..."

"I didn't get a chance I was too busy screaming to be let out of a cell!" Mack argued.

"Fitz shouldn't have even been there." Daisy added.

"We delayed their plan!"

"If we hadn't gone, Ruby would be free." Fitz and Jemma were quick to point out that what they did delayed Ruby. If only they could have delayed her for a bit longer. Regardless Kat was getting a headache from all this arguing. Every one of the SHIELD agents had pissed her off to some degree except for May. She never pissed Kat off.

"But this isn't about the decision is it?" Yo-yo asked. "This is about not following your orders."

"It's about both."

"Well we didn't pick you. Coulson made the decision and brought you back when he could have broken that loop right there!" That was it! Before anyone else could utter a word Kat snapped.

"ENOUGH!" Kat yelled stunning the group. She glared at Yo-yo with the most icy look. "Leaving Daisy was not an option! She does not quake the Earth apart because she is physically incapable of doing it! So stop hiding behind the excuses... it was revenge, I get that part. She took your arms and for those in this room forgetting... they don't grow back! If they were in your shoes they would want revenge to and they damn well know it!"

As she said the last part she looked at each of them daring them to argue with her, then Kat blew out a sigh as she had her hands on her hips, "The truth of the matter is you spared her. She would have continued to suffer, and as much as a number of us would have liked to help Ruby... it's irreparable as I learned with Creel."

Kat looked to Coulson, "I didn't want to say anything, but... he is only going to get worse. I slowed it down, but that is it."

"See?" Yo-yo asked.

"That does not justify what you did!" Kat yelled.

"She was HYDRA."

"She was a kid and HYDRA is dead!"

"You used to kill HYDRA without a second thought and now you're judging me?!"

"Because I chopped off my mother's head!" Kat yelled stunning Yo-yo, "Yeah I ended HYDRA... last one was my mother. After I fatally stabbed her and she showed me her memories... donation or abortion were her options. She was raised in a horrible HYDRA family that simply wanted to use her, and before I didn't listen not until it was too late!"

It was then Kat looked around the room at the other SHIELD agents. "But hey none of you asked what I was up to while you were kicking it in virtual play land. Only one that bothered to know was Fitz. The rest of you have been too busy... Coulson going suicidal. Daisy trying to pick a fight with anyone that disagrees, and let's not forget the three geniuses that think they're invincible!"

"We have proof. Yo-yo saw and spoke to herself in the future and we-" Jemma started to point out, but Kat was not interested hearing this idiotic belief.

"And that future may no longer exist! Ever think of that?! Yeah the Earth most likely still gets blown apart with Blue assholes in control, but you're forgetting a key thing about time travel. Causality! The butterfly effect! Change one thing everything changes? You forget those theories or did you leave them in fantasy land?! You went into the future saw what was to happen and now you're here trying to change it! Emphasis on trying to change it, meaning the future you saw may no longer exist as you know it! Translated you three are not invincible, you could still die in the process of changing the future! The future Yo-yo may no longer exist, whatever or who ever you saw may have ceased to exist. For fuck's sake you guys need to watch a time-travel movie!"

Finally she turned to Daisy and Coulson not pleased with either of them. They needed to be put in place too so she moved up to the table in the middle and pulled out the small case she had slamming it on the table.

"What's this?" Coulson asked.

"A strong sedative I was going to give to Daisy." Kat said then looked to Daisy who looked stunned. "I was going to take you to Wakanda, Shuri reluctantly agreed to help me remove the device in your neck, and then I would bring you back here. It would have been painless and without risk, but Fitz beat me to it." Kat said calmly as Daisy went from stunned to angry.

"You would've done that to me?! Why?!"

"Because you are not the fucking destroyer of worlds! End of discussion. Case closed!" Kat said then looked to Coulson. "But now I am thinking May may need it more for you if you pull another suicide stunt again!"

From there Kat had simply had enough as she rubbed the bridge of her nose, then decided she needed away from this group before she snapped again. She moved to leave the control room when Coulson asked. "Uh Kat? Where are you going?"

Kat turned around still pissed off. "Out! I need a drink and to be away from all of you..." _'Except for both of you May and Mack you're the only sensible ones.'_ Kat thought to them so that they didn't mistake her words, "Try to keep your suicidal tendencies in check Coulson. The rest of you let me know when you decide to act like adults again."

With that Kat left the control room slamming the door behind her. She took the tunnel that led into town fresh air and a beer sounded good about then. Before leaving the tunnel she put on some shades and changed the colour clip to blonde. Since she was dressed casual she blended right in. A few blocks from the entrance Kat found a bar, maybe tonight she would check into a motel simply because going back when the group was this divided would only serve to piss her off more. Maybe she could take in the local sites and just relax for a bit. It seemed like a good plan at least.

* * *

The town of Rivers-end was rather nice and a peaceful place. Getting out and away from the Lighthouse helped especially after all the tension and drama. Kat never remembered the SHIELD team arguing this much, nor acting with such blatant stupidity. Locating the very bar Deke was once arrested at, Kat went into the bar, glad that it was rather quiet. The televisions were showing different games playing as Kat took off her sunglasses only to put fake regular glasses on. Seeing the bartender she came over to the bar and took a seat with a groan.

"Let me guess, one of _those_ days."

"Good guess, ever feel like you're dealing with a bunch of morons?" Kat asked, in answer the guy held out his arms to take in the bar.

"Drunken morons are my specialty. You should have seen the last guy... he made drunken idiots look like Harvard graduates."

This got Kat to laugh a little, "Well I guess you know why I am here then. I need a beer after dealing with a bunch of dumb-asses."

"Pick your poison."

"This is gonna be a long shot but Fat Tire?"

"You're in luck, couple of the locals love the Belgian stuff." The guy replied and got her a bottle. Noticing a newspaper, Kat picked it up and began flipping through it as she drank her beer slowly. There wasn't much: a Thor and Loki sighing that was most likely complete BS, something about a Mars mission uncovering a hidden city... was this a tabloid paper? Checking the front page it was a local paper, so not a tabloid. Meanwhile the guy continued to work and watch the game. After reading some, Kat noticed a menu and picked it up to look at the food. She was getting hungry and didn't really want to eat the crappy food at the Lighthouse. Checking her watch it was in the afternoon, even though it seemed a bit darker out.

"When is the kitchen open?" Kat asked casually.

"Don't worry it's open all the time. Also when you order a meal you get a free drink."

"Oh cool, I guess. I'll have the Roundhouse burger with extra pickles and curly seasoned fries."

"And another Fat Tire?" He asked.

"Yeah." Kat replied she had figured on staying out most of the day anyway. Wanting a proper table to sit at, she went to the middle of the room where some tables were and sat. Eventually her food was brought to her and after thanking the guy she began to eat her meal. Afterwords she sipped her second beer to kill time when the game was interrupted by an emergency news broadcast. The T.V. was muted simply showing the anchorwoman on the screen, but the scrolling text made Kat pay attention. _**Alien attack on New York. Tony Stark reported missing.**_

"Hey uhh can you un-mute the T.V.?" Kat asked the bartender who looked at her then at the screen, he had not been paying attention but on seeing the news report he grabbed the remote.

" _Authorities are still questioning witnesses of the recent alien attack this morning. It is unclear what these invaders wanted or why they came, but according to some witnesses they attacked a group of men three of which has been identified as Tony Stark, Bruce Banner, and Steven Strange. Then left... no word yet from the three identified men. All three are declared missing."_ Perhaps the most unnerving part was the footage of the spaceship over New York. Kat reached into her back pocket still staring at the screen. She unfolded the drawing Robin gave her and held it up, it was what Robin foresaw. She still remembered what Robin had said: 'You cannot stay. When this happens... you have to leave.'

"Shit!"

"You got that right honey." The bartender replied still looking at the screen. She quickly pulled out a twenty to pay for her meal and drinks. Putting on the counter she grabbed her jacket, she needed to get back to the Lighthouse...now!

"Hey what about your change?"

"Keep it." Kat called back as she left the bar. When she rounded the corner she was moving fast but then noticed other people looking skywards which made her look up. A ship was overhead...or more accurately over the lighthouse. _'FUCK!'_ Kat thought as she ran back to the alleyway where the tunnel she left through was. She entered the tunnel, but a ways in it was sealed off. She was locked outside and who knew what was happening inside!

"Aida I need an override, I am locked out." Kat said knowing the AI would hear her.

"I know it will take time though, the Lighthouse is in lock down and there are power fluctuations. It makes it doubly hard to override the lock down." Aida replied, meaning it could hours many hours before she could get back in.

* * *

 **7 hours later...**

"I was finally able to override the lock down some of the system controls came back online allowing me to expedite the process." Aida replied as the door unlocked allowing her back up the tunnel. Sadly it was completely dark in here making her worry for Coulson's team. Using her cell phone as a flash light Kat moved back into the base to find a dead agent on the ground, he looked like he had been cut to pieces! Flicking out one of her wrist daggers she moved further into the base. She didn't get far before hearing gunshots up ahead and took off running towards the sound.

"Mack no! We need it alive. This thing is our only chance to to find out what Coulson and Talbot are up against." May's voice sounded, and just as Kat rounded the corner Mack knocked some figure out. "Kat where have you been?!"

"Locked outside for seven hours trying to get back in. What the hell happened now?"

"Hale sold us out and these things were sent for the gravitonium. Talbot used the machine super charging himself." May said simply.

"He and Coulson are gone," Mack added. Could they never catch a break?! Both her and Mack carried the creepy alien to a room for interrogation. Since he was super powered they chained him up. He wasn't out long when he awoke threatening to disembowel them. It was her May and Simmons in the room when Mack returned.

"How many are on that ship?" May asked.

"He give us any leads?"

"Just promises to disembowel us."

"The Confederacy has stood for more than a thousand years. They will seek vengeance making slaves of you all."

"Really wish we could happen upon some non-slave trading aliens." Jemma commented.

"Any idea why this one is more rabid than the rest?" May asked.

"It probably has something to do with this." Mack held up a strange vial of black liquid, "I'm pretty sure it's the same stuff Kasius took."

"Must give them some kind of energy boost." Jeema said as she was given the vial and looked more closely at it.

"It looks disgusting." Kat pointed out.

"You are not worthy of holding the Odium." Creepy Joe said, this guy was trying Kat's patience badly.

"'Course it would have a dumb name."

"And you are not worthy of my time, so answer the questions or I will rip them from your mind!" Kat said. The creature looked to her then laughed right up until she attacked his mind making him scream. "That was a warning shot, next time your mind becomes paste! Now be a good rabid dog and answer their questions."

"What the hell does that stuff do?" Mack asked pointing to the vial Jemma held.

"The Odium gives the power of the gods to those in final battle. It is glory through spilling blood, the taste of your enemy's pain-" Suddenly the creature began to groan as he seemed to go into a type of seizure.

"What are you doing, Galadriel?" Mack asked.

"This isn't me..." Kat replied. Then he really began thrashing and screaming as both May and Kat pulled guns and Jemma backed up. In his thrashing he broke one of the chains then went limp as black stuff oozed from his mouth. All four of them got closer to better see what happened.

"And God definitely doesn't want you drinking that garbage." Mack replied.

"Any way to know how it works?" May asked.

"You mean aside from drinking it and going rabid?" Kat asked wrinkling her nose at the creature.

"Not without opening him up." Jemma replied, all three of them looked at Jemma and after a moment she added, "I'll get right to it."

"I do not envy you, Jemma." Kat replied holstering her gun, then looked to May. "Where are the others?"

"Daisy just got back she was also locked out. Piper is trying to restore communications, and Fitz is trying working to get the Zephyr ready for space flight..."

"Maybe Aida can help Piper out with communications..." Kat said and immediately Aida responded.

"I will go see if Piper needs help."

"I will check in with Fitz since apparently we need to go to space and rescue Coulson and Talbot." Kat added, she knew right then she was ignoring the drawing in her pocket but she couldn't just up and leave Coulson like this.

From there she decided to grab her own tablet from the Talon to help her work since using the Command centre computers couldn't simply be picked up and carried around. Besides hers was a lot faster since it was from Wakanda. However as she rounded the corner the last thing she expected was for Daisy and Yo-yo to be actually fighting!

"Hey!" Kat called out, but before she could do more May fired a gunshot into the air stopping both of them. "What the fuck has gotten into you two?!"

"Ask her! She is the one with a body in a bag!" Yo-yo yelled, so Kat looked to Daisy for an explanation. However when none came she spotted the bag and moved over to it. They bag lay open so she didn't need to open it to see the remains.

"Daisy who is this?" Kat asked, but she already could guess based off of Daisy's thoughts. However she still wanted the SHELD agent to confirm who it was.

"It's a way to save Coulson-"

"WHO is this?"

"My mom," Daisy replied, "We needed her DNA to-"

"Your mom. The one that was cut to ribbons by Whitehall and had to be stitched back together. Your mom who suffered weeks of torture before dying-"

"This could save Coulson!"

"And at what cost Daisy?! She is your mother! After everything she went through she deserved peace not to have her daughter digging her up! Do you think Coulson would want this?!" Kat could sense that this affected Daisy deeply, she had not wanted to disturb her mother's grave. However that hardly stopped her from doing it. In her desperation to save Coulson, Daisy had tossed aside her morals. So Kat was not going to stop putting her in her place. "When this is done, you had better put her back and _never_ disturb her again or I am gonna beat you a lot worse than Yo-yo. Understand?!"

Daisy only nodded, but Kat was not letting her off the hook as she said the next words. "I expected better from you and SHIELD. If this is how you are going to act... crossing the line then once we free Coulson I am done."

With that Kat moved into the hanger to get her notepad, then headed off to see if Fitz and Mack needed help. However when she found Fitz and Mack arguing it only served to piss her off more. Mack telling Fitz he needed fixing didn't help, she wanted to jump down Mack's throat that the mind could not simply be fixed like an engine. Sure he had good reason to be angry at Fitz, Simmons, and Yo-yo but he was being rather heartless of Fitz's condition. Thus in the end she could not stand any of them aside from May and ended up working with Aida and Piper to help get things set up. She ended up in the control room in the end regardless.

Finally May came in and after a few minutes commented. "What you said to Daisy.. that was rather harsh. She is trying to save Coulson."

"I am too, but you don't see me digging up my mother's remains to do it. And do you think Coulson would want to be saved at the expense of everyone sacrificing their morals?" Kat asked.

"No he wouldn't, but where is this really coming from?" May replied. Kat sighed and set down her notepad before turning to face May..

"I know I can't claim the moral high ground. I have a long list of dark deeds, I always thought I would celebrate when all of HYDRA was dead and gone... instead I was crying over a woman I didn't even know. She wasn't entirely a good person, and she didn't choose to donate me to be cruel. She did it because she wanted me to live and her evil HYDRA family wouldn't let her keep me. She was HYDRA but she also suffered at their hands. It's not the same situation as Jiaying's, but both deserve peace after the bullshit they had to deal with. That and no matter how you say it Daisy crossed the line, so as harsh as my words were they needed to be said."

Kat expected May to argue, but she seemed to understand. They went into the Framework and the future, while Kat fought the last HYDRA head and her mother; too much had changed all of them. Before more could be said Mack came in. "We're all set, Zephyr One is now space worthy."

"Good to know, ready?" May asked Kat.

"You sure you want me on this mission?"

"Just to be clear I am on Daisy's side about saving Coulson, but I get it... as soon as this is done we'll make sure Jiaying is laid to rest." May promised, then turned to the control contacting everyone in the lighthouse and informing them of the update. From there Kat followed May out of the control room, she grabbed her gear from the Talon and changed then joined them aboard the Zephyr. Mostly she kept her distance from the others not wanting to talk to them or deal with any more issues, she would help rescue Coulson and Talbot then she had to return home. Robin's warning kept playing over and over. Before she knew it they were told to strap in and so Kat was sat across from Daisy as they shot towards the upper atmosphere.

"I probably should have talked you out of this." Daisy said to Deke.

"What? No this is great I get to go to space—again." It sounded less great the way Deke said it, like it was the last place he wanted to go.

"Thanks for coming along." Daisy said taking Deke's hand. Eventually they levelled out and Kat relaxed in her chair.

"Yay, I am in space. First time for everything." Kat replied getting up from her seat, by then they were cloaked and approaching the enemy ship. She went down to the hanger and was soon joined by May and Daisy.

"Strike team in position." Daisy said into the comms.

"As soon as we are in I will try to locate a means of plugging you in Aida to seize control."

"Understood." The AI replied.

"Are you sure that is a good idea?" May asked.

"She won't be plugged in directly. She'll have remote access," Kat replied as they docked and breached the ship. Getting inside Kat, Daisy, and May made it to the control room after knocking some guards that Deke had called the Remorath around. However the situation wasn't what they thought. As they entered Kat attacked the mind of one of the Remorath making him drop to his knees clutching his head.

"You quake and Coulson dies." Talbot's voice made Kat look at Talbot dressed in some funny space outfit.

"What are you doing?" Daisy asked.

"Talbot?" Kat asked confused.

"SHIELD isn't welcome here. This is my ship."

"This is an alien ship. We're here to rescue you." May pointed out.

"Rescue me? I'm the one that's gonna save us."

"Alright, obviously wires were crossed. We thought you needed backup." Kat said trying to calm the situation down.

"That would be admirable, if not for who you're travelling with." Talbot said to Kat.

"Just put Coulson down and we can talk about that." Daisy said worried, and peeking at Coulson.

"Agent Johnson always in the centre of the storm. Maybe that's because you're the problem." Talbot said coming around the console.

"If I am the one you want, fine. I won't resist, but first you have to put Coulson down."

"You and I both know you can't be trusted."

"I trust her," Hale said looking to Daisy.

"Why would you trust Quake?" Talbot asked.

"Because she kept her word. When Ruby was infected with Gravitonium she tried to help."

"Infected? Ruby was weak. Gravitonium wasn't intended for some itty-bitty little girl. It was meant for a hero strong enough to handle it." Talbot said, it only angered Hale. After all that was her daughter that Talbot was talking about.

"You need to take a deep breath and calm your mind, Glenn..." Hale began to say Kat immediately knew what Hale was attempting, but now it wouldn't work on Talbot. He set Coulson down, but that now meant his attention was on Hale. _'Don't it won't work Hale.'_ Briefly she looked to Kat but continued anyway. Knowing Talbot was unstable Kat did the only thing she thought she could to save Hale. "You're compliance—ahh!"

Hale immediately dropped to her knees clutching her head and Talbot looked to Kat stunned. "You are trying to help me. It's not needed..."

Talbot turned to Hale and lifted her up, immediately Kat moved in front of him. "Stop! Please General. The programming would not have worked and we both know it. I was trying to stop her to save her from doing something stupid. Please put her down."

"She is HYDRA, you used to kill all HYDRA agents according to the reports. You've gone soft." .

"More like I gained perspective." Kat pointed out, "Now please... put Hale down." For a long moment they stood there then Talbot dropped Hale to the floor. She landed hard, but at least she was still breathing.

"You can thank her for your life." _'We need to leave, Talbot is unstable we'll all be safer away from him.'_ Kat thought to the others.

"We can take her back to base, put her in a cell. You obviously have things under control here, General." Kat said trying to play him and act like they were allies, but the General was too out there.

"Oh you're not going anywhere." Knowing they had to escape Daisy used her powers, while Kat fought some more of the Remorath guards coming to attack them. Sadly Talbot was too hyped up on power and Daisy's attacks seemed useless. Knocking the guards out Kat turned into time to see Daisy thrown into the air and knocked out. May pulled a gun, and Kat went to attack Talbot's mind, but he threw her into the wall knocking her out.

* * *

" _Kat, Kat wake up.." Daisy's voice made Kat groan as she awoke and looked around the strange dark room with blue runes that seemed like a type of language. Looking up at Daisy she offered her hand and helped Kat up._

" _Well... that could have gone better. Where are we?"_

" _According to him a neutral location." Daisy said and Kat turned to look at the blue man smiling at them._

" _Allow me to introduce myself I am the first born Taryan master of the house Kasius." The man bowed slightly._

" _Kasius?" Daisy asked._

" _Wasn't that the name of the asshole you dealt with in the future?" Kat asked._

 _Kasius looked at Kat confused and by Daisy's reaction he added quickly. "Please, just hear me out. You and your friend are Inhumans. I always knew the tales of the experiments were true..."_

" _Okay for the record we don't love to be called experiments just moving forward." Daisy pointed out,_

" _Too much like being called a lab-rat." Kat added._

" _No I imagine your people have treated you both unkindly."_

" _We've worked through it."_ _Daisy replied._

" _You deserve better, you both do. All Inhumans do, something better... elsewhere."_

" _Sorry Chuckles I am happy on planet Earth." Kat replied._

" _Now where are our friends? May Coulson..." Daisy asked._

" _You mustn't worry about them. They are your past, I am your future." Kasius said and Kat rolled her eyes, "You are both formidable, but your strength has been going to waste. Come with me and I can show you how to unleash your full power."_

" _As your weapon."_

" _As my disciple."_

" _He means slave weapon, and the answer is no." Kat said, that was when she noticed it. His mind... he wasn't present._

" _Oh God what's is with your family and this god complex?" Daisy asked._

" _What do you know of my family?" Kasius asked._

" _Plenty." Daisy replied. Meanwhile Kat had gone silent as she focused on their thoughts and even looked around. This was not real, Kat easily recognised a prison when she saw one, this was a type of mental prison._

" _Well then you know I am from a long line of inventive thinkers. I have ideas, methods that don't shall we say, mesh with those of my breed."_

" _That's not completely chilling." Daisy replied sarcastically._

" _I'm merely saying I understand what it is to be on the outside, as I'm sure you are... different. Hunted by lesser humans. You deserve better than that, you both do." Kat then noted that something was trying to suppress hers, and no doubt Daisy's powers. Kasius had looked to her as he spoke and noticed her looking around._

" _What? Sorry clocked out waiting for you to get done with your speech.. still not interested." Kat said dismissively and looked around. She wanted Kasius to think her ignorant of the situation._

" _Look, yeah some humans have given us a hard time. Humans are complicated. They disagree, sometimes it comes to blows. Only sometimes it's a person who risks everything for their friends even though she lost her limbs... hypothetically. We fight, okay but it is not with a lack of respect. And that's something I don't think you're quite understanding."_

" _Well no matter. You both will come with me willing or not."_

 _'Oh he is so dead. No one comes between me and my husband and daughter.' Kat thought, she would break free of this place. Meanwhile Daisy had had enough._

" _I think we are gonna have to choose 'not'." Daisy replied then tried to quake him, but nothing happened._

" _Problem?" The man asked smugly_ , _as Daisy checked her neck for a device but found none._

" _What is this? Why can't I..."_

" _Because you're not conscious yet," Kasius replied confirming Kat's thoughts. He was communicating with them mentally which was a very bad move on his part, and the power suppressor being used would not help him in the end._

" _Not conscious?" Daisy asked._

" _I'm not a fool. I know how strong you are and I have to make sure that you both are thoroughly broken in before you're brought to me." Both Kat and Daisy looked at one another just as Kat broke through to send Daisy her thoughts without Kasius hearing them. 'Give me a moment.'_

 _Kat remained silent as she focused her mind, the restrain was a minor nuisance as she sensed Daisy was physically close by. Still Kasius continued to explain how they were being held. It was hardly necessary, she figured most of it out. After all her main source of strength came from her mind, the device basically locked a person in their own mind. "Our astralscope projects your conscientiousness here. Physically you both are being brought to me, but rest assured you are already mine."_

" _You know I have a little experience getting out of stuff like this, right?" Daisy asked, as Kat reached out physically sensing Daisy more as she closed her eyes. 'Figured it out, Daisy you will be able to break out if you use your powers..'_

 _'How? I tried using my powers...' Daisy thought._

" _I am afraid this is different," Kasius continued underestimating just how powerful Kat was mentally, and how dangerous Daisy truly was. "You already lost all sense of how long you've been here, haven't you?"_

 _'You can't use them here, but you can focus them to your body it should wake you up.'_

 _'What about you?'_

" _I find that people outside of physical space, when they lose time. When they get hungry but can't eat, tired but can't sleep.. they break. So I already know what both your futures hold." Kasius then looked to Kat noticing she was abnormally quite as she focused._

 _'Break free, kick their asses, and wake me up.' Kat thought back._

 _'Copy that.'_

" _Hmm. Funny. I see the future too, and you have two despicable sons who wear even dumber make-up than you, and they die like cowards stabbed in the back." Daisy replied. "You shouldn't have underestimated us, we're stronger than you think."_

" _Everybody thinks that." Kasius said._

" _But in our case it's true. She's the Guardian Avenger and I'm the Destroyer of Worlds." Daisy said finally using her powers to break free. Kat opened her eyes to look at Kasius._

" _Didn't see that one coming did you?" Kat asked smirking._

" _It's disappointing, but she has abandoned you."_

" _No... I sense her she is fighting the guards right now. It gives me plenty of time." Kat said smiling and unnerving Kasius._

" _Time for what? You are trapped here."_

" _For now, but so are you..." With those words Kat attacked his mind making him scream. She only let up for a moment. "Let this be a lasting reminder never to come back to Earth or try to take Inhumans... because if you do. You will break. SHIELD, the Avengers, and I protect this world an we won't tolerate scum like you!"_

 _Kat once more attacked his mind forcing him out of this astralscope. Now left alone Kat looked around. "Anytime Daisy..."_

A few moments later Kat opened her eyes to see Daisy leaning over her and the Remorath down for the count. Daisy immediately helped her up "I take it you taught Kasius a lesson not to try mental manipulation on you again?"

"Pussy ran for the exit when I attacked his mind." Kat said as the pair looked at the directions they could take.

"We need to find our people. When I woke they were taking us that way." Daisy said pointing down the hall one way.

"Back the way we came then?" Kat asked and the pair moved back down the hall. They made it down a couple of halls when Daisy blasted a couple of guards down the hall. They had been facing a side hall so both looked to find Coulson, May, Hale, and Deke there.

"Daisy. Are you okay? Did... are you... did they hurt you or whatever?" Deke asked.

"I'm fine just had a little head trip with father Kasius."

"Father Kasius? You mean his dad is here?"

"Here but not 'here'." Daisy replied.

"Some sort of mental communication, he underestimated us and paid for it." Kat added.

"Well either way it's just another reason that we need to get to the Zephyr and fly out of here." Deke added.

"We're not going... not yet." May replied.

"What? What are you talking about? You cannot escape without you know escaping."

"Qovas has a couple of ioniser missiles aimed at the lighthouse. If we try to leave he'll fire them." Coulson explained.

"The Lighthouse can handle it."

"Maybe but the people of River's End might not be so lucky." Coulson pointed out, from there the group moved heading for the bridge. It was then Hale asked.

"Why? Why did you save me?"

Kat looked over at her, then sighed. "A lot's happened since I came out of the shadows Hale."

"But I'm HYDRA."

"HYDRA is dead, Hale. Your free of them now..." Kat said as they moved, "And I am sorry, I heard what happened to Ruby... it shouldn't have gone down like that." They might have talked more but Coulson said they were getting closer to the bridge with Deke arguing they should escape.

"We're not leaving until we finish the job." Coulson stated.

"Yes you are."May replied.

"May?"

"I'll deal with the missiles, and get back to the base. You, Daisy, Kat, and Hale get to the Zephyr and go home."

"I'm loving this plan, good luck May." Deke said, but before he could leave May caught his arm.

"You're with me. I need you to set the coordinates for the trip back."

"Right because numbers, yay."

"No it's too risky. We do it together." As Coulson argued two Remorath spotted them and Daisy blasted one back, while Kat attacked the other's mind. Deke and Hale followed them leaving Coulson and May in the hall. They weren't fighting long when both heard gunshots behind them in the very hall they left May and Coulson in. Daisy dealt with her opponent first an ran back to help them, while Kat dealt a final blow to the one she was fighting. When Kat came back she saw Daisy fighting further down the hall, beating down the guard who was shooting at May and Coulson. While just in front of Kat she could see Coulson and May behind the shield from Coulson's arm kissing, of all things. For a second Kat forgot they were in the middle of a firefight as she could hardly believe what she was seeing.

"Thought that might shut you up. Now go." Coulson said to May then her and Deke moved for the command centre as Kat wished she had her phone to snap a picture.

"Uhh..." Daisy seemed lost for words as she saw what Coulson had been doing.

"Not a word, Agent Johnson That's an order."

"Copy that, hot lips."

"I take it they kissed and made up." Kat said to Daisy and received a look from Coulson, "Hey you ordered her not me."

Before Coulson could get in a word, they headed for the Zephyr to escape. They got back to the opening to the hanger and climbed up. "Close it up. Let's get this bird ready for lift off."

Just then it started going dark aboard the Zephyr signalling the bad guys were aboard. "They're here."

They rushed over to the console where Coulson clicked the button to contact the cockpit. "Davis we're back. Is everything-"

Gunshots were heard along with Davis' voice: "Under attack. Two of them...dark"

"Can't lose our pilot again." Coulson said as they headed to the upper levels to help Davis. Kat and Hale right behind them. Once up in the upper level, they split up and for some reason Hale followed Kat. She could hear fighting not far away and gunshots. But there were more than two, Kat could hear their thoughts as one tried to jump her in a narrow hall. It slashed at her with its blades as she dodged the blows and attacked his mind. Sadly just as she caught his arm and drove her own wrist dagger into its throat; she had just released him when another came at her.

"Look out!" Hale yelled pushing Kat out of the way only to be stabbed herself.

"No!" Kat cried as Hale was thrown aside. She attacked the last one's mind until he was on his knees screaming then she slashed his throat. The Remorath fell to the floor with a thud

"Hale..." Kat rushed over to help her, but the woman had been stabbed fatally. Kat tried to apply pressure to the wound even as she heard glass break and more sounds of combat. "Hang on Hale, we'll get you help."

"It's a nice though, but... too late. Thank you...I'm free... now.." Hale said then went limp as she died.

"Yeah.. you are." Kat said softly, as she heard someone next to her. Looking up it was Daisy. "She's dead, she saved me."

"And you saved her." Daisy pointed out, then left carrying the first aid. Was Davis or Coulson injured? While the Zephyr was taking off, Kat found a blanket to place over Hale's body. She didn't know Hale all that well, but she had hoped to save her. For a few minutes she knelt by the body then heard Daisy called out. "Kat! We need help! Davis call base tell them to have a med. team to meet us when we land!"

"On it." Davis called back as Kat rushed into the control centre to find Coulson on the floor and Daisy over him. Rushing over Kat looked at his injury confused.

"What's happened?!"

"I don't know he just started bleeding out... Coulson, stay with me okay? Stay with me. You fight..." As Daisy spoke to Coulson Kat grabbed the med. kit to try and stop the bleeding as well as putting a blanket over him to keep him warm. They rushed him home as quickly as they could getting him to Simmons who met them with a medical team when they landed.

* * *

 **Author's Notes:**

 **First off thank you Fin-Fish Jun-Tenshi for the lovely review.**

 **AS for this chapter it is a bit longer because I wanted to tie up the loose ends of her time with Agents of SHIELD and get to Infinity War. I am hoping either tonight or tomorrow to post the Infinity War chapter. I hope not many have seen the movie yet. I am honestly intending to see it Monday.**

 **In regards to this chapter I found that in the 5th season almost all of team SHIELD at some point pissed me off. The only one that didn't was May. So when Kat snaps at or reprimands one of the agents that is generally not is mostly my own response to what that did, as well as how I think Kat would react to them. For example: Fitz, Simmons and Yo-yo, I thought it was highly stupid that they viewed themselves as invincible when they were trying to change the future. Logic dictated that if trying to change the future then what the agents saw in the future no longer technically existed. Even if Deke was mentioned as their grandson he would be considered a time paradox.**

 **As for Daisy I also found what she did highly immoral despite her good intentions. But since Kat just dealt with the death of her own mother and had to bury her, it would be a sore spot for her so Daisy got told off the most thus putting them at odds with one another. Sure they worked well on mission, but it doesn't mean they are on good terms.**

 **Obviously the events take place during episodes 20 'the One who will Save us All' and 21 'The Force of Gravity.' With the beginning part of Infinity War taking place in the background. Which means... next chapter Infinity War!**

 **Anyway I hope you enjoyed this chapter. Please don't forget to write a review after reading.**

 **Lesliezin**


	78. The Most Devastating Blow

**Hello everyone,**

 **Here is Chapter 78. Warning box of tissues required, enjoy.**

 **Also if you have already seen Avenger Endgame, please try not to think about it as you read this chapter to get the full effect. Besides no spoilers I haven't seen Endgame yet so I have no clue.**

* * *

 **April 12** **th** **, 2018**

 **The Lighthouse**

It was while waiting for word on Coulson's health that Kat went to the control room. She needed an update on the wider world. Turning on the television she saw they were reporting on an attack in England: security cameras showed a fight at a bus station between Wanda Maximoff and Vision and some unknown alien assailants. Just like in the vision Robin had shown her... it was all coming true. Kat was currently dressed in her casual clothes and pulled out the drawing from her back pocket. She opened it looking at the image, Robin must have known she would ignore the first warning which was why Kat was shown the visions. She knew Kat would not ignore the second warning.

"It's all going to hell, isn't it Galadriel?" Mack asked as he joined her by her side. She could only nod and look down at the drawing in her hands, and Mack followed her gaze to the drawing.

"What's that?"

"The drawing Robin gave me when she was staying here... She said I can't stay when this happens.. I didn't listen, she knew I wouldn't listen. She showed me what she saw, and now it is all happening." Kat said, "I didn't want to just up and leave you guys to deal with this threat... but now I see I have to go."

As she said the last words she looked up at Mack who understood her dilemma, he was about to say something when Daisy poked her head in the door. "Hey Jemma has news, come on."

Both Kat and Mack looked at each other and followed Daisy out to the room they were gathering in. Once they were all there Jemma entered to give the news on Coulson's health. "He's not going to die, not yet at least but his condition is worsening... and accelerating."

"What about the treatment we talked about?" Daisy asked.

"We have something we think will work. It will just take some time to combine it with the centipede serum." Jemma replied.

"Time we don't have."

"We're doing everything we can."

"What about Talbot?" Mack asked. "You find a way to stop him? He's worse too."

"Yeah we think so, unfortunately it not a cure it's more... it's more terminal." Fitz replied hesitant to explain further.

"Not everything can be fixed, Fitz. It's okay. Go ahead." Kat said and looked to Mack, _'The mind cannot be fixed like an engine Mack... it's more complex. Fitz needs your understanding.'_ Mack knew what she was referring to and now why Fitz was so hesitant to mention the solution for Talbot.

Meanwhile Fitz nodded and continued to explain. "If we can combine the Odium with another dose of the Centipede serum it should be able to penetrate his cells."

"That's not possible." Daisy replied.

"Well yeah it's entirely possible. We ran the simulations..."

"No that's not possible. There is no more centipede serum, what I brought back that is the last of it." Daisy explained.

"So we either save Coulson..." May trailed off realising that this was what it had always boiled down to.

"Or we save the world." Yo-yo finished. Kat suddenly felt a little sick at the situation. And she was just suppose to leave them to this?! Walk away and possibly never see Coulson again? Kat stood there thinking as Deke excused himself so that they could make the decision. She didn't want to be there to hear them arguing, if she was going to have to leave she at least wanted to say goodbye to Coulson. She started to move for the exit when May's voice stopped her.

"Where are you going?"

Kat partly turned with her hands on her hips, but didn't look up. "To say goodbye to Coulson."

"You're assuming we're just going to let him die?!" Daisy asked offended.

"No! But either way I get the feeling I will never see him or any of you again." Kat said looking up.

"Kat... I know you said you were done. We've all pissed you off at some point and you-"

"That's not it Daisy," Kat said reaching into her back pocket to pull out the drawing then handed it to her, "You asked me what Robin wanted before when she asked for me..."

Daisy opened the picture to see the drawing, "She told me when that appears I have to leave... the image.. she knew I would ignore the drawing so she had me look inside her mind. I saw different Avengers fighting I saw Vision and Wanda attacked at a bus station in England..."

"That was several hours ago." Yo-yo said.

"She told me I couldn't stay, that I have to leave... the next images are of a battle in Wakanda, one I don't think the Avengers can win. So either way I want to say goodbye to Coulson." Kat said.

"Why didn't you say anything?" May asked.

"Because I didn't want to put that on you, you guys have been fighting and arguing and doing some of the stupidest stunts... I didn't want to just leave you guys and hope for the best."

"So what do you think we should do?" Mack asked.

"This isn't a decision for me to make, Mack."

"You're part of this even if you are the Guardian Avenger now, you were SHIELD's advisor." Daisy pointed out. For a long moment Kat thought it over before answering the question.

"I want to help Coulson, sadly nothing has come up back in Wakanda and with what is coming I doubt Shuri will find a cure. I want Coulson to live, he's my friend and a good man. But I also know he doesn't want you to, so as hard as it is to say it... we all need to respect Coulson's wishes and save the world. That is my stance on the issue, you guys can agree or argue night and day but that is final. However it's not just my vote that counts... you guys need to decide."

With that Kat left the room and went to where Coulson was being kept, she entered his room and sat close by. Sure she could hear the arguing begin, but tuned most of it out just watching Coulson. Carefully she took his hand knowing that soon she would have to say goodbye and simply hope for the best for them. She still heard some of the argument enough to learn of Yo-yo's future self which explained a lot. She was grateful when it eventually quieted down. At one point Coulson did open his eyes to see her.

"Well this is new..." Coulson said casually. "Is it that bad? How long do I got?"

"I don't know... I'm sorry..." Kat started.

"Don't be. Everybody dies."

"That's not it. They found a solution for saving you. They are deciding on what to do now. Of course it comes down to saving you or the world. Judging by their thoughts they will pick you..."

"That's not something I want." Coulson said, and Kat nodded.

"I said as much.."

"But I can't shake the feeling that this isn't what's upsetting you." Coulson said as Kat wiped her eyes.

"I—I've come to say goodbye." Kat replied taking a few shaky breaths, "Shit... I feel like I'm abandoning you." Kat said, she pulled out the drawing showing it to Coulson. "Robin told me that when this was over New York I would have to leave that was yesterday... she also showed me more images in her head other signs... warnings. I didn't want to just up and ditch you guys-"

"Hey it's okay. You can't keep rushing back to help us. You're an Avenger now. You're needed for the bigger battles. Bucky and Tess need you... and I know that you will always be there for my team even if you can't go to them. It's just how it is now Guardian Avenger."

The last part despite the tears got Kat to laugh a little. "God I hate that title..."

"I always thought it was quite cool, it suites you. You've always tried to protect us, and the Avengers." Coulson replied smiling faintly. For a moment they were quiet then Kat remembered she had something... Tess' recorded message for Coulson. She had not had a chance to play it for him with what all that was happening.

Pulling out her phone she explained. "Tess loved the hat you gave her. She recorded a message for you, never got a chance to show you."

Playing the whole message for Coulson he smiled after it ended. "She's grown so fast..."

"Want me to record a message for her?" Kat asked.

"Well I don't look my best, but why not." Coulson said she hit the record button and nodded to him, "Hey there Tessi, I am glad you love the hat. You make a great SHIELD agent."

Coulson sighed, "As you might have noticed I am hooked up to some machinery... I am really sick. Otherwise I would definitely come see you... Sadly.."

Coulson looked to Kat seeking approval for him to explain the situation, Kat nodded. It was difficult but he tried to explain as gently as possible that he was dying. "I know this isn't fair to you, I'm sorry. I wanted to see you again too, but if nothing else know that I am proud of you. You a wonderful brave girl and your Uncle Phil loves you very much."

Knowing he was done Kat stopped the recording, and put her phone away then looked to Coulson. "It's gonna be time for you to go..."

Kat looked down not wanting to leave. "Kat?"

She looked up at Coulson. "Regardless of what they decide save you or the world. I'll probably never see you or them again. Robin showed me... in the visions I don't think we... the Avenger can win this one."

"The future can always be changed." Coulson pointed out.

"Then if they decide to save you, don't argue... live. And help us in Wakanda." Kat rose from her seat and leaned over hugging Coulson who hugged her back.

As Kat turned and was leaving she neared the door when Coulson added. "Good luck Guardian Avenger."

"You too Director." Kat said then left the room. From there it was simply going around and saying goodbye to Yo-yo, Mack, Fitz, Jemma, and May. With each one it would only get harder. Right outside Coulson's room stood May, Kat gestured behind her to Coulson's room. "He's awake."

May simply nodded, so Kat asked. "Has a decision been reached?" .

"I destroyed the Odium." May replied bluntly, thereby destroying their chance to save the world. Kat sighed she knew May loved Coulson and in this moment let her heart rule her head. "You disagree..."

"I wish I didn't but I do. However I'm not the one that has to live with that decision." Kat pointed out.

"I made peace with that." May replied.

"It won't be you that has to live in that future, May. You won't suffer being killed and revived or have to speak to your past self and have those warnings fall on deaf ears. As stupid as Yo-yo has been choosing Coulson condemns her to that fate. I really hope you guys can pull off a miracle and change that future." For a moment both were silent as May knew that her actions would most likely lead to Yo-yo's suffering. "Look uhh I don't want Coulson to die either, nor am I condemning you for your actions. All I am saying is each of you need to consider your actions not just jump in the deep end."

"You're right," May replied as both fell silent once more for a moment, "You heading out?"

"Sadly I don't really have a choice..." That was when May came up and hugged her.

"Stay safe." May said pulling away from Kat.

"You too." Kat replied, with that May went into Coulson's room and Kat moved down the hall. She soon found Mack and Yo-yo in one of the halls with Mack about to walk away after talking to her.

"I take it you're heading out Galadriel?" Mack said gently.

Kat nodded. "I came to say goodbye to both of you.."

Wordlessly Mack closed the gap to hug her goodbye."Good luck Galadriel."

"You too." Kat said pulling away. It was then she looked to Yo-yo who had gotten up from her seat and come over. "I'm sorry to leave things like this..."

"It's okay you have your own battle to fight." Yo-yo replied shakily she was thinking about the future and where she was now fated to end up. Wordlessly Kat came closer and pulled her into a hug. _'I have faith in you guys, you will find a way to prevent that future.'_ Kat thought to Yo-yo who hugged her back. Saying goodbye to both of them, Kat's last destination was the lab where both Fitz and Simmons were. The pair were steadily at work as Kat entered, both stopped what they were doing as Jemma rushed up hugging her.

"You're leaving now aren't you?" Jemma asked.

"Yeah, I'm sorry I can't stay." Kat replied, hugging her back. Once released Kat looked to Fitz who seemed uncertain and hesitant. He was not sure of how anyone would receive him, as it was a number of agents seemed wary of him and Daisy didn't trust him.

"I am not those agents, Fitz. Nor are you some evil HYDRA doctor now do I need to chase you down?" Kat asked making Fitz smile. He came forward hugging her tightly. Since the beginning Kat had always kept an eye on him to ensure his safety because she felt responsible for his first injury at the hands of Ward.

"Please be careful." Fitz said not releasing her.

"You too Fitz, and when this is over... you two need to go on your honeymoon. I'll hook ya up... maybe the Bahamas?" Kat asked getting Fitz to chuckle as he released her and moved to Jemma.

"Sounds fantastic." Jemma replied giving a tearful smile.

"Okay then I'll give Cutter a call... set you two up." Kat promised trying to make light of the otherwise serious situation, then she grew serious, "I will miss you guys. Keep each other safe and good luck."

"Goodbye Kat." Fitz said

"Stay safe." Jemma added. Kat left the lab and looked back at the pair who watched her go, eventually moving around the corner. Lastly was Daisy but she couldn't find her until she entered the hanger and saw Daisy waiting by the Talon.

"I was looking for you." Kat said coming up.

"And I was waiting for you..." Daisy said, even then there was this awkwardness between them. "Came to wish you luck on your own mission. "

It was then Kat sensed it Daisy was worried about what to say or how to act, the words Kat had said to her before about digging up her mother rang in Daisy's ears."Anyway good luck."

Daisy brushed past her eager to be away when Kat turned around and said. "We probably won't see each other again especially if you guys don't break the time loop. You sure you want to leave it like this?"

"What else do you want me to say? You made it clear you were disappointed and didn't approve of what I was doing. Yet here you are leaving when we need you most-"

"Do you think I want to leave?! Just walk away and ignore what is happening here?!"

"You left before!"

"And I have always come back!" Kat yelled, "Every time you guys needed me I came running. The only thing that kept me away was the Accords!"

"Well you don't need to anymore you have your new family, you don't need us!"

"Then you are blind because you're the main reason I come back!" Kat said stunning Daisy, Kat ran a hand through her hair as she looked away briefly. "I never thought I would view someone this way... not since Amaya..."

Kat looked back to Daisy. "You—you're like a sister to me Daisy. So yes whenever you need me whenever I sense you in danger... like it or not I'll come running. You'll just have to deal with that."

At that Kat turned back to the talon to leave. "Wait..."

Kat stopped and turned to face Daisy and was nearly knocked over as Daisy hugged her tightly. "When this is over we'll join you in Wakanda to help fight this... Thanos person. That is the one Talbot mentioned. Just stay safe."

Kat hugged her back hoping they would be able to deal with the threat they faced then help the Avengers in Wakanda. Pulling away Kat tried to be optimistic. "Well if all goes to plan I'll see you in Wakanda soon enough."

This got Daisy to laugh a little. "Good luck... sister."

"You too... sister." With that Kat boarded the talon ans prepared for the flight home.

* * *

 **April 12** **th** **, 2018**

 **Wakanda**

Steve had not expected to be back in Wakanda so soon after the last time, but with Vision injured and them needing someone to help remove the stone in Vision's head they had only one real option Wakanda. Between Shuri and Kat they could safely remove it without harming Vision. Thus Steve contacted King T'Challa shortly after leaving the Avenger's base. The flight was a long one but eventually they landed in Wakanda and were greeted by King T'Challa and his royal guard. It was good to see them again even if it wasn't under the best circumstances.

"Seems like I am always thanking you for something." Steve said in greeting, then Banner cleared his throat and started to bow to T'Challa. Who told him to do that?

"What are you doing?" Rhodey asked.

"Uh, we don't do that here." T'Challa said then looked to Steve as they moved away from the Quinjet. "So how big of an assault should we expect?"

"Uh, sir, I think you should expect quite a big assault." Banner said.

"So how we looking?" Nat asked.

"You'll have my king's guard, the border tribe, the Dora Milaje, and..." T'Challa trailed off and pointed ahead as they spotted Bucky moving towards them ready for whatever was coming.

"And a semi-stable 100 year old man, and hopefully a super intelligent beautiful telepath when she gets here." Bucky said, Steve came forward giving Bucky a hug.

"How you been Buck?" Steve asked when they pulled away from each other.

"Uh not bad, for the end of the world." Bucky said wishing Kat were here.

"Kat is not here?" Nat asked.

"She was helping Coulson's team, but her last call she said she is on her way back."

"Correction, I believe she has already arrived." T'Challa said smiling as he nodded towards the Talon that was just landing. Immediately that put a smile on Bucky's face as he moved towards the landed craft.

"Uh-oh here we go..." Sam grumbled getting Vision, Rhodey, and Banner to look at him questioningly. The group followed at a distance moving towards the Talon that was distinctly painted different to show it was Kat's.

* * *

As stressful as it was to leave Coulson's team, Kat knew as she got closer to her destination that she needed to get her head in the game. There was about to be a much bigger issue in Wakanda and the last thing she wanted was to be away from home with both Bucky and Tess caught in the middle. As it was when she was landing she noticed the landing platforms were much more... active, There was also a very familiar looking Quinjet she would be landing next to. It just meant that Robin's vision was coming true as she landed and powered the Talon down. She had suited up while in flight unsure of what would be waiting for her back home. Luckily this battle Robin foresaw had not happened yet, with luck she was right on time.

During the long flight she had also contacted Bucky to let him know she was coming home, but she couldn't bring herself to mention Coulson's condition because Tess had been present. However there would be time for that later. Once everything was powered down she opening the landing ramp and was gathering her gear. It was near the doors that she sensed Bucky and heard his thoughts. _'Like the new arm, doll?'_

Moving towards the entrance she saw Bucky waiting there smiling at her. After the stress of the last few days she had missed him desperately, and so she ran mid-way down the ramp and launched herself at him. He easily caught her and she caught his face pressing her lips to his as she kissed him deeply. _'I take it you missed me then.'_

 _'Of course I missed you!'_ Kat thought kissing him, until a throat cleared. Immediately both looked to find a smiling Steve amongst others. Kat tried to keep from blushing, then noticed T'Challa standing there amused. "Umm the ramp.. I tripped on the lip-"

"Of course Mrs. Barnes."

"Kat, it's good to see you again." Steve said coming up and giving her a hug.

"You too Steve." As Steve pulled away Kat noticed Wanda, Vision, James Rhodes, and,... Bruce Banner? Steve followed her gave.

"Banner this is the one I told you about Katrina Barnes." Steve said. Immediately Bruce came froward and shook her hand.

"Pleasure to meet you."

"Yeah good to finally meet you, I mean I met the other guy briefly; but it's good to meet you." Kat replied.

Banner looked confused for a moment then looked to the others before looking back at her. "Oh right, yeah the Grand Hotel. Yeah they... filled me in on what I missed the last couple of years.."

"You uhh also 'met' Vision and Rhodey." Steve added looking to the two men.

"I have... kind of," Kat said, then smiled at them despite the awkwardness.

"Yeah... good to finally meet you." Rhodey said.

"You just can't hold still can you?" Sam teased to break the awkwardness, "I thought after last time you would never want to leave here again."

"Yeah well, things got complicated." Kat said as she pulled the drawing out of her pocket and opened it to show them. "This was given to me... two days ago. It was drawn by the little girl, an Inhuman that can see the future. She also had me look inside her head to see the other visions she saw... I was told I could not stay when this happened."

"You also mentioned Coulson was dealing with a threat." Bucky added.

"The confederacy as they call themselves are nothing but vultures trying to pick worlds clean before the real enemy arrives. In this case they wanted the element known as Gravitonium and Inhumans," Bucky visibly stiffened, "Relax they aren't the real threat, I'll explain more right now we need to get a better look at Vision's injur-"

Kat's head snapped up as she sensed Tess and Myra close by. She turned as the little girl appeared and ran up hugging her. "Mommy!"

Myra ran up trying to catch her breath. "No fair, you ran ahead then called out go."

The distinct giggle from Tess told Kat all she needed to know as she looked down at the little girl with a raised brow. Looking up from under the SHIELD baseball cap, Tess smiled at her. "No fair... using your superpower on me."

Then Tess noticed Steve, Nat and the others. "Uncle Steve!"

"Come we can speak further inside and you can greet them more while your mother and my sister see to this one's injuries." T'Challa said urging them inside so that Vision could relax. However Bucky, Rhodey and Sam opted to wait outside. As they moved Kat explained further the situation Coulson and his team was dealing with but left out the part about Coulson dying to spare Tess.

She told them about the last couple of missions and how Talbot had lost it. Finally it was Nat that asked the next big question. "You mentioned that they extort resources from planets about to be attacked... by who?"

"Someone called Thanos. Basically the Confederacy gets ahead of Thanos and offers protection in exchange for resources... only they take the resources and leave the planet to Thanos. Currently we sent the vultures packing, but now Talbot has completely lost his marbles and his infused with Gravitonium.." Kat said.

"So in other words they have their own battle to fight." Steve concluded.

"Pretty much, Daisy said she would try to come and help but they may not be in time." In no time they reached Shuri's lab where they laid Vision on the table to be examined.

"Glad you are back with us Kat, it's been boring here in the lab." Shuri greeted Kat hugging her briefly.

"Good to see you too," Kat replied then Shuri turned to her brother who explained what they hoped could be done. Shuri immediately got to work by scanning him using her kimoyo beads. In the meantime Kat was looking closer at his injury.

"Aida you in?" Kat asked.

"Of course."

"I want a second opinion to make sure... I need you to run a scan on Vision's injury." Kat replied as she sought the items she would need from shelves nearby.

"The structure is polymorphic," Shuri noted.

"Right we had to attach each neuron non-sequentially." Banner explained.

"Why didn't you just reprogram the synapses to work collectively?" Shuri asked.

"Because we didn't think of it." Banner replied embarrassed, Kat tried to keep from laughing as she prepared a binding agent gun for use.

"I'm sure you did your best." Shuri replied.

"Aida, how we looking?" Kat asked.

"Bio-electric scan shows no internal damage." Aida replied.

"Wanda resealed it as best she could." Vision added.

"That's good," Kat said looking back then to Wanda, "If it's alright I can help protect the injury by using a binding agent."

"Of course." Vision replied, Kat moved over closer with the medical gun.

"Alright this might sting a little or tickle... just try to relax." Kat leaned down and began it was a type of liquid vibrainium that solidified within minutes as Kat slowly moved over the length of the wound. Meanwhile Wanda asked if Shuri could remove the stone from Vision's head.

"Yes, but there are more than two trillion neurons here. One misalignment could cause a cascade of circuit failures. It will take time brother." Shuri explained, the last part she looked to her brother.

"How long?" Steve asked.

"As long as you can give me." Shuri replied.

"I may be able to assist," Aida offered, "I will be able to forewarn of any possible dangers of misalignment and identify the correct neurons that are most vital."

"I would welcome your aid Aida."

"Happy to help, I do hope Kat won't miss me too much." Kat rolled her eyes as she finished her work.

"Just so you know Shuri... no backsies." Kat said referring to Aida as she straightened and set the gun own, then looked to Vision. "You okay?"

"It was a strange sensation." Vision admitted.

"My mommy is very good at fixing people." Tess said standing next to Myra out of the way. Kat was about to say something as she smiled at Tess, but Okoye's beads beeped an alert at her.

"Something's entered the atmosphere."

" _Hey cap, we got a situation here."_ Sam said over the comms.

" _We got more incoming outside the dome."_ Rhodey said next. The group had moved to the windows to see what looked like debris hitting the woods, the impact tremors even hit the shields.

"Good thing we upgraded the shields." Shuri said to Kat, but sadly it was not likely to be enough.

"It's too late." Vision said getting up slowly from the table. "We need to destroy the stone now."

"Vision get your ass back on the table." Nat said moving to help him back down as did Tess.

"We will hold them off." T'Challa said moving moving to leave the lab with the Dora right behind him.

"Wanda, as soon as that stone's out of his head... you blow it to hell." Steve said.

"I will."

"Evacuate the city. Engage all defences." T'Challa ordered, then turned back and pointed to Steve. "And get this man a shield."

"What about me?" Tess asked eagerly hoping to help.

"You have a very important job..." Kat said kneeling in front of her daughter. Kat considered deeply to have Tess as far away as possible, but then thought the safest place might be with Shuri, Myra, Wanda, and the Dora. "You and Myra are going to help protect Shuri and Vision."

 _'Despite the people being after the stone, she might be safest here.'_ Kat thought to the others in the room, and Myra nodded in agreement. There would be plenty of Dora and an army between them and the bad guys. Besides if things went terribly wrong Kat wanted to be able to get to them quickly.

"Really?" Tess asked.

"Yeah, but no taking risks okay? You stay with Shuri and Myra okay?" Kat asked.

"I will." Tess turned to leave and go stand guard when Kat asked.

"Aren't you forgetting something? Where is my good luck hug?" Immediately Tess rushed back and hugged her tightly and Kat kissed the top of her head before releasing her.

"Can I go give good luck hugs to everyone then come back?"

"Sure, but you have to hurry. You'll be needed here." Kat replied.

"Okay." Tess replied eagerly she quickly moved over hugging Steve, Nat, Wanda, T'Challa, and Okoye, much to Banners surprise she hugged him too. Lastly she climbed up on a stool to give Vision a hug. Knowing he was injured she avoided his injury. "Don't worry I'll be right back to protect you and Shuri."

After that Tess carefully climbed down and was leaving to go hug the ones outside then come back.

"Oi don't I get a hug?" Shuri asked feeling neglected. Tess immediately came over and hugged her then moved back for the door. Myra took her hand to escort her and the pair left the room.

"You sure about this Kat?" Nat asked also concerned with the decision to leave Tess here.

"While the enemy will be after the stone, we'll be between them and Vision. Besides Myra will know what to do if things go sideways. Also if anything happens I want to be able to get to Tess quickly." Kat said. Since she was suited up she left the lab and came outside to meet up with the others. Tess was hugging Sam when Kat called into the comms. "Rhodey get down here."

" _Why what is it?"_

"Just land please." When Rhodey landed Tess rushed over and hugged him her tiny arms couldn't make it around his waist because of his suit, but she tried and hugged him anyway.

"What's this?" He asked confused to be hugged by a child he barely knew.

"A good luck hug." Kat replied with Tess smiling up at Rhodey. Then she released him and mover to her father giving him an extra tight deep hug. While this was happening Myra shared a kiss with Sam telling him to be careful.

"Okay mini Dora slash SHIELD agent... get to your post." Kat said once she hugged finished hugging her dad.

Tess giggled as she hugged her mom briefly, then took Myra's hand. It was while being led back inside that the little girl looked back, smiled, and waved back at them. Looking to the others Kat moved over to Bucky, with both Sam and Rhodey flying off to give them some privacy. Kat ran her hand over the metal of Bucky's new arm admiring it and him in his suit.

"I missed you" Kat said, looking up at him. In response Bucky wrapped his new arm around her waist pulling her close and kissing her deeply. Right then the idea of failing was pushed away. They would win, they had too much to lose not to win. Pressing to him Kat kissed him passionately unaware of who joined them outside until someone cleared their throat. Hesitantly their lips parted as Kat leaned her forehead against Bucky's for a second. Then she looked to find their friends including some new arrivals.

From there those that couldn't fly got into hover cars to drive out to the edge of the shield's protection to face their enemy. Well except for Banner who oddly choose what was called the Hulk-buster suit to wear.

" _How you looking Bruce?"_ Nat asked over the comms looking back at the suit.

" _Yeah I think I am getting the hang of it._ " A second later he yelled not used to the thrusters as they propelled him ahead of some of the hover cars. _"_ _Wow! This is amazing man. It's like being the Hulk without actually—ah!"_

Just then Banner tripped and fell face first into the ground. Kat was trying hard to keep from laughing, he had obviously spoken too soon. _"I'm okay. I'm okay."_

" _I got two heat signatures breaking through the treeline."_ Rhodey's voice came next, as the hover cars turned and stopped letting them slide over the side and form ranks in preparation of the attack. The Jabari tribe were chanting as Kat came to stand on Bucky's left.

"Thank you for standing with us." T'Challa said to M'Baku as they shook hands. Kat easily understood M'Baku as he spoke in Xhosa.

" _Of course brother."_ From there T'Challa, Steve, and Nat went to go talk to the enemy to hopefully get them to leave now, but Kat knew they would not be that lucky. A moment later a loud rumbling sound came as the ships sticking out of the ground opened up.

Soon the three returned to them and Bucky asked Steve. "They surrender?"

"Not exactly."

"C'mon honey when are we ever that lucky?" Kat asked.

"I was just being optimistic." Bucky replied. Meanwhile T'Challa called out in Xhosa and the tribes responded in kind their shouts resounding around the battlefield. Kat focused on the two figures ahead, they were some distance away but—suddenly it felt like Kat had been hit in the stomach! Fitz, she sensed him! She tried not to show the pain she was in from sensing Fitz. The connection to him was weakening. Kat closed her eyes and was pulled to him mentally.

 _A building somewhere. It was dark... there was rubble everywhere. It had collapsed on him... Mack and May had just removed some of the debris. "I hope you saved some energy cuz my leg's bent I think it's broken. You will have to carry me out."_

 _Meanwhile Mack pulled a large block off of Fitz and it fell to the side. Fitz began shaking as Mack replied. "Gotcha Turbo."_

 _Fitz was covering his eyes so Kat could not see in that moment since this was happening through his eyes. "I think it's a bad break because I can't feel it."_

 _Shock, he was in shock because he was examining his hands when Mack knelt down by him and patted his shoulder. "Relax buddy just breathe."_

" _Uh yeah okay." Fitz said taking Mack's hand._

" _Just breathe. I am gonna stay with you." Mack reassured him taking a look down then looking to Fitz. "Help you find a way out of this."_

" _Yeah okay, okay." Fitz said leaning his head back and taking a breath. Still he was in shock and didn't realise just how badly injured he was. "Right we should get Polly out cuz she is in danger."_

 _May leaned forward. "She's safe now."_

" _Yeah you got her out," Mack smiled at Fitz, "You did good Turbo You did really good."_

" _Okay.." Fitz leaned back and rested a moment then looked to Mack whispering, "Hey Mack I think my legs are broken."_

" _You've been through worse." Mack said gently, this time when Fitz leaned back he didn't open his eyes again._ With the connection failing Kat felt Fitz slip away and took a shaky breath, he was gone. Blinking away tears Bucky realised something was wrong with his wife and touched her arm. Looking to Bucky she thought. _'It's Fitz...he's dead.'_

 _'Go back inside.'_ Bucky thought and Kat shook her head.

 _'I'll be alright. Besides I want to take my anger out of them.'_ Kat said glaring ahead of them. She would make them pay for coming here, and for Fitz dying. _S_ he saw the ugly woman bring down her sword signalling the army of... ugly bastards to attack... From the trees a sea of aliens poured forth to attack the shield. "What the hell?"

"Looks like we pissed her off." Nat said.

"Then she is about to be livid. Most of her troops will not get through... not alive at least." Kat said, but some could. Through sheer weight of numbers, enough threw themselves at a single point to force themselves through. It would create a fluctuation allowing them to squeeze through. Unfortunately that was what was starting to happen as the creatures lost limbs and killed themselves trying to breach the shield.

"They're killing themselves." Okoye said stunned by the display. However now some were getting through alive. Luckily Kat brought her sniper rifle. She pulled it from her back as the tribesmen created a shield wall and Bucky began mowing some of them down. Meanwhile Sam flew ahead sending three drones to carve though more of the aliens.

" _You see the teeth on those things?"_ Sam asked over the comms.

" _All right Sam back up. You're gonna get your wings singed."_ Rhodey replied dropping bombs along the shield wall. However both still managed to miss some as Kat shot some more of the aliens at range.

"Boys and their toys... you missed that one..." Kat shot one in the head, "And that one."

" _Haha very funny Kat."_ Sam replied.

"Oh, and let's not forget this one."

" _Show off."_ Rhodey replied, but looking through her scope on her rifle she noticed some of the aliens trying to circle the shield. While the shield had been upgraded by her and Shuri it would not hold all of them out if enough tried to force their way through.

"Cap if these things circle the perimeter and get in behind us there's nothing between them and Vision." Banner said.

"Then we better keep 'em in front of us." Steve said.

"How do we do that?" Okoye asked.

"We open the barrier.." T'Challa said, then spoke into the comms. "On my signal open the north-west section seventeen."

The dome must have requested confirmation because T'Challa next said. "On my signal."

"This will be the end of Wakanda." M'Baku muttered.

"Then it will be the noblest ending in history." Okoye said as Kat frowned this was the vision Robin had shown her. It was coming true. She tried not to think about that as she looked ahead and T'Challa yelled out in Xhosa. T'Challa moved forward.

"Wakanda forever!" With that he charged forward as did the tribes. Kat compacted her rifle as she ran it would be useless in close quarters and instead flicked out both her wrist daggers. As they drew closer T'Challa spoke into his comms "Now!"

With that the shield safeguarding Wakanda opened to to the size of a doorway to allow the aliens inside, and they rushed forward like a flood. With Steve and T'Challa being faster the pair surged forward attacking the enemies first. A moment later the rest of them met the enemies, with Kat slashing the first aliens to come at her and attacking a third one's mind. The creatures seemed to be mindless brutes, that lived for hunting and battle. More like wild animals than anything, but that just meant their minds would be easier to attack. After seeing Fitz dying Kat was very pissed off, he might have lived had this threat not come to Wakanda calling her away. Viciously she attacked the minds of the creatures stupid enough to attack her then would cut them down.

Despite that though, they were slowly and steadily being overwhelmed by these mindless aliens. At one point Bucky turned to shoot one only for his gun to be knocked out of his hands, and he also knocked to the ground. Kat sensed him more than anything, but they had gotten separated during the battle. Turning she saw him ten feet away on the ground fighting the creature trying to get him off. "Bucky!"

Kat went to attack the creatures mind only to be knocked to the ground by another one. She attacked it's mind but another jumped at her trying to bite and claw at her.

"There are too many of them! Ah!" Banner called out. Then out of nowhere a blast hit the ground not far away knocking the one on her off of her. Shielding her eyes from the bright blinding flash Kat wondered what was coming now? She saw an object fly past her hitting another alien about to pounce on her. She didn't get a clear look, but after it hit numerous enemies it flew back to a man? It took a moment for Kat to recognise the man with a red cape. Didn't he have longer hair? She had seen pictures of Thor, but never actually met him. With him stood a tall thin...tree-like creature and a raccoon with a big gun? ' _Yeah okay that works.'_ Kat thought not wanting to be picky as they fought for their lives.

Getting up Kat was simply happy for any type of help, but Banner's Hulk-buster helm opened as he started laughing. "You guys are so screwed now!"

"Bring me Thanos!" Thor yelled as he and his companions charged forward to attack the invaders. Seeing the god of Thunder in action was amazing as he leapt into the air with electricity sparking off of him and his axe. Wait didn't Thor have a hammer? Oh well guess he changed it up, Kat thought. He came down, lighting up a number of the aliens as he landed. Either way Kat was simply glad he was on their side, and moved to attack more of the aliens.

At some point during the fighting Steve ended up reunited with Thor, and when catching his breath he asked Thor. "New haircut?"

"Noticed you copied my beard." Thor pointed out, nearby Groot used his limb to stab through three of the aliens and was lifting them up.

"By the way this is a friend of mine, Tree." Thor said gesturing to his companion.

"I am Groot."

"I am Steve Rogers." Steve replied touching his chest, just then he nearly jumped when Kat yelled and rolled past them coming to her feet and stabbing an alien. Then she raised her hand to another no doubt attacking it's mind because it gave a scream as it dropped to it's knees gripping it's head. He looked to Thor. "This is my friend, Katrina Barnes."

Hearing her name Kat slit the throat of the alien then turned to the two men.

"Pleasure to meet ya." Kat said breathlessly, then attacked another's mind as it charged towards her. She was about to move towards it when it was stabbed by a long wooden spike? Following it to it's source the wooden creature replied.

"I am Groot."

"Cool, everybody just calls me Kat." She replied, then resumed attacking more of the invaders. That was until the ground rumbled beneath their feet. Looking around Kat found it was something under the ground coming towards them which meant the shield could not stop it. Whatever it was burst from the ground and looked like enormous round chainsaw blades.

" _Fall Back! Fall back now!"_ T'Challa called out over the comms. There were five of them which seemed to be operated by drivers as they went in different directions trying to run over the people below.

"Shit!" Kat yelled out at she ran and jumped out of the way of one of the bladed contraptions. Rolling to her feet she was once more attacked by the aliens, but also trying to be aware of where those death vehicles were. After killing more of the aliens she heard a loud crash as the vehicles were sent on their sides by Wanda. She must have seen how desperate things were getting and came to help. Unfortunately that meant it was the Dora, Shuri, Tess, Myra, and Aida up there with Vision.

* * *

Meanwhile up in Shuri's lab Myra and Tess looked out the window on the battlefield below the noises had drawn them there. While letting a little girl see such carnage was ill-advised Tess seemed rather calm. Obviously her experience with Moira helped the little girl to remain calm in almost any situation. Meanwhile Shuri worked to remove the stone from Vision's head. Aida was trying to assist by ensuring that each neuron was correctly attached. Things were coming along until cries erupted behind them and a tall gangly figure was attacking the Dora stationed there.

Both Myra and Tess looked back as Shuri began trying to work faster. Tess really couldn't tell what Shuri was trying to do as Myra called out. "Stay back Tess!"

Immediately Myra pulled her gun and moved forward she waited for a clear shot not wanting to hit the Dora fighting him. Once cleared she opened fire shooting at the gangly figure, but the bullets only seemed to anger him. Next to her Shuri put on one of her panther gauntlets and began shooting too. The Dora got up to help them when all three of them were knocked through the glass down onto the lower level of the lab. Shuri landed unconscious next to Tess, her panther gauntlet falling off her hand. Immediately the little girl picked it up and put it on. Her mom made these so Tess knew how to use them a little. As the alien looked around and Myra groaned trying to get up, he moved towards her when he was struck with a blast from the gauntlet from behind. He turned to look at the little girl, her small hand in the gauntlet, while the other helped to support it.

"Go away!" Tess yelled, the thing growled at her so she started shoot him more and backing away. Sadly Tess was running out of space and the thing raised its bladed weapon. The little girl was certain she would die, when Vision rushed him from the side knocking them both out the window.

"Tess? You alright?" Myra asked as she rubbed the back of her neck and got up. Then she noticed the gauntlet on her hand.

"Uh-huh, but Vision he knocked the bad man out the window!" Tess said pointing to the broken window.

"Damn it!" Myra replied as she moved to Shuri and the Dora, at the same time she spoke into her comms. "Guys! We were attacked in the lab, Vision is below in the woods..."

Tess came over to check on Shuri, both were simply unconscious, but what about Vision?

" _I see them Myra."_ Sam called back as he flew that way to help him only to be knocked out of the sky.

" _Somebody get to Vision!"_ Steve said into the comms, immediately Kat began fighting her way towards the woods under Shuri's lab.

" _I got him!"_ Banner called as he flew that way. A few minutes later Banner spoke again. _"Guys, Vision needs backup now!"_

"I'm on my way!" Kat called into the comms. She began attacking the minds of the aliens and running past them, those unlucky to be close enough ended up cut down as she moved past them. Steve was also moving that way and was faster then her. _'Don't worry about the aliens just run!'_ Kat thought to Steve as she attacked the minds of the ones ahead of her allowing Steve to run past them unhindered. She would catch up in a few minutes as she cut down the aliens to ensure neither of them would be followed. When she caught up Steve was helping Vision up.

"I thought I told you to run."

"We don't trade lives, Captain."

"You guys alright?" Kat asked moving towards them. Both nodded as they moved over and helped lean Vision against a log.

"You're daughter is very brave." Vision replied getting Kat to smile.

"Got you wrapped around her tiny fingers already huh?" Kat joked.

"We'll guard you until Wanda can take you back to Shuri's lab." Steve said. Moving over by Steve the pair stood watch as Wanda landed close by. Kat moved back towards the edge of the woods to make sure there was no more surprises. However something was very wrong, she looked back to Steve as he spoke into his comms.

"Everyone on my position. We have incoming." Kat looked around at just how still and quiet everything was. Like.. the calm before the storm. Then further in the woods past Banner it looked like a portal opened up and in stepped through a really big bald purple man.

"Cap, that's him." Banner said confirming that this was Thanos. In response Steve engaged his shield.

"Eyes up. Stay sharp." With that he moved forward to stop the approaching man. Banner was the first to charge him, but went right through him and was fused into the wall. Next Steve tried to attack and was knocked aside with an energy field. T'Challa jumped at him only to be caught in the air and punched to the ground. Next Sam was flying in shooting at him only for his wings to become like jelly forcing him out of the air.

Kat rushed forward about to attack his mind when she was lifted up and thrown into a tree. She heard Bucky yell and was shooting at him as he rushed forward. Still Kat had to take a moment to shake off the dizziness. Then she realised this was what Robin showed her, the Avengers being thrown around like rag dolls... empty cities.. failure! No They would not fail! Kat shook away her dizziness and looked up to see Steve holding Thanos back. She looked past them to see Wanda... the red glow hitting Vision. She was destroying the mind stone. However if Thanos got to them it was all over. She didn't want to see Vision destroyed, but knew they could not afford to fail. Instead she could buy them a little more time.

As Thanos knocked out Steve and approached Wanda she continued to destroy the mind stone with one hand while the other hit Thanos. Still he was moving forward. Getting to one knee Kat focused and attacked Thanos' mind with everything she had. It momentarily stopped him as he grit his teeth in pain, then looked back at her. Normally this type of an attack brought the strongest attacker to their knees. Between her and Wanda they were holding him for a brief time. Then Kat was thrown into another tree hitting her head. For a moment she blacked out, what woke her was a wave of energy from what she was unsure, but if she had to guess than it was Vision's stone being destroyed. Still everything was spinning and she was trying to recover.

"NO!" That was Thor's voice, then it was like a earth shattering clap of thunder. "What did you do?"

Kat groaned and opened her eyes to see Thor standing before the kneeling Thanos his axe embedded in the purple bastard's chest. "What'd you do?!"

However instead of answering Thanos fell back into a portal disappearing as quickly as he came. As Kat slowly got to her feet, Steve came forward holding his side. "Where did he go? Thor, Where'd he go?"

Shaking off the last of her dizziness that was when it happened, unlike Fitz when he was slowly bleeding out. Kat just suddenly could no longer sense certain ones. The tether that allowed her to sense them was suddenly going slack, the worst part was it wasn't just one or two.. it was many. It was sensory overload for her as she tried to sense different ones... T'Challa, Sam, Wanda, and many more. However what was most devastating was she couldn't sense Bucky. She looked up when she heard him. "Steve?"

"Bucky!" Kat called out. The look on his face told her he knew he was dying in that moment. Rushing forward as he looked to her and tried to say 'I love you', even as she saw him crumbling to ash. "NO!"

She made it to him just in time for her arm to pass through him as he crumbled to the ground. Kat fell to her knees as Steve moved over across from her touching the ground where his friend had fallen. For a long moment she was in shock, this wasn't happening right? It was a dream, a terrible nightmare! She would wake up in Bucky's arms right? But it wasn't a dream she was in shock from watching the man she loved vanish right before her eyes. What made it all worse was she could no longer sense a number of their friends. It was overwhelming her as she knelt there trying to sense Bucky. She kept pulling and pulling on the mental tether that connected them, but there was nothing. She couldn't even take in all those she knew that just suddenly vanished.

Meanwhile different ones called out for each other not understanding the magnitude of what happened. Steve got up and went over to Vision as the others joined him, but Kat was still knelt by where Bucky had fallen.

"What is this? What the hell is happening?" Rhodey asked.

"Oh god." Steve said as he realised Thanos had won, he had wiped out half of all life in the galaxy. For a moment the group was in shock.

" _Please... is anyone still out there?"_ Myra voice spoke interrupting the silence.

"We... we read you Myra." Nat responded still shaken, but when Myra didn't respond Nat added. "Are you alright?"

" _I...she was right next to me. I tried to stop it!"_ Myra cried, _"I'm sorry!"_ The words brought Kat back from her shock, there had been so many that just vanished that she could barely focus.

"Myra?" Kat called into the comms.

" _I''m sorry... I'm so sorry Kat..."_ Myra kept crying. No! _"She... just vanished... I tried to grab her!"_

Kat stumbled to her feet, NO! She took off running as someone, most likely Steve; called out to her.

"Kat!" She ran towards the building trying to sense Tess to find her, but nothing! She kept pulling on the tether over and over and over again, but nothing! Finally as she got into the building she ran straight for Shur's lab. _'Tess is hiding... or she got away from Myra. She is here! She has to be here!'_ Kat thought desperately. Bursting into the lab and coming down the steps to where she saw Myra she stopped short. Time seemed to slow to a crawl as she found the former agent on her hands and knees crying over a spot on the floor. As she neared it she realised it was ash...and Tess' toy backpack... Sake.

Kat moved forward in shock as she knelt to the floor picking up the worn toy also covered in ash. _'It could be another's toy...'_ Kat thought in denial. She hoped desperately as she looked at the toy, the left ear had to be sown back on with bright yellow thread. Tess had cried a lot until Kat fixed it. As she examined the ear she saw the yellow thread used, and hugged the toy tightly to her. She tried to sense Tess, but... nothing. That was when the shock wore off her husband and daughter were gone.

"AHH!" Kat gave a blood curdling scream.

* * *

 **Author's Notes:**

 **First of thank you Fin-Fish Jun-Tenshi for the lovely review. Now that we are back in the MCU movies, hopefully a lot of you will let me know what you think of this latest chapter...Infinity War.**

 **As for this chapter lots of tears to be shed as Kat deals with both what happens in Agents of SHIELD and in Infinity War. First with having to say goodbye to the Agents of SHIELD, then sensing Fitz's death, and lastly Thanos coming along and snapping his big sausage fingers.**

 **One of the things to note is back when Infinity War came out and I stopped crying over Bucky's death, I decided to flip a coin to decide the fate of the OC characters in this story. Heads they live, tails they were dusted... I got a lot of tails. Sadly Tess also got tails, but Myra got lucky. So it wasn't me just being cruel to my main character, if was a fair fifty-fifty chance.**

 **Anyway I hope you all enjoyed this chapter. Please if you read this story leave a review. I love hearing from everyone.**

 **Lesliezin**


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